Lexical Richness, a reliable measure of Intermediate L2 Learners’ current status of acquisition of English language

Abstract

This article aims to explore the utility of the relationship between lexical richness and size as an indicator of acquisition status of English language of L2 learners of intermediate level, having rural background on the basis of their self -written output. 126 students’ essays were used to measure the lexical richness (126 students of Sem-I and 63 students of Sem-II) Lexical Frequency Profile was used to sort it out.  Its values discriminated students of different proficiency level and displayed L2 Learners vocabulary size in use. LFP result’s consistency and legitimacy was obtained by comparing its result with an independent and separate measure of vocabulary size, VLT. The result showed that lexical richness has a direct link with vocabulary size (receptive vocabulary) of L2 learners. It discusses the utility of the inference based on the lexical richness of L2’s written text for monitoring purpose of language acquisition process of L2 learners and to determine appropriate strategies for the desired growth of vocabulary size.