The Influence Of Bilingual Dictionaries' Pictorial Illustrations On L2 Vocabulary Immediate Memorization

Pictorial illustrations are images applied in the field of dictionary, generally recognized as bindings or explanations. Recently, as the quantity of studies about pictorial illustrations increases significantly, the quality of pictorial illustrations in bilingual dictionary also improves a lot. As part of bilingual dictionary, pictorial illustrations are carriers of second language vocabulary, conveying words' information and cross-culture information with their special meaning expression methods.Therefore, pictorial illustrations in bilingual dictionary do not only demonstrate dictionary's quality, but also influence second language vocabulary learning.Based on image cognition, this thesis employed two theories to carry out this study. One is Visual Grammar from Kress and van Leeuwen, while the other is Figure-ground from Talmy. It aims to explore the way of meaning expression in the collocating representation of images and entries.This thesis studies the influences of bilingual dictionaries' pictorial illustrations on L2 vocabulary immediate memorization from users' cognitive perspective. An empirical study is carried out to probe into learners' immediate memorization when they are exposed to two modes of “entries + pictorial illustrations” and “entries alone”.The two modes are for receptive knowledge and productive knowledge. The data is analyzed by SPSS 21.0 to show the influences of two kinds of representations on L2 vocabulary immediate memorization, and the causes will be investigated theoretically.It shows that pictorial illustrations can promote the acceptance and productiveness of L2 vocabulary knowledge.On the basis of theoretical analysis and data analysis, this thesis studies pictorial illustrations in bilingual dictionaries from three aspects. First, the configuration methods of pictorial illustrations; second, the representational methods of pictorial illustrations; third, the cognitive methods of pictorial illustrations. Meanwhile, two pieces of advice on lexicography are put forward as follows:On the one hand, the closely spatial and logical connection between pictorial illustrations and entries is the basis for the two representations to convey word's meanings. Pictorial illustrations and entries should keep spatial connection instead of existing in different pages separately, or it will reduce the intensified information with less connection. Comprehensive reference system can connect pictorial illustrations and entries in logic.On the other hand, pictorial illustrations and entries should be in consensus to keep the systematicness of a whole dictionary. In lexicography, headword's formation can be the same in both representations. To highlight headword through pictorial illustrations is more beneficial to learners' memorization of headword's part-of-speech and meaning.This study carries out an empirical study to confirm that bilingual dictionaries' pictorial illustrations can accelerate L2 vocabulary immediate memorization from users' cognitive perspective. Furthermore, it investigates theoretical causes and proposes two pieces of advice on lexicography. Thus, this thesis has theoretical innovation and practical significance to some extent.