Test 3 - Vocabulary and ESP - 2023-24

STUDENT’S NAME: Jack Link
Communication in specialized domains
3rd Session: “Discursive and lexical peculiarities”
TEXT: A. Coxhead (2013). Vocabulary and ESP. In Brian Paltridge and Sue Starfield (Eds.) (2013). The Handbook of
English for Specific Purposes. London: Blackwell.
TEST:
1. Can specialized vocabulary come from everyday language? (Page 116) Why does the author say,
“Everyday words with specialized meanings could present some difficulties for teachers” at the end of
the article? (Page 127).
I would say yes to the concept that specialized vocabulary can originate from everyday language. As
mentioned on page 116, certain everyday words can “acquire specialized meanings within specific contexts,”
such as "dissolve" in scientific English referring to solubility and insolubility. Furthermore, Coxhead
emphasizes the difficulty faced by teachers in aiding learners in comprehending the specialized connotations
of common words that have acquired distinct technical connotations. The author also argues that this
challenge arises due to learners potentially possessing a pre-existing comprehension of these words in their
everyday usage, which makes it difficult for them to adjust to the specific meanings in academic or
professional settings.
2. Should specialization always begin when learners already know a common core of words? (Pages
116-117)
I think it depends on the specific training, so in response to the question, I don’t think it should always begin
with specialization. According to the information provided on pages 116-117, learners usually begin by
acquiring a broad range of academic vocabulary before advancing to specialized vocabulary that is specific to
their area of study or professional work.
3. What are the four most important ways of identifying vocabulary in ESP? (Page 117)
The four key ways of identifying vocabulary in ESP, as mentioned on page 117, are through reading textbooks
and course materials, consulting word lists developed specifically for ESP, analyzing corpora of academic
texts, and considering the vocabulary requirements of learners' future academic or professional contexts.
4. Why is it essential to find out the right categorization when using corpus-based vocabulary? Does the
author give any example of lexical categorization? (Pages 118-120)
Coxhead explains that accurate analysis and interpretation of data when using corpus-based vocabulary relies
heavily on correctly determining the appropriate categorization. The text provides an instance of lexical
categorization as an example, which involves classifying lexical bundles into various types, including
discourse organizers and stance expressions related to business English. One of them from Chung and Nation
uses scales from general to technical; another, is Crawfords, which illustrates the semantic scales via frames
associated with each word; lastly, there are task based
5. What is a “lemma” and why is this concept important in ESP? (Page 119)
A "lemma" denotes the fundamental or canonical form of a word found in a dictionary. Coxhead asserts that
the understanding of word inflection and derivation is crucial in ESP as it enables learners to recognize and
utilize words in different grammatical forms and contexts.
6. Why is it useful to compare the vocabulary included in secondary school textbooks (GSL) and the
vocabulary that university materials contain? (Pages 121-122)
According to Coxhead, comparing the vocabulary in secondary school textbooks (General Service List - GSL)
and university materials helps educators understand the progression of vocabulary acquisition from general to
specialized domains. This comparison also informs curriculum development and instructional strategies to
bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary education levels, which prepares them for the tasks ahead.
7. Why do the studies carried out by Wang et al. (2008) and Ward (2009) support early specialization in
the case of medical and engineering students? (Pages 122-123)
The studies by Wang et al. (2008) and Ward (2009) support early specialization for medical and engineering
students because they emphasize the importance of acquiring specialized vocabulary relevant to their fields
early on. This approach allows learners to focus on the specific terminology and concepts essential for their
future academic and professional success.
8. What is the rhetorical technique that the author uses to warn readers about problematic specialized
vocabulary areas? Why is this rhetorical strategy relevant and, at the same time, challenging for ESP
learners? (Pages 123-124).
Coxhead uses examples and empirical evidence to highlight the challenges posed by specialized vocabulary
areas, such as metaphors and technical terminology. This rhetorical strategy is critical as it brings attention to
possible challenges in understanding for learners and emphasizes the significance of focused vocabulary
teaching. Nevertheless, ESP learners may encounter difficulties in comprehending and utilizing these intricate
linguistic aspects in the absence of sufficient assistance and direction.
9. Define the concept of “lexical bundle” and explain its key role in specialized communication (Pages
125-127).
A "lexical bundle" is a consecutive series of three or more words that are commonly repeated without
alteration in a specific corpus. The author asserts that lexical bundles (as well as with
idioms,collocations,metaphors) are essential in specialized communication as they offer efficient and
formulaic expressions that are commonly used in specific academic or professional fields. They also improve
the ability to speak fluently, help maintain logical flow in conversations, and aid in effective communication
among specific professional groups.
10. What kind of knowledge do learners need to produce a word in writing? (Pages 128-129)
As per Nation's classification on page 129, learners require five primary forms of knowledge to generate a
written word: form-related knowledge (pertaining to the word's spelling and writing), meaning-related
knowledge (concerning the word's definition and usage), grammatical functions (in what patterns must we use
this word), collocations (what words go with that word), and use-related knowledge (involving the word's
appropriate context, timing, and frequency of usage). In addition, Coxhead suggests that learners must
comprehend the grammatical role, collocations, and limitations of usage linked to the word.

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STUDENT’S NAME: Jack Link

Communication in specialized domains

3rd Session: “Discursive and lexical peculiarities”

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