Abstract Researchers investigating the incidental acquisition of vocabulary through reading must select either real or nonce words as targets. To determine whether this decision affects acquisition, English as a foreign language classes (English experimental n=80; nonce experimental n=89) were given a 2,381-token short story containing either 26 target English or nonce words. Analysis of the gain scores on an unexpected meaning recognition assessment for the two experimental and two control groups (English control n=73; nonce control n=114) found a statistically significant difference in acquisition. The large effect size found indicates the choice to use nonce targets has a clear effect on acquisition outcomes. Additional analysis also indicated the contextual richness of the words surrounding targets was subordinate to frequency of exposure in terms of encouraging incidental acquisition. Furthermore, learners’ L2 vocabulary size had only a negligible effect on acquisition outcomes. Further analyses, implications, and consequences in regard to research practices are discussed.

中文翻译：

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nonce 词、频率、上下文丰富度和 L2 词汇知识对通过阅读偶然获得词汇的影响：不仅仅是对 Zahar 等人的复制。(2001) & Tekmen 和 Daloğlu (2006)

摘要 研究通过阅读偶然获得词汇的研究人员必须选择真实或现时词作为目标。为了确定这一决定是否影响习得，英语作为外语课程（英语实验 n=80；nonce 实验 n=89）被提供了一个包含 26 个目标英语或 nonce 单词的 2,381 个标记的短篇小说。对两个实验组和两个对照组（英语控制组 n=73；随机数控制组 n=114）的意外意义识别评估的增益分数的分析发现，习得有统计学上的显着差异。发现的大效应量表明选择使用 nonce 目标对获取结果有明显的影响。额外的分析还表明，就鼓励偶然获得而言，围绕目标的词的上下文丰富程度从属于暴露频率。此外，学习者的 L2 词汇量对习得结果的影响微乎其微。讨论了与研究实践有关的进​​一步分析、影响和后果。