DEPTH OF WORD KNOWLEDGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MENTAL LEXICON: EXPLORING WORD ASSOCIATION RESPONSES OF PAKISTANI L2 UNDERGRADUATE LEARNERS IN LAHORE

This study investigates the lexical competency among Pakistani L2 graduate students, focusing on paradigmatic and syntagmatic mental links using word association tests. This study explores the complexity of language competency within this specific group by investigating the associative (paradigmatic) and sequential (syntagmatic) relationships between words in the mental lexicon.  Stephen Krashen’s vocabulary acquisition theory has been employed as a theoretical framework. A selected group of Pakistani L2 graduate learners was presented with stimulus words from McCarthy’s vocabulary list (1990), encouraging quick replies with associated terms, using word association tests based on Fitzpatrick’s classification. The results of these tests were rigorously evaluated to reveal patterns of both associative associations (paradigmatic relations) and sequential connections (syntagmatic relations) within these students’ mental lexicon. Meanwhile, the study also incorporated language competence exams to identify possible relationships between proficiency levels and mental vocabulary organization among these individuals using the SPSS tool. The outcome of this study demonstrated a spectrum of lexical competence among Pakistani L2 graduate students, demonstrating varying levels of competency in mental word arrangement. The examination of paradigmatic and syntagmatic relationships sheds light on the subtle strengths and weaknesses of associative and sequential associations in their mental lexicon. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the mental arrangement of vocabulary in language acquisition, as well as potential pathways for targeted linguistic interventions to improve the lexical competence of second language learners in this group.