Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks
This paper analyses the discourse of science through the study of collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks used by upper secondary students in Malaysia. Semi-technical vocabulary is considered to be one of the most problematic lexical areas for second language learners lea...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
2010
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/1/76.%20Analysing%20Collocational%20Patterns%20of%20Semi-Technical%20Words%20in.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848849440673103872 |
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| author | Menon, Sujatha Mukundan, Jayakaran |
| author_facet | Menon, Sujatha Mukundan, Jayakaran |
| author_sort | Menon, Sujatha |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper analyses the discourse of science through the study of collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks used by upper secondary students in Malaysia. Semi-technical vocabulary is considered to be one of the most problematic lexical areas for second language learners learning science in English, as these words usually take on extended meanings in technical contexts. The study explores the collocational and colligational patterns of semi-technical words in a corpus of 12 science textbooks. The analysis found some common lexical and grammatical patterns which seemed to share similar aspects of meaning and also showed that collocations of semi-technical words often form compounds with extended and more genre specific meanings. Thus, it is important to focus on some sense and grammar patterns as students need to understand why even though many of these collocations share similar syntactic characteristics, the flexibility of some combinations are arbitrarily blocked by usage.
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| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T09:50:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-40488 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T09:50:26Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | Universiti Putra Malaysia Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-404882015-11-18T03:07:01Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/ Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks Menon, Sujatha Mukundan, Jayakaran This paper analyses the discourse of science through the study of collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks used by upper secondary students in Malaysia. Semi-technical vocabulary is considered to be one of the most problematic lexical areas for second language learners learning science in English, as these words usually take on extended meanings in technical contexts. The study explores the collocational and colligational patterns of semi-technical words in a corpus of 12 science textbooks. The analysis found some common lexical and grammatical patterns which seemed to share similar aspects of meaning and also showed that collocations of semi-technical words often form compounds with extended and more genre specific meanings. Thus, it is important to focus on some sense and grammar patterns as students need to understand why even though many of these collocations share similar syntactic characteristics, the flexibility of some combinations are arbitrarily blocked by usage. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2010-09 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/1/76.%20Analysing%20Collocational%20Patterns%20of%20Semi-Technical%20Words%20in.pdf Menon, Sujatha and Mukundan, Jayakaran (2010) Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 18 (2). pp. 241-258. ISSN 0128-7702; ESSN: 2231-8534 http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2018%20(2)%20Sep.%202010/08%20Pg%20241-258.pdf |
| spellingShingle | Menon, Sujatha Mukundan, Jayakaran Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| title | Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| title_full | Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| title_fullStr | Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| title_short | Analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| title_sort | analysing collocational patterns of semi-technical words in science textbooks |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/40488/1/76.%20Analysing%20Collocational%20Patterns%20of%20Semi-Technical%20Words%20in.pdf |