Non-translational collocations

Extract from: Lexical collocations: a contrastive view. By Jens Bahns.

"For some time now there has been, in the field of EFL teaching, a growing awareness of the importance of lexical collocations for vocabulary learning. One of the main obstacles to teaching lexical collocations systematically, however, is their number, which amounts to tens of thousands. In this article, it is argued that this enormous teaching and learning load can be reduced by a contrastive approach to the concept of lexical collocation. An exemplary German-English contrastive analysis of noun + verb and verb + noun collocations shows that there is, for a considerable portion of them, direct translational equivalence. Such lexical collocations do not have to be taught. The teaching of lexical collocations in EFL should concentrate, instead, on items for which there is no direct translational equivalence in English and in the learners' respective mother tongues."



A great idea, maybe, but what should teachers who are not familiar with the students' mother tongues do? How can such teachers, and I imagine they are among the majority, possibly get to know which collocations are translational and which are not?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by burro

The teaching of lexical collocations in EFL should concentrate ... on items for which there is no direct translational equivalence in English and in the learners' respective mother tongues.

Agreed, and that's how it is done--and was done by effective educators even before the term EFL appeared. It's called situational language.

Originally Posted by burro

A great idea, maybe, but what should teachers who are not familiar with the students' mother tongues do?

Why do they need to know the student's first language?

Your argument doesn't follow. How is it that by not using the direct translation method that "the majority" of teachers will contaminate the way an EFL student learns?

[misspatty]

A great idea, maybe, but what should teachers who are not familiar with the students' mother tongues do? How can such teachers, and I imagine they are among the majority, possibly get to know which collocations are translational and which are not?[/quote]

Hi, burro. First at all, where are you from?
Do you know what does burro mean?
In my country it means anybody who does not know and does not learn anything .Totally opposed intelligent, smart and clever. Why did you chose that name? And you do not seem burro, you seem very intelligent.
By the way, I have a little problem with collocations. Can you help me to find the correct collocations in the next paragraph? It is very difficult for me to identify all of them.

A record digit of 54 teams will be competing in three sections as the Bryants Carpets Intermediate Snooker League reaches underway that week. One time again all three sections are possibly to be very nearly contested. In Section A, protecting champions Mariner Automatics, captained one time again by the most successful skipper in the league, John Stevens, will be the team to win.

The largest threat is possibly to come from Grimsby Snooker Club A, and P and J Builders who will have Steve Singleton at the wheel for the initial time.

thanks a bunch in advance to give a hand me!