Lexical Inferencing in a First and Second Language: Cross-Linguistic Dimensions

After a comprehensive review of research on lexical inferencing, Wesche and Paribakht (both languages and bilingualism, Ottawa U., Canada) present a trilingual study of first-language influences in second language lexical inferencing and other cross-linguistic dimensions of lexical inferencing by Persian, French, and English speakers. This follows their bilingual studies a decade ago. They consider the conceptualization and methodology of their study, first-language influences on knowledge source use in second-language lexical inferencing, inferencing success and initial development of word knowledge, and discussion and implications of the study. Distributed in the US by UTP Distribution. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Marjorie (Mari) Wesche is a former Professor and currently an Adjunct Professor at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute of the University of Ottawa. Her teaching and research specialties are in second language acquisition including vocabulary acquisition; language aptitude and performance-based testing; and content-based instruction including immersion. Since the early 1990s she and her colleague, Sima Paribakht, have been involved in joint research on L2 vocabulary acquisition and reading, including several major research projects involving lexical inferencing. She has published widely in all these areas.

T. Sima Paribakht is a Professor at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute of the University of Ottawa. She is currently Director of the Institute? s Academic Programs. Her current research interests include second language vocabulary development through reading, the effect of the first language on second language lexical processing, testing vocabulary knowledge, and second language vocabulary teaching. She has authored and edited several books and has published a number of book chapters and articles in these and other areas.