An Exploration Of Chinese English Major's Vocabulary Acquisition Competence

This dissertation makes an attempt to explore the vocabulary acquisition competence of CEM (Chinese English Majors) in the hope of providing a working reference so as to call more attention to vocabulary instruction and learning and to ultimately promote the vocabulary acquisition ability of Chinese English learners. Though as a data-driven research, the present study employed both the qualitative and quantitative approaches in carrying out an error analysis and a questionnaire investigation on the learner's vocabulary learning. In addition, detailed discussions and analysis were conducted, in the hope of making some contributions to theory construction in vocabulary acquisition.The term VAC (Vocabulary Acquisition Competence), suggested by the present author, is based on the comprehensive review of related literature on vocabulary acquisition. It is composed of VA (Vocabulary Ability) and VSC (Vocabulary Strategic Competence). VA, the basic and nuclear component, in turn consists of Mental Lexicon (ML), context and strategic ability in use. ML involves not only the state of vocabulary knowledge per se but also the dynamic fundamental processing of vocabulary knowledge. Responsible to ML construction is the influence from both the learner internal factors and external circumstances. VSC refers to strategic ability in both vocabulary use and acquisition. This system better illustrates the characteristic of dynamics in vocabulary acquisition/learning, and better describe the learner's real vocabulary acquisition process and the factors involved therein, and finally leads us to the identification of the factors underling vocabulary acquisition competence. VA, as one of the most important components of learner's language proficiency—a point or state on the continuum of dynamic process of language learning, also involves the dynamic feature of development. Therefore, VAC suggested in this dissertation is a kind of more advanced competence structure or system, with dynamics as its core characteristic in the development. Vocabulary ability cannot be acquired unless a learner bears a sensitive awareness of vocabulary and vocabulary acquisition that enables him to be ready to learn vocabulary by employing appropriate strategies in every context, which is bound to enhance the constant processing and construction of ML. This processing and construction will, in turn, facilitate the further learning and acquisition. This is the"Cyclical Effect"in the developmental vocabulary acquisition process. As long as we take advantage of this Effect and make it work in language instruction and learning, we definitely can acquire the self-improving ability in vocabulary learning in particular and language learning in general, i.e., autonomous...