Future Directions in Formulaic Language Research

Research tends to go in cycles of innovation,consolidation and confirmation,then reflection.Formulaic language research seems currently to be moving into a reflective phase,offering considerable potential for new ideas feeding the next round of innovation.Research into formulaic language goes back 150 years at least,with several strands developing somewhat independently,including patterns in native language (including first language acquisition),language disorders and second language learning.My own work was an attempt to identify a single explanation that accounted for them all.New technologies now provide additional ways to explore and evaluate the evidence,most notably through corpus linguistics,and eye and brain activity monitoring.Five key claims,all with potential implications for L2 research and teaching,indicate the scope for future research:1.Although we talk of an 'idiomatic' nativelike way of speaking,in fact there is considerable variation in what is idiomatic:what should be taught? 2.The acquisition of idiomaticity is driven by the need to belong and survive:can this be replicated in the classroom? 3.Although formulaic language seems to reduce the speaker' s processing,the hearer' s processing may be the more important consideration:does 'accommodation' affect the learner's experience adversely? 4.Corpus linguistics forces a careful evaluation of the true role of frequency in idiomaticity:are materials writers beguiled by corpus data? 5.We cannot consider formulaic language patterns independently of knowing the purpose of the text in which they occur,including its genre:are L2 teaching materials broad enough?There are key opportunities for researchers in China to exploit aspects of the Chinese writing system and approach to education,to answer questions that cannot be easily answered in the west.Issues include the role of memorisation in language learning,the role of literacy in our perception of linguistic units,and the universality of patterns in acquired language disorders.

Research tends to go in cycles of innovation, consolidation and confirmation, then reflection. Formulaic language research seems currently to be moving into a reflective phase, offering considerable potential for new ideas feeding the next round of innovation. Research into formulaic language goes back 150 years at least, with several strands developing somewhat independently, including patterns in native language （including first language acquisition）, language disorders and second language learning. My own work was an attempt to identify a single explanation that accounted for them an. New technologies now provide additional ways to explore and evaluate the evidence, most notably through corpus linguistics, and eye and brain activity monitoring. Five key claims, all with potential implications for L2 research and teaching, indicate the scope for future research： 1. Although we talk of an ＇idiomatic＇ nativelike way of speaking, in fact there is considerable variation in what is idiomatic： what should be taught？ 2. The acquisition of idiomaticity is driven by the need to belong and survive： can this be replicated in the classroom？ 3. Although formulaic language seems to reduce the speaker＇ s processing, the hearer＇ s processing may be the more important consideration： does ＇accommodation＇ affect the learner＇ s experience adversely？ 4. Corpus linguistics forces a careful evaluation of the true role of frequency in idiomaticity： are materials writers beguiled by corpus data？ 5. We cannot consider formulaic language patterns independently of knowing the purpose of the text in which they occur, including its genre： are L2 teaching materials broad enough？ There are key opportunities for researchers in China to exploit aspects of the Chinese writing system and approach to education, to answer questions that cannot be easily answered in the west. Issues include the role of memorisation in language learning, the role of literacy in our perception of linguistic units, and the universality of patterns in acquired language disorders.