This site provides a list of multi-word units based on L1-L2 congruency for Persian-speaking learners of English project.

In second language learning research, L1-L2 congruency refers to the similarity in form and meaning of how a word or phrase is said between two languages. If there is low L1-L2 congruency, the learning burden of a word or phrase can be higher, and thus, such items should be focused on more to help learners avoid errors. For example, an unacceptable structure could be produced when second language learners directly use a translation strategy to formulate multiword units (MWUs) in the target language. This project used L1-L2 congruency as a criterion to identify English MWUs with low congruency with their Persian equivalents to create a resource for Persian-speaking English learners. L1-L2 contrastive analysis was conducted on a list of approximately 11,000 high-frequency MWUs. This list was translated, and the items were given ratings regarding their congruency in Persian. The results revealed that more than 60% of the items examined were incongruent with their translations, demonstrating that L1-L2 congruency is a significant factor in selecting MWUs for Persian-speaking English learners. Thus, this study indicates that to avoid errors in MWU production, focusing on incongruent items may be beneficial for learners. As a result, the 11,212 items were reduced to 4,637 items (41%), half of which significantly differ in their translation. Such a list would be particularly beneficial for learners with limited time to study but who wish to concentrate only on items likely to cause errors.

Note:

• This project belongs to Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
• This project was supervised by Dr. Amanda Muller, Dr. James Rogers, and Professor Joanne Arciuli