The use of morphological analogy and lexical creativity in vocabulary sessions in EFL: A study of advanced students’ attitudes and acceptance

Abstract

Vocabulary teaching, particularly in advanced levels (B2-C1), constitutes a fundamental part of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, the areas of lexical creativity and morphological analogy have not been fully explored as they have been associated with peripheral word stock, i.e. slang, colloquialism as in stardom/unknowndom, sadness/ignorantness. Hence, this study is aimed at exploring the level of motivation of advanced students towards the use of exercises that rely on the properties of lexical creativity and morphological analogy. A group of 66 B2-level students of Translation and Interpreting (University of Alicante) have participated in the study, and the results were based on the observation of the class and the completion of a questionnaire. The questionnaire demonstrates that, despite the newness and non-systemic use of vocabulary, students show relatively high levels of motivation and interest. Also, the data suggest that respondents feel that this new approach in vocabulary learning can help them communicate more effectively and decipher cryptic and slangy vocabulary more easily.