The Lexical Approach in Language Teaching

The Lexical Approach in Language Teaching In language teaching, a set of principles based on the observation that an understanding of words and word combinations (chunks) is the primary method of learning a language. The idea is that, rather than have students memorize lists of vocabulary, they would learn commonly used phrases.   The term lexical approach was introduced in 1993 by Michael Lewis, who observed that language consists of grammaticalized lexis, not lexicalised grammar (The Lexical Approach, 1993). The lexical approach is not a single, clearly defined method of language instruction. Its a commonly used term thats poorly understood by most. Studies of literature on the subject often show that its used in contradictory ways. It is largely based on the assumption that certain words will elicit a response with a specific set of words. Students would be able to learn which words are connected in this way. Students are expected to learn the grammar of languages based on recognizing patterns in words.  Ã‚   Examples and Observations The Lexical Approach implies a decreased role for sentence grammar, at least until post-intermediate levels. In contrast, it involves an increased role for word grammar (collocation and cognates) and text grammar (suprasentential features).(Michael Lewis, The Lexical Approach: The State of ELT and a Way Forward. Language Teaching Publications, 1993) Methodological Implications The methodological implications of [Michael Lewiss]  Lexical Approach (1993, pp. 194-195) are as follows: - Early emphasis on receptive skills, especially listening, is essential.- De-contextualized vocabulary learning is a fully legitimate strategy.- The role of grammar as a receptive skill must be recognized.- The importance of contrast in language awareness must be recognized.- Teachers should employ extensive, comprehensible language for receptive purposes.- Extensive writing should be delayed as long as possible.- Nonlinear recording formats (e.g., mind maps, word trees) are intrinsic to the Lexical Approach.- Reformulation should be the natural response to student error.- Teachers should always react primarily to the content of student language.- Pedagogical chunking should be a frequent classroom activity. (James Coady, L2 Vocabulary Acquisition: A Synthesis of the Research. Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition: A Rationale for Pedagogy, ed. by James Coady and Thomas Huckin. Cambridge University Press, 1997) Limitations While the lexical approach can be a quick way for students to pick up phrases, it doesnt foster much creativity. It can have the negative side effect of limiting peoples responses to safe fixed phrases. Because they dont have to build responses, they dont need to learn the intricacies of language.   Adult language knowledge consists of a continuum of linguistic constructions of different levels of complexity and abstraction. Constructions can comprise concrete and particular items (as in words and idioms), more abstract classes of items (as in word classes and abstract constructions), or complex combinations of concrete and abstract pieces of language (as mixed constructions). Consequently, no rigid separation is postulated to exist between lexis and grammar.(Nick C. Ellis, The Emergence of Language As a Complex Adaptive System. The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics, ed. by James Simpson. Routledge, 2011)

