This book received the Cambridge Language Teaching Brumfit Award 2010. Drawing upon a
convergence of sociocultural theory and linguistic emergentism this book presents a
longitudinal investigation of the development of ESL users' written lexicogrammatical
patterning (collocations and colligations). A qualitative methodology ('Lexical Trail
Analysis') was developed in order to capture a dynamic and historical view of the ways in which
the participants combined words in their writing. This involved tracing single lexemes
diachronically through individuals' written corpora. The writers were interviewed about the
histories of particular word combinations. Selected patterns were later tested using the
principles of dynamic testing. The findings of these combined data types - essays interviews
and tests - suggest that sociocognitive resources such as memory and attention and the ability
to imitate and adapt linguistic resources are paramount in the massive task of internalizing
the lexicogrammatical patterning of a second language. The participants were agents of change
seeking assistance and adapting patterns to suit their changing goals. Their activity is
theorized in a model of language patterning from which implications for second language
learning and teaching are drawn.
