Table Of Content“I am delighted to see the work on the ICNALE corpus coming to fruition. In
this volume the scale and importance of the corpus are made clear both by a care-
ful description of its contents, but also by a good survey of the research context
that ICNALE contributes to. The research possibilities opened up by ICNALE are
shown in a host of fascinating studies of learner language. These cover topics as
diverse as vocabulary, pragmatics and paralinguistic features. Ishikawa has produced
a book which all researchers interested in learner language, especially in East Asian
contexts, must read.”
Tony McEnery, Lancaster University
“This book by Shin Ishikawa is the culmination of years of work with one of the
best learner corpus resources available – the ICNALE. This practical introduction
to learner corpus studies of written and spoken L2 registers is a goldmine for teach-
ers and researchers of L2 vocabulary, grammar and pragmatics, while also covering
lesser-explored areas of gesture and assessment through Shin’s wonderful ICNALE
resource. As a regular user of the ICNALE, this guide is essential reading for both
experts and newcomers to the field of LCR, and stands to make an amazing con-
tribution to language teaching and learning.”
Peter Crosthwaite, University of Queensland
“This is the first comprehensive introduction to the ICNALE project directed by
Shin Ishikawa. The ICNALE is arguably one of the most ambitious and well-de-
signed corpus projects for its international scope, unique design criteria, and rich
metadata. This book will provide an overview of the project as well as major findings
from the corpus, which will serve as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in
researching the use of the English language by Asian learners or users and how their
usage or use will be affected by various learner and environmental factors.”
Yukio Tono, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
THE ICNALE GUIDE
This book provides a practical and extensive guide for the International Corpus
Network of Asian Learners of English (ICNALE), a unique dataset including more
than 15,000 samples of Asian learners’ L2 English speeches and essays. It also offers
approachable introductions to a variety of corpus studies on the aspects of Asian
learners’ L2 English.
Key topics discussed in the book include:
• background, aims, and methods of learner corpus research,
• principles, designs, and applications of the ICNALE,
• vocabulary, grammar, and pragmatics in Asian learners’ L2 English, and
• individual differences of Asian learners and assessments of their speeches and
essays.
With many case studies and hands-on guides to utilise ICNALE data to the full-
est extent, The ICNALE Guide is a unique resource for students, teachers, and
researchers who are interested in a corpus-based analysis of L2 acquisition.
Shin’ichiro Ishikawa is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the School of
Languages & Communication, Kobe University, Japan. His research interests cover
corpus linguistics, statistical linguistics, TESOL, and SLA. He has been a leader of
the ICNALE learner corpus project.
THE ICNALE GUIDE
An Introduction to a Learner Corpus
Study on Asian Learners’ L2 English
Shin’ichiro Ishikawa
Designed cover image: © Getty Images
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Shin’ichiro Ishikawa
The right of Shin’ichiro Ishikawa to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent
to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-032-17259-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-18025-0 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-25252-8 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003252528
Typeset in Bembo
by SPi Technologies India Pvt Ltd (Straive)
CONTENTS
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xi
Acknowledgements xiv
List of Abbreviations xv
PART I
Introduction to the Learner Corpus Research 1
1 Learner Corpus Research: An Overview 3
1.1 Background 3
1.2 Learner Corpora 5
1.3 Method and Scope 12
2 ICNALE: Major Features 17
2.1 Background 17
2.2 Features 17
3 ICNALE: Modules 38
3.1 Introduction 38
3.2 ICNALE Written Essays 38
3.3 ICNALE Spoken Monologues 42
3.4 ICNALE Spoken Dialogues 48
3.5 ICNALE Edited Essays 56
3.6 ICNALE Global Rating Archives 61
viii Contents
PART II
Aspects of Asian Learners’ L2 English Use 71
4 Vocabulary 73
4.1 Introduction 73
4.2 Quantitative Aspects of Learner Vocabulary 78
4.3 Keywords in Speeches and Essays 88
4.4 Vocabularies in the Original and Edited Essays 96
5 Grammar 102
5.1 Introduction 102
5.2 Development of Grammatical Accuracy in Essays 109
5.3 Lexicogrammatical Features in Speeches 113
6 Pragmatics 121
6.1 Introduction 121
6.2 Pragmatic Devices 126
6.3 Politeness 133
6.4 Gestures 138
7 Individual Differences 146
7.1 Introduction 146
7.2 Gender 153
7.3 Motivation and Learning History 162
8 Assessment 169
8.1 Introduction 169
8.2 Reliability 177
8.3 Automated Assessment 184
8.4 Benchmark Sample Identification 190
9 Conclusion 203
Bibliography 208
Index 227
FIGURES
2.1 Phonetic analysis of a learner’s monologue speech (IDN_001) 29
2.2 Alignment analysis of a learner’s utterance and body language
(CHN_016) 29
2.3 Analysis of a learner’s head motion (HKG_014) 30
2.4 Frequency graph from the inter-regional comparison 35
2.5 Frequency graph from the domestic comparison 36
2.6 Query setting panel for the keyword analysis 36
2.7 Text/video link in the query result 37
3.1 Instruction for participants in the ICNALE Written Essays 41
3.2 Instruction for participants in the ICNALE Spoken Monologues 44
3.3 The ICNALE automatic speech collection system 46
3.4 The ICNALE sound morphing system 47
3.5 Picture prompt based on a part-time job topic 52
3.6 Picture prompt based on a non-smoking topic 52
3.7 Role card based on a part-time job topic 53
3.8 Role card based on a non-smoking topic 53
3.9 Instruction for interviewers in the ICNALE Spoken Dialogues 53
3.10 Editing on the essay of CHN_001 59
3.11 Number of edits given to the essay of CHN_001 59
3.12 Query results on the ICNALE Online 60
3.13 Rating rubric for the ICNALE Global Rating Archives 66
3.14 Rater comment samples 67
3.15 Definition of ELF in the ICNALE rating guide 68
3.16 Check test for raters (Questions 4–6) 68
4.1 Mean numbers of words in speeches 79
4.2 Mean numbers of words in essays 79
4.3 Mean STTR values in speeches 82
