Complexity matters in TV dialogue as language input: A corpus-based description of clausal and phrasal patterns

The spread of digital devices and new media has led to a proliferation of English-language audiovisual products and to a gradual shift in learning English as a second language (L2), which is increasingly occurring outside of the classroom. In fact, the extensive informal contact with English audiovisual dialogue as part of L2 learner-users' everyday leisure activities has been found to be potentially conducive to incidental learning and language acquisition (Kusyk 2020; Sockett 2014). This calls for a description of English-language media, the major source of language input to which L2 viewers are exposed (Pavesi, Ghia 2020). The present study aims to investigate grammatical complexity in fictional TV dialogue by drawing on the Sydney Corpus of Television Dialogue (SydTV; Bednarek 2018a). A register-functional (RF) approach (Biber 1988) is adopted for the quantitative and qualitative assessments of clausal and phrasal complexity features in TV series, with a focus on finite/nonfinite subordinate clauses and noun phrase premodification. The data are first interpreted in relation to the diegetic and extradiegetic functions served by complexity features onscreen and are then compared to previous corpus-based findings regarding the grammatical complexity of spontaneous face-to-face conversations (Biber 2015; Biber et al. 2021). The results show that TV dialogue closely approximates casual conversation in terms of the main patterns of phrasal and clausal complexity. Register-specific functions emerge in accordance with the audience-oriented narrative dimension of telecinematic products, the striving for realism and the expression of characters' stances. Such referential and communicative functions may increase the accessibility of TV narratives for L2 viewers, often in tandem with visuals in a multimodal fashion. Overall, by reproducing the complexity of conversational exchanges, TV dialogue qualifies as a rich, reliable source of input that learner-viewers can readily use as a model of spoken English.

数字设备与新媒体的普及催生了大量英语视听作品，同时推动第二语言（L2）英语学习模式逐步转变——这类学习正日益从课堂延伸至课外场景。事实上，已有研究表明，作为第二语言学习者日常休闲活动的一部分，大量接触英语视听对话或可有效促进附带式学习与语言习得（Kusyk, 2020; Sockett, 2014）。因此，针对第二语言观众所接触的核心语言输入源——英语媒体展开系统描述，便成为一项必要工作（Pavesi & Ghia, 2020）。本研究依托悉尼电视对话语料库（Sydney Corpus of Television Dialogue，简称SydTV; Bednarek, 2018a），旨在探究虚构影视剧中的语法复杂度特征。本研究采用语域功能（register-functional, RF）分析框架（Biber, 1988），对电视剧中的小句与短语复杂度特征开展定量与定性分析，重点聚焦限定/非限定从属小句以及名词短语前置修饰现象。研究首先结合屏幕上复杂度特征所承载的叙事内与叙事外功能，对语料数据进行解读；随后将分析结果与过往基于语料库的自然面对面会话语法复杂度研究结论进行对比（Biber, 2015; Biber et al., 2021）。研究结果显示，在短语与小句复杂度的核心分布模式上，影视对话与日常会话高度相似。结合影视产品面向受众的叙事属性、现实主义创作追求以及人物立场表达需求，可观察到语域专属的功能特征。这类指称与交际功能结合多模态视听呈现方式，可有效提升第二语言观众对影视叙事内容的理解可达性。综上，影视对话还原了真实会话交流的复杂度，因此可作为第二语言学习者可便捷使用的优质可靠口语输入范本。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集基于悉尼电视对话语料库（SydTV），研究电视对话中从句和短语模式的语法复杂度。研究发现电视对话在语法复杂度上与日常面对面会话高度相似，并具有叙事导向和现实表达功能，可作为二语学习者的有效语言输入模型。