Overview

The study of “usage” has constituted a major line of second language learning research for decades now. The concept of usage, however, can be defined and studied in many different ways. In this comprehensive, forward-looking text, international scholars from a variety of perspectives review and critically examine current conceptualizations of usage, learning, and their connections in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). Bringing these diverse perspectives into conversation, Kevin McManus synthesizes the state of the art to set the agenda for new directions in theory-building and empirical SLA research. This text will be an invaluable resource to students and researchers in SLA, applied linguistics, psychology and cognitive science, education, and related areas.

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9781032668055

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Reviews

This volume offers an insightful exploration of the usage-learning nexus, arguably the key issue in current SLA research and theory. It goes beyond a collection of conceptual reviews. Each chapter stands independently while taken together the chapters provide a comprehensive account of language usage, learning, and how they are interconnected. It will serve as a valuable resource for researchers both familiar with SLA and just entering the field. Natsuko Shintani, Kansai University, Japan The nine highly readable chapters in this collection address three questions of central importance to SLA research and pedagogy: what is usage, what is the L2 learning task, and what are the connections between usage and learning. The contributions address these issues using different methodologies, but with highly compatible underlying assumptions. In this way, the volume provides a definitive up-to-date statement regarding the role of usage in second language learning. Brian MacWhinney, Carnegie Mellon University, USA

Author Information

Kevin McManus is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at The Pennsylvania State University, USA.

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