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Factors affecting foreign language learners’ receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish

Griet Boone and Vanessa De Wilde (UGent)
(2026) ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS. 177(2). p.234-262
Author
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Abstract
This study investigates the effect of first language (L1) and second language (L2) frequency, cognateness, concreteness, and word length on language learners' receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish. A group of Dutch-speaking non-language students (N = 529) completed a meaning recognition test and a form recall test in English, French, German or Spanish. Meaning recognition in English was influenced by L1 frequency and concreteness. In French and German, it was affected by L2 frequency and cognateness, and in Spanish by L2 frequency. Regarding form recall, L2 frequency was the only significant predictor across all four languages. Our findings suggest that factors affecting word knowledge may depend on the type of knowledge tested and/or the context in which a language is learned.
Keywords
vocabulary, meaning recognition, form recall, frequency, cognateness, VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE, L2 VOCABULARY, FREQUENCY, ACQUISITION, CONCRETENESS, 2ND-LANGUAGE, INSTRUCTION, IMAGERY, INPUT, NORMS

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MLA
Boone, Griet, and Vanessa De Wilde. “Factors Affecting Foreign Language Learners’ Receptive and Productive Word Knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish.” ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, vol. 177, no. 2, 2026, pp. 234–62, doi:10.1075/itl.25004.boo.
APA
Boone, G., & De Wilde, V. (2026). Factors affecting foreign language learners’ receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish. ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, 177(2), 234–262. https://doi.org/10.1075/itl.25004.boo
Chicago author-date
Boone, Griet, and Vanessa De Wilde. 2026. “Factors Affecting Foreign Language Learners’ Receptive and Productive Word Knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish.” ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS 177 (2): 234–62. https://doi.org/10.1075/itl.25004.boo.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Boone, Griet, and Vanessa De Wilde. 2026. “Factors Affecting Foreign Language Learners’ Receptive and Productive Word Knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish.” ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS 177 (2): 234–262. doi:10.1075/itl.25004.boo.
Vancouver
1.
Boone G, De Wilde V. Factors affecting foreign language learners’ receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish. ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS. 2026;177(2):234–62.
IEEE
[1]
G. Boone and V. De Wilde, “Factors affecting foreign language learners’ receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish,” ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS, vol. 177, no. 2, pp. 234–262, 2026.
@article{01KEGWXSVT2CTWCW1T8TY5Z0T9,
  abstract     = {{This study investigates the effect of first language (L1) and second language (L2) frequency, cognateness, concreteness, and word length on language learners' receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish. A group of Dutch-speaking non-language students (N = 529) completed a meaning recognition test and a form recall test in English, French, German or Spanish. Meaning recognition in English was influenced by L1 frequency and concreteness. In French and German, it was affected by L2 frequency and cognateness, and in Spanish by L2 frequency. Regarding form recall, L2 frequency was the only significant predictor across all four languages. Our findings suggest that factors affecting word knowledge may depend on the type of knowledge tested and/or the context in which a language is learned.}},
  author       = {{Boone, Griet and De Wilde, Vanessa}},
  issn         = {{0019-0829}},
  journal      = {{ITL-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS}},
  keywords     = {{vocabulary,meaning recognition,form recall,frequency,cognateness,VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE,L2 VOCABULARY,FREQUENCY,ACQUISITION,CONCRETENESS,2ND-LANGUAGE,INSTRUCTION,IMAGERY,INPUT,NORMS}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{234--262}},
  title        = {{Factors affecting foreign language learners’ receptive and productive word knowledge in English, French, German, and Spanish}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1075/itl.25004.boo}},
  volume       = {{177}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}
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