Lanspan Lectures 2024

Schedule of Lanspan Lectures 2024

Abstracts

Griet Boone (Universiteit van Antwerpen) - Collocational development in L2 writing during study abroad

Collocations (e.g., take a break, strong coffee) are widespread in language and fundamental in learning a foreign/second language (L2) (Erman & Warren, 2000). Especially when aiming for fluent, accurate and idiomatic language production, collocation knowledge plays a crucial role (Sinclair, 1991). However, L2 collocational development has been shown to be quite challenging even for advanced L2 learners (Boers et al., 2014; Boone et al., 2023). One of the explanations for this is that learners often lack adequate L2 exposure. Especially in the light of usage-based theories of second language acquisition, it seems in principle that the study abroad (SA) context should provide positive circumstances for L2 collocational development, because learners “are immersed in the target language and culture with potentially massive amounts of input, output and interaction opportunities” (Pérez-Vidal, 2014, p. 23).

However, several studies exploring collocational development in L2 writing during SA indicate contradictory results, for example, regarding the number of collocations used and the use of more or less frequent collocations (Edmonds & Gudmestad, 2021; Siyanova-Chanturia & Spina, 2020). Since this variability might be explained by individual factors, we believe that not only a quantitative, but also a qualitative understanding of learners’ developmental trajectory is highly desirable to comprehend the mechanics of L2 collocation learning. Additionally, it seems important to take into account the way in which the term collocation is defined and operationalized, since results often depend on a particular method of analysis.

In this presentation, I will report on a multiple case study using both quantitative learner corpus data and qualitative interview data. I will focus on learners’ development in collocation use from two different perspectives (i.e., the phraseological vs. the frequency-based approach) and on individual differences influencing this. To conclude, I will discuss some methodological implications for future research.

Albert Weideman (University of the Free State) - The practicality of theory: assessment and applied linguistics

In language assessment there is awareness that at a fundamental level it is a subfield of applied linguistics. Hence a productive understanding of that relationship is to ask, first, how we understand the discipline of applied linguistics and, second, how language assessment can, together with other subfields, be shown to belong to it. Employing the idea of applied linguistics as a discipline of design, we can identify at least three subfields. These involve the development of three prime applied linguistic artefacts: language policies and language management plans; language tests and assessments; and language curricula and courses. Abstracting and considering more closely their technical function and its nuclear meaning of design, we may further investigate a number of technically stamped primitives or fundamental concepts. These derive from the coherence of the technical modality with other dimensions of reality, yielding the foundational concepts of homogeneity, range, reliability, validity, differentiation, sensitivity, rationality, meaningfulness, appropriateness, usefulness, alignment, accountability, fairness, and trustworthiness. From these fundamentals, in turn, emerge various principles of responsible design applicable to all three kinds of applied linguistic artefacts: policies, tests and courses. The three subfields have not only principles in common, but by virtue of that also have a reciprocal relationship: the one can learn design lessons from the other. The paper will refer first to the notion of language assessment as subfield of applied linguistics, second to the principles of responsible design, and third to the reciprocity among applied linguistic designs as various as language policies, tests, and courses.

Open Access publication: https://spilplus.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/935

Book: Weideman, A. (2024). A theory of applied linguistics : imagining and disclosing the meaning of design. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-67559-1

Nuranindia Endah Arum (University of Oslo) - Navigating language learning and employment: Insights from highly educated Indonesian migrants in Norway

In this talk, I will share my research on how highly educated Indonesian migrants in Norway learn Norwegian and navigate the local job market. Using a combination of sociolinguistic and second language acquisition theories, the study examines the challenges and opportunities related to language learning, employment, and social inclusion. The study is based on data collected through multiple methods: an online questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, language diaries, focus group discussions, and analyses of language-related immigration policies.

The findings reveal the complex interplay of language ideologies, identity, cultural capital, learners' positioning, and language policy over time and across different contexts. Language learning experiences and support vary across workplaces. Moreover, national and local-level policies may have impact on learning opportunities. However, investing in learning Norwegian does not always lead to career progression and a sense of belonging due to ideologies that marginalize and delegitimize learners. This research highlights the need for equal access to language learning and employment resources to help migrants integrate successfully.

I am also interested in discussing how these insights might apply to the Indonesian diaspora in the Netherlands and invite the audience to share experiences and perspectives to further research on this topic.

Biography
Nuranindia Endah Arum is a Completion Grant Fellow at the Department of Linguistics and Scandinavian Studies, University of Oslo (UiO). In 2024, she obtained her PhD in Applied Linguistics from the Center for Multilingualism in Society across the Lifespan (MultiLing), UiO. Her research interests include language learning, migration, language in professional settings, and foreign language didactics. She also has years of experience in teaching Italian, French, and Indonesian.