Task-based explanation for genre effects: Evidence from a dependency treebank.

ABSTRACT: In task-based second language (L2) writing research, genre effects on linguistic features are usually explained by either task complexity hypothesis or differences in communicative demands. The basic distinction between the two explanations is determined by whether cognitive factors are at work. To date, the actual causes for L2 learners' different linguistic features in different genres are still unclear. Aiming at providing empirical evidence for explaining the mechanism of genre effects, this investigation uses dependency-grammar-based measures to examine the role of cognitive factors in L2 argumentative, narrative, and descriptive writings. A total of 540 compositions from three different proficiency groups of English as a foreign language learners were collected, and their mean depend

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10446175 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature