The hallmarks of L2 writing viewed through the prism of translation universals

Younghee Cheri Lee 경희대학교 언어정보연구소 2018 언어연구 Vol.35 No.S

Rooted in a perception that second language (L2) writing bears neither resemblance with nontranslated counterparts nor relation to translation, this article explores the untested terrain of revealing lexical and textual attributes unique to L2 writers texts, thus identifying their linguistic qualities from the angle of translation universals. Setting plausible parameters to discern translational instances related to lexical and syntactical choices, this article argues that idiosyncratic properties shared by translated English may typify the hallmarks of L2 writing produced by non-anglophone scholars in English disciplines. By compiling the comparable corpora of English journal abstracts consisting of 638,764 tokens, it is shown how salient translational features arise in expert L2 writers texts in compliance with corpus linguistics. Kruskal-Wallis tests are applied to evaluate linguistic indices that make Korean scholars L2 writing distinct from native scholars’ original writing. On a substantial level, a general presumption on the interrelatedness between expert L2 writers English and translational English has turned out to be warranted, meaning that Korean scholars L2 writing can be marked by universals of simplification, normalization, explicitation, and convergence in their broad outlines. It can be deducible from the findings that regardless of L2 proficiency levels, second language writers may be destined to go through a ‘mental translation as an inescapable cognitive mechanism during the L2 writing process, which in turn renders translational manifestations pervasive in the ‘product’ of L2 writing. The terminal pedagogical aim building metacognitive awareness to be mindful of second language processing, thus, this article concludes that expert L2 writers need to equip themselves with metacognitive strategies, thereby being consciously and explicitly aware of what to avoid and what to accept during the process of L2 writing entailing mental translation.

The Predictability of Receptive Vocabulary Size : to Assess College Students’ TOEIC?? Readiness

Younghee Cheri Lee 한국영어학학회 2021 영어학연구 Vol.27 No.1

This article examines whether receptive vocabulary size can forecast college students’ TOEIC?? readiness using the New General Service List Test (NGSLT). A growing body of empirical research has evidenced that L2 vocabulary knowledge is one of the most vital factors in language learning and academic success in the EFL context. Of convincing arguments on the predictability of L2 learners’ vocabulary size, it has been claimed that L2 learners’ vocabulary size is strongly correlated with receptive skills of language like reading and listening. Even though Korea is one of the biggest consumers of the TOEIC?? assessment arranged by the ETS, however, TOEIC?? readiness has rarely been problematized in practical aspects assisting college students’ career goal-oriented language learning needs, thereby failing to help students aware of their TOEIC?? readiness in advance without any financial burdens imposed on themselves. This study thus sought to investigate the correlated linear relationship between the NGSLT Vocabulary Size Scores and the official TOEIC?? Test Scores produced by over four hundred two-year college students majoring in airline services. Overall, it was attested that the New General Service List Test (NGSLT) had a high predictive power of the TOEIC?? readiness for those collegiates seeking a position as a flight attendant in the airline industry. This study concludes that what starts as building L2 vocabulary size can quickly escalate into the TOEIC?? skills’ growth, entailing the enhancement of L2 English proficiency both in reading and listening. Some pedagogical implications will also be addressed pertaining to how L2 learners can self-promote autonomous learning.

Function Words as Markers of Translationese: A Corpus-based Approach to Mental Translation in Second Language Writing

Younghee Cheri Lee 한국영어학회 2021 영어학 Vol.21 No.-

Elite English Education in North Korea: A Multifaceted Corpus-based Comparative Analysis of English Textbooks

Younghee Cheri Lee,Tae-Young Kim 한국영어학회 2023 영어학 Vol.23 No.-

This study offers a systematic investigation into the attributes of English language instruction in North Korea’s elite high schools, utilizing a comprehensive, corpus-based method. We scrutinize various linguistic features—lexical coverage, lexical variety, lexical complexity, and syntactic complexity—that define the privileged education imparted under Kim Jong-un’s regime. The findings unearth unique traits that distinguish English education in North Korean elite schools from general high school English education in South Korea. The study exposes a limited lexical coverage and a diminished lexical variety in North Korean instructional materials. Intriguingly, North Korean resources exhibit low lexical complexity despite a pronounced focus on scientific texts. Additionally, the mean sentence length, indicative of syntactic complexity, was markedly shorter than in South Korean curricula. These findings hint at potential constraints in providing North Korean gifted students adequate exposure to intricate syntactic structures, which may, in turn, limit their proficiency in engaging with advanced English texts in future academic or professional contexts. The paper culminates with examining the implications of these results, speculating on the factors contributing to such phenomena in the context of North Korean elite education compared to South Korean regular high schools. It advocates for including a more diverse set of lexical items and sentence structures in the curriculum to enrich the learning experience of North Korea’s advanced students.

