Lexical Availability and semantic networks in L1 and L2

A Systematic Review Based on the PRISMA Method

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4151/S0718-09342025011901361

Keywords:

lexical availability, semantic networks, graph theory, L1, L2

Abstract

This systematic review synthesises the evolving landscape of lexical availability and semantic network studies across various languages, with a focus on L1 and L2 contexts. Originating from the need to enhance language acquisition efficiency, this research area has expanded to explore the intricate cognitive processes underlying lexical selection and organisation. Utilising the PRISMA guidelines for methodical rigour, this review critically assesses the contributions of 31 studies conducted globally, employing diverse methodologies and focusing on a wide array of populations and linguistic contexts. Key findings highlight the dynamic nature of lexical networks, influenced significantly by factors such as language, age, proficiency, educational stages, and the sociocultural milieu. Innovations in computational tools like DispoGrafo, LexMath, and LexPro have propelled forward our understanding of semantic networks, offering sophisticated analyses of how lexical items interconnect within the mental lexicon. Despite these advances, the review identifies methodological limitations, including the need for consistent participant numbers across comparative studies and consideration of the impact of prompt variability on lexical activation. The move towards online lexical availability tests, while a milestone, warrants cautious implementation to ensure methodological integrity. The review advocates for broader and more in-depth analyses of semantic networks and encourages extending research beyond the predominantly examined languages to enhance our understanding of lexical processing across different linguistic and cultural landscapes. This comprehensive examination not only highlights the significance of lexical availability research in cognitive linguistics and language education, but also outlines pathways for future inquiry, emphasising the potential for technological innovations to unravel the complexities of the human lexicon.

Author Biographies

Bianca Manuela Sandu, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Bianca Manuela Sandu (PhD) is Assistant Professor at the Department of Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting (English) at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), where she teaches English language and cultural topics. Her current research interests include language learning motivation through intervention programmes based on the L2 Motivational Self System and other state-of-the-art motivational theories with undergraduates and pre-service teachers. Additionally, she is passionate about and conducts research in teacher motivation, language learning motivation research and social action, lexical availability and semantic networks, attention to diversity in bilingual education, and pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy. She is also actively engaged in various educational innovation projects, including Service-Learning, microteaching through virtual reality, and the integration of ChatGPT in English language learning.  

Roberto Ferreira, Universidad de Talca

Professor Roberto A. Ferreira is an accomplished academic in the field of Psycholinguistics. He began his educational journey at Universidad de Concepción, Chile, where he completed his BA in Modern Languages (English and French) and Education and his MA in Linguistics. He then obtained his PhD in Psychology from the University of York, UK, and later pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at Radboud University in the Netherlands. He is the Director of the Millennium Nucleus for the Science of Learning (MiNSoL), an interdisciplinary centre that unites neuroscience, psychology to investigate how various factors impact learning. He currently teaches at Universidad de Talca in Chile. Before this, he held various roles at several other academic institutions, most notably at Pontificia Universidad Católica and Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, both also in Chile. In addition to his teaching duties, he holds editorial roles at Frontiers in Psychology and the Journal of Applied Psycholinguistics and has participated in the review processes for the Chilean National Agency for Research and Development. His research interests lie in the areas of semantics, context, and bilingualism, with a focus on their influence on the learning process.

roberto.ferreira.c@gmail.com

 

Downloads

Published

2025-12-15

How to Cite

Sandu , B. . M., & Ferreira Campos, R. (2025). Lexical Availability and semantic networks in L1 and L2: A Systematic Review Based on the PRISMA Method. Revista Signos. Estudios De Lingüística, 58(119). https://doi.org/10.4151/S0718-09342025011901361

Issue

Vol. 58 No. 119 (2025): December

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Signos. Estudios de Lingüística

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright agreement:

Authors who have a manuscript accepted for publication in this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors will retain their copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication of their work by means of this copyright agreement document, which is subject to the Creative Commons Acknowledgment License that allows third parties to share the work provided that its author and first publication in this journal are indicated.

  2. Authors may adopt other non-exclusive license agreements for distribution of the published version of the work (e.g., depositing it in an institutional repository or publishing it in a monographic volume) as long as the initial publication in this journal is indicated.

  3. Authors are allowed and encouraged to disseminate their work via the internet (e.g., in institutional publications or on their website) before and during the submission process, which can lead to interesting exchanges and increase citations of the published work (read more here).