This volume examines the area of second language vocabulary studies from
three broad perspectives: description, acquisition and pedagogical
context. The book's fifteen chapters are grouped together to achieve a
balance between descriptions of what vocabulary is and how it behaves,
how the mind learns new vocabulary and then uses it when it is learned,
and pedagogical issues of teaching and testing L2 vocabulary. Some of
the specific topics addressed in these three general areas include: -
word frequency and vocabulary size, multi-word units, variation between
spoken and written language; - models of lexical acquisition, first
language influences on second language vocabulary acquisition,
vocabulary learning strategies; - vocabulary and the syllabus, trends in
teaching and testing vocabulary, lexical reference sources.