Using prefixes and suffixes as vocabulary learning strategies for Russian
Keywords:
Russian vocabulary learning strategy, word-formation, prefixes, suffixesAbstract
In the contents of Russian textbooks, prefixes are emphasized in sections regarding verbs of motion and verb aspects through prefixation; therefore, learners tend to overlook the importance of suffixes. In this regard, learners do not employ suffixes due to the lack of descriptions in the textbooks. Hence, this study examined the use of Russian derivational prefixes and suffixes as vocabulary learning strategies. For this purpose, the author administered a questionnaire to students majoring in Russian language as their first foreign language at the author’s university regarding the use of derivational prefixes and suffixes when learning Russian vocabulary. In comparison with the primary literature (Schmitt 1997), the data obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed using a mixed methods research approach. The findings showed that most learners used prefixes to discover the meanings of unknown words and consolidate them in their memory; however, they did not use suffixes for these purposes and did not consider them to be effective as vocabulary learning strategies. The results highlight the following two points: (1) in contrast to English learners, Russian learners do employ vocabulary learning strategies with prefixes and suffixes. (2) However, they have greater knowledge of prefixes than that of suffixes. For the first time, this study revealed the details about the use of Russian affixes as learning strategies. Since previous research has indicated that knowledge of suffixes is significant for increasing Russian vocabulary, Ru
References
Amiantova, E. (red.) (2016), Leksika russkogo yazyka. Sbornik uprazhneniy, Flinta, Nauka, Moskva.
Antonova, V. Ye., Nakhabina, M. M., Safronova, M. V. i Tolstykh, A. A. (2016), Doroga v Rossiyu. Elementarnyy uroven'. Uchebnik, Zlatoust, Sankt-Peterburg.
Isachenko, A. V. (1960), Grammaticheskiy stroy russkogo yazyka v sopostavlenii so slovatskim. Morfologiya., CH. 2, Izdatel'stvo Slovatskoy Akademii nauk, Bratislava.
Kiselyova, M. S. (2016), Leksika i slovoobrazovaniye: Uchebnoye posobiye, Flinta, Moskva.
Kozlova, N. A. (2014), Uchebnyy slovoobrazovatel'nyy slovar' russkogo yazyka, Zlatoust, Sankt-Peterburg.
Shvedova, N. YU. (gl. red.) (1980), Russkaya grammatika, t. I, Nauka, Moskva.
Silant'yeva, M. V., Sidorova, M. YU. (2016), "Zamechaya leksiku, izuchaya leksiku, izmeryaya leksiku: idei N. Shmitta v oblasti osvoyeniya slovarya nerodnogo yazyka", Mir russkogo slova, Vol. 4, 84-90.
Tikhonov, A. N. (1985), Slovoobrazovatel'nyy slovar' russkogo yazyka, v dvukh tomakh, okolo 145 000 slov, Russkiy yazyk, Moskva.
Yanko-Trinitskaya, N. A. (2001), Slovoobrazovaniye v sovremennom russkom yazyke, Indrik, Moskva.
Yefremova, T. F. (1996), Tolkovyy slovar' slovoobrazovatel'nykh yedinits russkogo yazyka, Russkiy yazyk, Moskva.
Aizawa, K. (1998), Developing a vocabulary size test for Japanese EFL learners, ARELE, Vol. 9, pp. 75–85.
Bauer, L., Nation, I. S. P. (1993), “Word families”, International journal of lexicography, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 253–279.
Creswell, J. W. (2014), A Concise Introduction to Mixed Methods Research, Sage, Los Angeles.
Gu, Y., Johnson, R. K. (1996), “Vocabulary learning strategies and language learning outcome”, Language Learning, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 643–679.
Janda, L. A., Kuznetsova, J., Li͡ashevskaya, O., Makarova, A., Nesset, T. and Sokolova, S. (2013), Why Russian aspectual prefixes aren’t empty: Prefixes as verb classifiers, Slavica, Bloomington.
Mizumoto, A. (2006), Daigakusei-no goigakushū sutoratejī shiyō to gakushū seika-no kankei – Jinbunkei joshidaisei-o taishō to shita chōsa. Kōnan joshidaigaku kenkyūkiyō Bungaku-Bunkahen, 42, 93–107.
Nakayama, N. (2008), “Effects of Vocabulary Learning Using Affix: Special Focus on Prefix”, Kyōai gakuen maebashi kokusaidaigaku ronshū, Vol. 8, pp. 63–74.
Nation, I. S. P. (2023), Learning vocabulary in another language, 3rd ed., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Nishikawa, M. (2006), Eigosetsuji kenkyū. Kaitakusha., Tōkyō.
Numano, K., Hikita, G., Maeda, I. and Davkova, I. (2011), Daigaku-no roshiago I: Kisoryoku yōsei tekisuto, Tōkyō gaikokugodaigakushuppankai, Tōkyō.
Oxford, R. L. (1990), Language learner strategies: What every teacher should know, Newbury House, Boston, MA.
Sayama, G. (2018), [Ph.D. dissertation] Haseisetsuji-o mochiita roshiago-no kōritsutekina goigakushūhō-no kentō – Kōbasu-ga teiji suru hindo deta-no gengogakutekina bunseki-ni motozuite, Tōkyō gaikokugo daigaku daigakuin sōgōkokusaigaku kenkyūka.
Sayama, G. (2022), Setsuji o mochiita roshiago-no goigakushū sutoratejī ― Jisshō kenkyū-ni okeru jizen-jigo tesuto-no kōkakakunin-ni motozuite. Rosiago kyōiku kenkyū, 1, 1–22.
Schmitt, N. (1997), “Vocabulary Learning Strategies”, in Schmitt, D. N., Mc Carthy, M. (eds.), Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 199–227.
Wade, T. (2011), A comprehensive Russian grammar, 3rd ed., revised and updated, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford.
Webb, S., Nation, I. S. P. (2017), How vocabulary is learned, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Wei, Z. (2015), “Does teaching mnemonics for vocabulary learning make a difference? Putting the keyword method and the word part technique to the test”, Language Teaching Research, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 43–69.
Wheeler, M., Unbegaun, B., Falla, P. (eds.) (2007), Oxford Russian dictionary: Russian-English / English-Russian, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Yamashita, K. (2006), Itoteki gakushū-no tame-no hōhō to kyōzai – Jimbutsu-o arawasu setsubiji-o rei-ni shite, Kōza nihongokyōiku, Vol. 42, pp. 42–59.
