Usage in Second Language Acquisition Critical Reflections and Future Directions

This volume offers an insightful exploration of the usage-learning nexus, arguably the key issue in current SLA research and theory. It goes beyond a collection of conceptual reviews. Each chapter stands independently while taken together the chapters provide a comprehensive account of language usage, learning, and how they are interconnected. It will serve as a valuable resource for researchers both familiar with SLA and just entering the field.

Natsuko Shintani, Kansai University, Japan

The nine highly readable chapters in this collection address three questions of central importance to SLA research and pedagogy: what is usage, what is the L2 learning task, and what are the connections between usage and learning. The contributions address these issues using different methodologies, but with highly compatible underlying assumptions. In this way, the volume provides a definitive up-to-date statement regarding the role of usage in second language learning.

Brian MacWhinney, Carnegie Mellon University, USA