The Effect of Language Background and Culture on Productive Dictionary Use

This paper describes an experiment to compare the speed and success with which subjects from different language and cultural backgrounds read and make productive use of learners' dictionary entries. Two groups of subjects, one from Malaysia and the other from Portugal, produced sentences using given target words, with optional access to dictionary information. Computers monitored their behaviour during the task, and the sentences they produced were subsequently rated for appropriacy. Although the Portuguese group knew fewer English words, they were found to access dictionary information less frequently, to read dictionary entries more quickly, and to produce more appropriate sentences after dictionary consultation. First language influence was not always found to have a positive effect on interpretation of the dictionary entry.