Changes in Electronic Dictionary Usage Patterns in the Age of Free Online Dictionaries: Implications for Vocabulary Acquisition

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Internet and smartphone technology provides the English language learner with access to free and accessible dictionary technology like never before. However, the implications of this dramatic shift have yet to be fully addressed in dictionary usage and comparative effectiveness research. The primary aim of this research is to establish an up-to-date picture of Japanese college students’ usage of traditional electronic and Internet-based dictionary applications. A questionnaire was conducted and responses analyzed from 498 undergraduate college students taking compulsory EFL courses. Follow-up interviews were also conducted with five students and their responses were analyzed. The results showed that the vast majority of students were not using traditional paper dictionaries and that not only has the possession rate of electronic dictionaries fallen, but also that a substantial number of electronic dictionary owners were choosing to use other types of Internet-based dictionary applications. The pedagogical implications of these results are discussed within the framework of the “mental effort” (Hulstijn, 1992) and “involvement load” (Laufer & Hulstijn, 2001) hypotheses. The potential outcomes of a “lowered consultation trigger point” (Aust, Kelley, & Roby, 1993) as a result of the ease and convenience of Internet-based dictionaries and applications are also discussed.

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