Formulaicity of Language: Its Pervasiveness and the Processing Advantage in Language Use

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Language makes extensive use of formulaic sequences, such as in other words or as soon as, which are typically described as multiword expressions that are stored, retrieved and processed as a single lexical unit. It is now widely acknowledged that the appropriate use of formulae and collocation is a prerequisite for proficient language use (Sinclair, 1991; Wray, 2002). Accumulating research shows that a word in a formulaic sequence is processed faster than the same word in a non-formulaic sequence, suggesting that there is a processing advantage for formulaic language use. It is yet to be known, however, if there is a psychological validity of formulaic sequences in the human mind, as the studies do not demonstrate clear-cut results (Schmitt, Grandage & Adolphos, 2004; Schmitt & Underwood, 2004; Underwood, Schmitt & Galpin, 2004; Jiang & Nekrasova, 2007; Conklin & Schmitt, 2008). In the research of second language (L2) acquisition, language learners are often reported to have problems with these multiword expressions (Howarth, 1998; Nesselhauf, 2003; among others), leading me to suggest that the intervention of language teaching should play a crucial part in the development of these properties. Considering the relationship between formulaicity and creativity of language, I conclude by proposing that a model which could accommodate both idiomaticity and novelty of human language at the same level would be necessary for the development of L2 research.

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