Longman Dictionary of

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airstream is produced. English /r, l, y, w/ are approximants and can be
further subdivided into SEMIVOWELS or GLIDES (/y/ and /w/) and LIQUIDS (/l/
and /r/).
approximative system n
see INTERLANGUAGE
a priori syllabus n
in language teaching, a distinction is sometimes made between two kinds
of syllabuses. A syllabus prepared in advance of a course, and used as a
basis for developing classroom activities, may be referred to as an a
priori syllabus. This may be contrasted with a syllabus which is not
developed in advance but which is prepared after a course is taught, as
a “record” of the language and activities used in the course (an a
posteriori syllabus). An a posteriori syllabus is sometimes called a
retrospective syllabus.
see also SYLLABUS
aptitude n
see LANGUAGE APTITUDE
aptitude test n
see LANGUAGE APTITUDE TEST
areal linguistics
aptitude-treatment interaction n
the relationship between a learner’s personal strengths and weaknesses in
learning and the learning situation, including the type of programme one
is enrolled in. The study of such interactions is motivated by the idea that
learners will learn best in a situation in which the demands of the classroom
or other learning context match their areas of aptitude. For
example, a learner with high ORAL MIMICRY ABILITY may learn better in
one type of language programme, while one high in GRAMMATICAL SENSI-
TIVITY may learn better in another.
areal linguistics n
the study of the languages or dialects which are spoken in a particular
area.
An example is a study of two neighbouring languages to see how they
influence each other in terms of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.
see also DIALECTOLOGY
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