A Study On Correlation Between Vocabulary Proficiency Of Post-90s Undergraduates And Electronic Dictionary Use

Dictionary is an indispensible learning tool for EFL learners. Rubin and Thompson (1994) suggested that teachers, textbooks, dictionaries, grammatical books and media are major resources that can effectively help learners with their language acquisition. However, with the development of modern science and technology, English dictionary for EFL learners is confronted with many new trends and problems. A variety of e-dictionaries, which are multipurpose, easy to carry and user-friendly, are increasingly welcomed by most EFL learners of China’s Post-90s generation.The research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to survey the current situation of dictionary use by Post-90s EFL learners. A questionnaire survey is conducted to study the subjects from Jiujiang University. And two vocabulary proficiency tests, breadth of vocabulary knowledge (BVK) test and depth of vocabulary knowledge (DVK) test, are carried out at the same time. Then the results of questionnaire survey and tests are analyzed by Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). A statistical description is subsequently made on dictionary types, use frequency and purposes, use habits and strategies, and vocabulary tests. A contrastive analysis, which is the emphasis of the research, is made to explore the correlations among the subjects’vocabulary competence, dictionary use strategies and e-dictionary use. In the end, new trends of dictionary use by Post-90s EFL learners and impacts of e-dictionary use on their vocabulary competence and dictionary use strategies are discussed.The results show that various e-dictionaries are widely used by Post-90s college students and values of paper dictionary as an important language learning tool are actually underestimated. Instead, e-dictionary is most favorite dictionary type of Post-90s Non-English majors and e-dictionary use has become the mainstream. E-dictionary use purpose of Post-90s EFL learners is proved to be singleness, reducing to a translation tool instead of an English learning tool. It has made a certain negative impact on both paper dictionary use and EFL vocabulary acquisition. Therefore, English teachers should provide them with better and urgent guidance about dictionary use.