Noun phrase complexity in film dialogue as input for second-language learning. A corpus-based study from a register-functional perspective

Since audiovisual dialogue represents a common means of informal contact with English (Pavesi, Ghia 2020), it is important to understand its characteristics. Following a study on clausal complexity in film dialogue (Formentelli et al. forthcoming), the present work investigates phrasal complexity, thus contributing to the provision of a broader overview of grammatical complexity in film dialogue. The results provide insights into which phrasal structures second-language (L2) learners accessing English through films are likely to encounter notice and internalise after repeated exposure (Kerswill, Williams 2002). The study investigates nominal pre- and post-modification in a corpus of 34 anglophone film dialogues by examining adjectival and nominal pre-modifiers and prepositional phrases as post-modifiers. Further analysis of the types of the most frequently modified nominal heads is also conducted. The results of the analysis are interpreted by adopting a register-functional approach to complexity (Biber et al. 2022); they suggest a degree of phrasal complexity in film dialogue that approximates trends in natural conversation while also performing register-specific functions.

视听对话是人们接触英语的常见非正式途径（Pavesi、Ghia，2020），因此深入理解其特征具有重要学术意义。继针对电影对话中小句复杂度的相关研究（Formentelli等，即将发表）之后，本研究聚焦于短语复杂度，旨在为全面梳理电影对话中的语法复杂度提供更为完整的概览。本研究结果可揭示：通过影视渠道接触英语的第二语言（L2）学习者在反复接触影视内容后，更有可能注意并内化哪些短语结构（Kerswill、Williams，2002）。本研究以包含34部英语母语影视对话的语料库为对象，通过考察形容词性与名词性前置修饰语、以及作为后置修饰语的介词短语，分析其中的名词性成分前置与后置修饰现象。此外，本研究还针对出现频率最高的被修饰名词中心语的类型展开了进一步分析。本研究采用基于语域功能的复杂度分析框架（Biber等，2022）对分析结果进行阐释；结果表明，电影对话中的短语复杂度既贴合自然会话的发展趋势，同时也具备专属语域的特定功能。