Towards Greater Conceptual Clarity in Complexity and Difficulty: A Commentary on “Complexity and Difficulty in Second Language Acquisition: A Theoretical and Methodological Overview”
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The conceptual review article by Bulté, Housen, and Pallotti constitutes a much-needed effort to disentangle the conceptual and methodological messiness surrounding complexity and difficulty, two key constructs in second language (L2) acquisition research.Seeking clear conceptual distinction between these constructs, Bulté et al. interpret complexity as structural properties of linguistic items and difficulty as the cognitive costs associated with acquiring and using such items.They further propose a small set of core measures for researchers to routinely use so as to promote replicability and knowledge accumulation.In this commentary, I offer some thoughts on their discussion of the definitions and measurements of these constructs.The inclusion and exclusion of "sophistication" in different definitions of "complexity" (e.g., Kyle et al., 2021;Ortega, 2003), along with the introduction of the terms "absolute complexity" and "relative complexity" (e.g., Housen & Simoens, 2016), contributed to the terminological confusion
Source: Language Learning
DOI: 10.1111/lang.12688
Author: Xiaofei Lu
Institution: Pennsylvania State University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,620
OpenAlex ID: W4403636763