Italian Slang Dictionary and Expressions

Italian Slang Dictionary and Expressions Want to understand common slang words and colloquial expressions in Italian? Below is an Italian slang dictionary with definitions in English. Italian Slang Dictionary A accidente m. nothing, zip; (lit.): an accident.alito puzzolente m. bad breath; (lit.): stinking breath.allocco m. a stupid person, a jerk; (lit.): an owl.alzare il gomito exp. to drink; (lit.): to raise an elbow.amore a prima vista exp. love at first sight: È stato amore a prima vista! It was love at first sight!avere un chiodo fisso in testa exp. to be fixated on something; (lit.): to have a nail fixed in the head. Tommaso pensa a Maria giorno e notte. Lui ha davvero un chiodo fisso in testa Thomas thinks about Maria day and night. Hes truly fixated on her. B balena f. a very fat man or woman, a fatso, fat slob; (lit.): a whale.beccare qualcuno v. to hit on someone, to pick someone up; (lit.): to peck.bel niente m. nothing, zip; (lit.): a beautiful nothing.bischero m. (Tuscany) a stupid person, a jerk.boccalone m. a big mouth, a gossip; (lit.): an enormous mouth. C ceffo m. (pejorative) ugly mug.chiudere il becco v. to shut up, to shut ones trap; (lit.): to close the beak.cicciobomba n. a fatso, fat slob; (lit.): fat bomb.colpo di fulmine exp. love at first sight; (lit.): a thunderbolt (of love).come il cacio sui maccheroni exp. just what the doctor ordered; (lit.): like cheese on macaroni. D da parte exp. aside.donnaccia f. (pejorative) slut, hussy.donnaiolo m. womanizer, playboy, flirt.due parole exp. a few words; (lit.): two words. E essere in gioco exp. to be at stake.essere nelle nuvole exp. to daydream; (lit.): to be in the clouds.essere un po di fuori exp. to be a little wacky, to be out of ones mind; (lit.): to be a little bit out. F fannullone m. a lazy bum; (lit.): do-nothing (from fare nulla, meaning to do nothing).fare il grande exp. to show off, to act like someone big; (lit.): to do the big.fare impazzire qualcuno exp. to drive someone crazy; (lit.): to make someone crazy.farsi bello(a) v. to doll oneself up.farsi una canna to have a joint.farsi una ragazza (trivial) to score with a girl.fuori come un balcone drunk.fuori di testa exp. to be out of ones mind; (lit.): to be out of ones head. G grassone/a n. a very fat man or woman, a fatso, fat slob.grattarsi la pancia exp. to twiddle ones thumbs; (lit.): to scratch ones stomach.gruzzolo m. nest egg.guastafesta n. a party pooper; (lit.): a party spoiler. I in gran parte exp. largely.in orario exp. on time.in verit exp. as a matter of fact.inghiottire il rospo exp. to eat crow; (lit.): to swallow a toad. L la vita di Michelaccio exp. the life of Riley.leccapiedi exp. brownnoser; (lit.): feet-licker.levataccia very early rising; fare una levataccia: to get up very early [or at an ungodly hour].libro giallo exp. detective or mystery story; (lit.): yellow book.limonare (familiar, regional) to make out.locale m. club or night club.   M mettere paglia al fuoco exp. to tempt fate; (lit.): to add straw to the fire.mettersi insieme exp. to start a serious relationship, to tie the knot.mollare qualcuno exp. to dump someone; (lit.): to let go of someone, to release someone.morire di/dalla noia exp. to die of boredom. N nocciolo della questione exp. crux of the matter.nuotare nelloro exp. to be rolling in money; (lit.): swimming in gold.nuovo di zecca exp. brand new; (lit.): new from the mint. O occhiataccia f. dirty look.oggi come oggi exp. as matters now stand.olio di gomito exp. elbow grease.ora di punta exp. rush hour. P parolaccia f. dirty word.piazzaiolo m. (pejorative) vulgar, mob-.pigrone/a n. a. a lazy bum (from the masculine noun pigro, meaning someone who is idle); (lit.): big lazy bum.pisello m. (popular) penis.portare male gli anni exp. not to age well; (lit.): to carry the years badly.puzzare da fare schifo exp. to stink to high heaven; (lit.): to smell/stink to disgust. Q quattro gatti exp. only a few people; (lit.): four cats. R ricco sfondato exp. rolling in money; (lit.): endlessly rich.roba da matti exp. crazy.rompere il ghiaccio exp. to break the ice.rosso come un peperone exp. as red as a beet; (lit.): as red as a pepper. S saccente (un/una) n. a know-it-all, a smart-ass; (lit.): from the verb sapere, meaning to know.saputo/a n. a know-it-all, a smart-ass; (lit.): from the verb sapere, meaning to know.scoreggia f. (pl. -ge) (vulgar) fart.scoreggiare v.i. (vulgar) to fart.scemo/a n. a stupid person, a jerk; (from the verb scemare, meaning to shrink or diminish).sfatto f. (trivial) worn out after a night of debauchery.sgualdrina f. (pejorative) trollop, strumpet, harlot, tart.spettegolare v. to gossip; (lit.): to tattle. T tabula rasa exp. a clean slate.tappo m. a very short guy; (lit.): cork.testona pelata f. a bald guy; (lit.): big peeled head.tirare un bidone a qualcuno exp. to stand someone up on a date or appointment; (lit.): to throw a trash can at someone.tutto sale e pepe exp. lively, cheerful; (lit.): all salt and pepper. U uggioso/a n. (Tuscany) boring; (lit.): an annoying person.ultima parola exp. last word, bottom line. V valere la pena exp. to be worth the trouble; (lit.): worth the grief or sorrow.vaso di Pandora exp. Pandoras box; (lit.): Pandoras vase.veloce come un razzo exp. as fast as a bullet; (lit.): as fast as a rocket.vivere alla giornata exp. to live from hand to mouth.volente o nolente exp. like it or not; (lit.): willing or unwilling. Z zitellona f. (pejorative) old maid. For more explicit expressions, try Italian Adult Slang.