THE ROLE OF FORMULAIC SEQUENCES IN DEVELOPING SPEAKING FLUENCY IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
Formulaic sequences; Speaking fluency; Second language acquisition; Lexical chunks; Automaticity; Formulaic language.Abstract
Speaking fluency is widely recognized as one of the most important components of second language competence, but it still remains hard for many learners even though they have sufficient grammatical and lexical knowledge. Recent researches about second language acquisition are increasingly focusing on the role of formulaic sequences, namely prefabricated, multi-word expressions stored holistically in memory and retrieved as unanalyzed chunks as the main factor of producing a fluent speech. This article reviews the theoretical approaches, empirical researches and pedagogical consequences related to the contribution of formulaic sequences to speaking fluency. Drawing on usage-based, cognitive, and lexical approaches, the article argues that formulaic language reduces cognitive load during real-time speech production, i.e., allows for faster retrieval from memory and minimizes the need to construct syntactic structure “on-line.” Empirical research shows that learners with a large repertoire of formulaic expressions tend to produce more fluent, coherent, and natural-sounding speech.
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