Collocation I Collocation II Definition of a Collocation

Collocation

單元大綱 I Collocation II Definition of a Collocation III Features of Collocation IV The Importance of Collocation in Language Learning V Some Examples

Collocation To achieve language proficiency, language learners should acquire one of the most important aspects of productive vocabulary knowledge, collocation, in addition to single word meanings.

Definition of a Collocations refer to how words typically occur together. For example, in English, promise goes with make, keep or break, but not with do or take. 例：make/ keep/ break your promise

Features of Collocation has an arbitrary nature, which is not decided by logic or frequency, but decided only by linguistic convention.

Features of Collocations are many wording choices in English sentences which cannot be accounted for on semantic or syntactic grounds; they can only be expressed in terms of relations between words that usually occur together.

Features of Collocation When one word forms one part of a collocation, it cannot be replaced with another word, even if the other word is syntactically and semantically correct.

Features of Collocation For instance, one may say Tom is an eligible bachelor but not Tom is an available bachelor. There is no logical explanation as to why bachelor occurs with eligible but not with available.

The Importance of Collocation in Language Learning An important part of language acquisition is the ability to comprehend and produce lexical phrases as chunks. These chunks are called “collocations”.

The Importance of Collocation in Language Learning Since collocations have been conventionalized as fixed chunks, EFL learners can not rely on “creative construction” in either grammar or lexis to produce native-like utterances.

The Importance of Collocation in Language Learning In other words, EFL learners are not able to create any collocation or infer from the literal meaning of words within the expression based upon their imagination or native language knowledge.

The Importance of Collocation in Language Learning Therefore, the ability to use such fixed phrases, collocations and lexical constituents has become an indication of language proficiency.

The Importance of Collocation in Language Learning While native language speakers acquire collocation knowledge through the natural acquisition process, foreign language learners need to be trained and instructed so that they are able to produce them in the proper contexts.

1. quench your thirst 解渴 Some Examples 2. perform an operation on 動手術 3. commit suicide 自殺 4. strong tea/weak tea 濃茶/薄茶 5. fill out the form 填寫表格 6. to have your prescription filled at the pharmacy 在藥房配藥

7. develop a good/bad habit 養出良好/不良習慣 Some Examples 8. give/keep/make/break/ the promise 給/遵守/做 /違背承諾 9. disturb the sleep/thoughts/balance 打擾睡眠/思緒/打斷平衡 10. heavy rain/traffic 下大雨/繁忙的交通 11. keep a diary/journal寫日記