Exploring the spoken learner English constructicon: A corpus-driven approach

Gilquin, Gaëtanelle [UCL]

This study, which is set in the field of Applied Construction Grammar, seeks to identify the constructions that are typical of higher intermediate to advanced spoken learner English. It does so by relying on the recurrent sequences of part-of-speech (POS) tags extracted from the Louvain International Database of Spoken Interlanguage (LINDSEI) and its native counterpart. This corpus-driven approach reveals that learner speech mainly consists of basic constructions like [NP] or [Subj V], although longer and more complex constructions can be found among the less frequent sequences. The chapter also discusses methodological issues (such as the link between POS tag sequences and constructions), as well as theoretical matters (including the place of speech in Construction Grammar).