The concept of ‘synforms’ (similar lexical forms) in vocabulary acquisition

Abstract

The paper discusses an error pattern in vocabulary learning — confusion of'synforms’ (words of similar form). It defines, illustrates and classifies synforms into categories on the basis of their features of similarity. In categories 1–5, synforms are different from each other in an affix and identical in their root; categories 6–9 include synforms differing from each other in one phoneme, vowel or consonant. In category 10, synforms are identical in consonants, but different in some or all of their vowels. It is argued that the study of synforms may shed light not only on the phenomenon of synformic confusions as such, but also on the representation and organisation of lexical items in the learner's lexicon, on language learning processes and on vocabulary teaching requirements.