A Study of English Major Students’ Beliefs about Language Learning

신동희(Donghee Shin),이영희(Younghee Cheri Lee) 학습자중심교과교육학회 2021 학습자중심교과교육연구 Vol.21 No.24

목적 본 연구는 여대생 영어 전공 학생들의 영어 학습에 대한 신념을 Horwitz의 언어 학습 척도 (BALLI) 설문지를 통해 분석하고, 각 학년에 따라 영어 학습에 대한 신념에 차이가 있는지를 살펴보는 데에 목적이 있다. 방법 본 연구를 위해 2021년 봄 학기에 한국 여대생 71명을 대상으로 BALLI 설문지를 통한 양적 자료와 11명과의 인터뷰를 통한 질적 자료를 수집하였다. 여대생 영어전공학생들의 영어 학습 신념에 차이가 있는지 각 학년 별 평균차이를 비교하기 위해 일원배치 분산분석을 실시하였다. 결과 연구결과 학생들은 영어가 학습하기에 중간 정도 어렵다고 생각했지만 누구나 영어 말하는 것을 습득할 수 있다고 믿었다. 또한 많은 학생들은 영어 습득을 위해 가장 중요한 전략은 반복하고 연습하는 것이라고 생각했다. 영어를 배우는 주된 원인은 영어를 모국어로 사용하는 사람들을 더 잘 이해하기 위해서였고 많은 학생들이 영어를 잘하면 더 좋은 직장을 얻을 수 있을 것이라는 믿음을 가지고 있었다. 학습자의 신념과 각 학년에 따른 신념의 차이는 “언어학습의 성격”과 관련된 신념에서 통계적으로 유의미한 차이가 관찰되었다. 결론 교사는 학습자가 영어 학습에 대해 어떤 신념을 가지고 있는지 진단하고 학습자로 하여금 영어 학습에 대한 자신의 신념을 더 잘 이해하고 인식할 수 있는 기회를 제공하도록 해야 할 것이다. 학습자의 긍정적 신념이 지속될 수 있도록 격려하되 부정적 신념은 완화될 수 있도록 노력해야 한다. 교사는 학습자의 영어 학습에 대한 신념에 영향을 미칠 수 있기 때문에 이는 수업에서 영어 학습에 대한 올바른 정보를 제공함으로써 가능할 것이다. Objectives This article aims to discuss female English major students’ beliefs about English language learning at the tertiary level, hinged upon Horwitz’s Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI), thereby identifying salient differences in learner beliefs by different academic years. Methods The BALLI questionnaire was used to obtain quantitative data from 71 Korean women’s university students, 11 of whom further volunteered to engage in interviews conducted for data collections during the spring semester of 2021. Results The results evidenced that students assumed that they could learn to speak English even though they considered it was a medium-difficult language to master. Most participants also perceived that practicing and repeating as much as possible was one of the most critical tactics at their disposal. The primary motivation for learning English was to understand the language’s speakers better; they believed that if they were equipped with proficiency in English, it would help them land a decent career. Regarding the relationship between learners’ beliefs and different academic years, statistical significance was observed in the beliefs associated with “the nature of language learning.” Conclusions The findings indicate that teachers diagnose students’ beliefs about English learning, thus better understanding and becoming aware of them. Students’ positive beliefs should be sustained and encouraged, but their negative beliefs could be alleviated by teachers’ positive instructional practices in class, instilling positive and efficient beliefs about English language learning. It is further suggested that teachers are fostered to counter flawed beliefs with valid information and pertinent knowledge as they have the prospects to affect learners’ beliefs.

A Corpus-based Study of Translation Universals in Thesis/Dissertation Abstracts

Gwang-Yoon Goh,Younghee Cheri Lee,Dongyoung Kim 한국영어학회 2016 영어학 Vol.16 No.4