AN EXPLORATION OF MENTAL LEXICON AMONG EFL UNDERGRADUATES RESPONDING TO STIMULUS WORDS: A PSYCHOLINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge is concerned with the knowledge of the world. Language has an ideational significance in knowledge. It helps to transcend tactile experiences of human perception and action. Therefore, the present study tends to explore the use of semantic knowledge among EFL undergraduates in Pakistan. It focuses on how the EFL undergraduates reply to stimulus words through their lexical access. The study applies Francis McCarthy’s theoretical notion of the word association test (1990). The researchers tend to display a list of words individually in a slideshow in front of the participants, who are directed to respond to the first word that appears in their mind, other than the stimulus word itself. It will foreground the predominant influence of mental lexicon in responding to stimulus words chosen from vocabulary items of daily use. The findings of the study have been listed in the results section. Moreover, the significance of the study lies in emphasizing that learners utilize their stored knowledge of words so they can understand the meanings of words. The research has potential limitations as it is only based on lexical dimensions. However, it suggests a new approach for research scholars to analyze the processing of mental lexicon through semantic, phonological, syntactic, and morphological aspects for future studies.