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A New Frequency-Based Account of Common English Prepositions and Their Acquisition by Japanese Learners

Research Project

Project/Area Number 21K00653
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 02100:Foreign language education-related
Research InstitutionFuji Women's University

Principal Investigator

Mueller Charles  藤女子大学, 文学部, 教授 (50710498)

Project Period (FY) 2021-04-01 – 2025-03-31
Project Status Granted (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Keywordsprepositions / cognitive linguistics / L2A / frequency / semantics / force dynamics / SLA
Outline of Research at the Start

The research examines five of the most common English prepositions to determine their polysemy networks, the corpus-based frequency of each sense within these networks, and the acquisition of the senses by Japanese-L1 learners. The study then describes the development of a model online lesson.

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

The research project was paused for a year since I was going on sabbatical. Beginning in April 2024, I have recommenced work on the project. During the sabbatical, I used the University of Birmingham library to conduct research on the cognitive linguistic framework as it related to prepositions and the semantics of spatial language, and had discussions with top researchers in the cognitive linguistic field who reside in the UK.

Current Status of Research Progress
Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

I have started work on the project again, and the work is going well.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

This year, data on learners' knowledge of prepositional senses will be obtained through a fill-in-the-blanks test that targets each prepositional sense. In addition, a learner corpus (the ICLE) will be consulted to examine learners’ use of each targeted prepositional sense. This analysis will examine accuracy (use of a preposition appropriate for a sentence context), and avoidance. To determine instances of avoidance, learners’ use of specific prepositional senses will be contrasted with native speakers’ use within comparable corpora.
An online preposition lesson using the Adobe Captivate program will also be created. Based on the findings of the earlier phases of the study, the lesson will target prepositional senses of which Japanese university students display inadequate understanding.

Report

(3 results)
  • 2023 Research-status Report
  • 2022 Research-status Report
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (1 results)

All 2022

All Journal Article (1 results) (of which Open Access: 1 results)

  • [Journal Article] Second language acquisition of English prepositions2022

    • Author(s)
      Mueller, Charles M.
    • Journal Title

      The Bulletin of the Faculty of Humanities, Fuji Women’s University

      Volume: 59 Pages: 17-44

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report 2021 Research-status Report
    • Open Access

URL: 

Published: 2021-04-28   Modified: 2024-12-25  

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