Core Vocabulary in Spoken Mandarin and the Integration of Corpus- Based Findings into Language Pedagogy

A key issue in language acquisition is to improve native-like proficiency in vocabulary use. One solution to this is to identify word frequencies (especially in conjunction with core vocabulary) and collocation patterns based on native speakers discourse. In this paper, I first discuss some of the puzzles presented in some long-standing and recent quantitative observations of the Mandarin lexicon. I then discuss high frequency clusters in terms of their unique forms and functions as a way of solving some of the puzzles. Finally I discuss the implications of these findings for language teaching, especially vocabulary teaching.