The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data
Different methods and sources of information have been proposed in the literature to study the processing of language and, in particular, instances of formulaic language such as multiword units. This article explores the possibility of using pause placement in writing process data to determine the l...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Languages |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/9/2/51 |
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| author | Gaëtanelle Gilquin |
| author_facet | Gaëtanelle Gilquin |
| author_sort | Gaëtanelle Gilquin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Different methods and sources of information have been proposed in the literature to study the processing of language and, in particular, instances of formulaic language such as multiword units. This article explores the possibility of using pause placement in writing process data to determine the likelihood that a multiword unit is processed as a whole in the mind. The data are texts produced by learners of English and corresponding keylog files from the Process Corpus of English in Education (PROCEED). N-grams are selected on the basis of the finished texts and retrieved from the keylogging data. The pause placement patterns of these n-grams are coded and serve as a basis to compute the Pause Placement and Processing (PPP) score. This score relies on the assumption that n-grams which are delineated but not interrupted by pauses (hence taking the form of ‘bursts of writing’) are more likely to be processed holistically. The PPP score points to structurally complete n-grams such as <i>in fact</i> and <i>first of all</i> as being more likely to be processed holistically than structurally incomplete n-grams such as <i>that we</i> and <i>to the</i>. While the results are plausible and can be further substantiated by characteristics of specific n-grams, it is acknowledged that additional effects might also be at work to explain the results obtained. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:24:26Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:24:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
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| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj.art-1edd2cf0c9c54584898f9120c8cd96ec2024-02-23T15:24:24ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2024-01-01925110.3390/languages9020051The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process DataGaëtanelle Gilquin0Centre for English Corpus Linguistics, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, BelgiumDifferent methods and sources of information have been proposed in the literature to study the processing of language and, in particular, instances of formulaic language such as multiword units. This article explores the possibility of using pause placement in writing process data to determine the likelihood that a multiword unit is processed as a whole in the mind. The data are texts produced by learners of English and corresponding keylog files from the Process Corpus of English in Education (PROCEED). N-grams are selected on the basis of the finished texts and retrieved from the keylogging data. The pause placement patterns of these n-grams are coded and serve as a basis to compute the Pause Placement and Processing (PPP) score. This score relies on the assumption that n-grams which are delineated but not interrupted by pauses (hence taking the form of ‘bursts of writing’) are more likely to be processed holistically. The PPP score points to structurally complete n-grams such as <i>in fact</i> and <i>first of all</i> as being more likely to be processed holistically than structurally incomplete n-grams such as <i>that we</i> and <i>to the</i>. While the results are plausible and can be further substantiated by characteristics of specific n-grams, it is acknowledged that additional effects might also be at work to explain the results obtained.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/9/2/51multiword unitsn-gramsholistic processingwriting processeskeyloggingfluency |
| spellingShingle | Gaëtanelle Gilquin The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data Languages multiword units n-grams holistic processing writing processes keylogging fluency |
| title | The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data |
| title_full | The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data |
| title_fullStr | The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data |
| title_short | The Processing of Multiword Units by Learners of English: Evidence from Pause Placement in Writing Process Data |
| title_sort | processing of multiword units by learners of english evidence from pause placement in writing process data |
| topic | multiword units n-grams holistic processing writing processes keylogging fluency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/9/2/51 |
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