Dissecting Vocabulary Usage Across TED Talks Topics: A Corpus-based Perspective
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Autonomous learning strategies, supported by diverse media, have become essential tools for enhancing vocabulary acquisition. Among these, TED Talks stand out due to their accessibility, topical diversity, and authentic linguistic input. Although previous research has highlighted the educational value of TED Talks, limited attention has been given to their vocabulary characteristics across different topics. This study addresses this gap by examining the lexical profile, CEFR alignment, lexical level, and lexical density of TED Talks across 20 topics using a corpus-based approach. A dataset of 1,000 Talks (2,348,137 tokens) was analysed using computational tools and established linguistic frameworks. The findings reveal significant variation in vocabulary characteristics among topics, indicating their suitability for learners at different proficiency levels. Topics such as Relationships and Psychology cater to beginners; Education and Social Change are appropriate for intermediate learners; while advanced learners benefit from topics like Science and Government & Politics, which exhibit higher lexical density and complexity. The study highlights the importance of aligning TED Talk topics with learners’ proficiency levels to optimise vocabulary acquisition. These findings provide practical guidance for educators and learners, supporting targeted language development through the tailored selection of TED Talks.
Article Details
References
Anthony, L. (2024). AntWordProfiler (Version 2.2.1) [Computer Software]. Tokyo, Japan: Waseda University. https://www.laurenceanthony.net/software/AntWordProfiler
Arunvong Na Ayutthaya, J., Kunthonjinda, K., Somwang, K., & Laosrirattanachai, P. (2022). Making beverage service word list for English for Specific Purposes classroom. rEFLections, 29(2), 325–343. https://doi.org/10.61508/refl.v29i2.259524
Bayazaidi, A., Ansarin, A.-A., & Mohammadnia, Z. (2020). Lexical complexity as a function of task type and proficiency level in the speech monologs of Iranian EFL learners. Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies, 7(1), 29–44. https://doi.org/10.30479/jmrels.2019.11406.1418
Benedict, M. C., & Shabdin, A. A. (2021). A comparison of the vocabulary learning strategies employed by high and low proficient pre-university students in Malaysia. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 14(2), 222–246.
Boers, F., Bui, T., Deconinck, J., Stengers, H., & Coxhead, A. (2023). Helping learners develop autonomy in acquiring multiword expressions. The Modern Language Journal, 107(1), 222–241. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12829
Charnchairerk, C. (2022). Key defining linguistic features in the writing performance of first-year university students across different language proficiency levels. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(2), 858–891.
Cervi, L. (2021). Tik Tok and generation Z. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 12(2), 198–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443927.2021.1915617
Cobb, T. (n.d.). Vocabprofile [Computer program]. http://www.lextutor.ca/vp/
Council of Europe. (2001). The Common European of Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge University Press.
Coxhead, A. J. (2000). A new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2), 213–238.
Coxhead, A. J. (2018). Using TED Talks in the classrooms. RELC. SEAMEO.
Coxhead, A. J., & Hirsh, D. (2007). A pilot science-specific word list. Revue Française de Linguistique Appliqueé, 12(2), 65–78.
Coxhead, A. J., & Walls, R. (2012). TED Talks, vocabulary, and listening for EAP. TESOLANZ Journal, 20(1), 55–67.
Dang, T. N. Y., & Webb, S. (2014). The lexical profile of academic spoken English. English for Specific Purposes, 33, 66–76.
Drayton, J., & Coxhead, A. (2023). The development, evaluation and application of an aviation radiotelephony specialised technical vocabulary list. English for Specific Purposes, 69, 51–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2023.01.006
Gay, F. (2022). Investigating the effects of technology-enhanced vocabulary learning strategy instruction on supporting mixed-ability EMI learners studying a journalism and communication major: An action research project at a university in China. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 55, 101068. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2021.101068
Hanks, E., Hashimoto, B., & Egbert, J. (2024). The contracts word list: Integral vocabulary for reading and writing English contracts. English for Specific Purposes, 75, 37–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2024.03.002
Johansson, V. (2008). Lexical diversity and lexical density in speech and writing: A developmental perspective. Working papers, 53, 61–79.
Kim, M., Black, S., & Clifton, J. (2024). Evidence-based holistic approach to supporting international students’ English language proficiency needs and wellbeing: The impact of personalized autonomous learning. Applied Linguistics, amae038, https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amae038
Koizumi, R., & In’nami, Y. (2012). Effects of text length on lexical diversity measures: Using short texts with less than 200 tokens. System, 40(4), 554–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2012.10.012
Laosrirattanachai, P., & Laosrirattanachai, P. (2023). Analysis of vocabulary use and move structures of the World Health Organization Emergencies press conferences on Coronavirus Disease: A corpus–based investigation. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 16(1), 121–146. https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LEARN/article/view/263436
Laosrirattanachai, P., & Laosrirattanachai, P. (2024). The triangle of language use: A corpus-based analysis of hotel responses to reviews. Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 28(1). https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28109a3
Laosrirattanachai, P., & Laosrirattanachai, P. (2025). Tracing tourism business research trends in Scopus indexed journals using corpus based and judgement-based approaches. Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Studies, 25(1), 32–53. https://doi.org/10.69598/hasss.25.1.268122
Laufer, B. (1989). What percentage of text-lexis is essential for
comprehension? In C. Laurén & M. Nordmann (Eds.), Special
language: From humans thinking to thinking machines (pp. 316–
. Multilingual Matters.
Laufer, B., & Nation, P. (1995). Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production. Applied Linguistics, 16(3), 307–332.
Le, C. N, N., & Miller, J. (2023). A core meaning-based analysis of English semi-technical vocabulary in the medical field. English for Specific Purposes, 70, 252–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2023.01.006
Li, Z., Li, J. Z., Zhang, X., & Reynolds, B. L. (2024). Mastery of listening and reading vocabulary levels in relation to CEFR: Insights into student admissions and English as a medium of instruction. Languages, 9, 239. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9070239
Liu, C. Y. (2021). Examining the implementation of academic vocabulary, lexical density, and speech rate features on OpenCourseWare and MOOC lectures. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(8), 4924–4939. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.1987274
Liu, C. Y. (2023). Specialized vocabulary in TED talks and TED-Ed animations: Implications for learning English for science and technology. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 65, 101293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2023.101293
MacDonald, E. (2019). An analysis of vocabulary level in reading passages of the National Center Test. Shiken, 23(2), 19–27.
Madarbakus-Ring, N., & Benson, S. (2024). TED Talks and the textbook: An in-depth lexical analysis. Languages, 9, 309. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages9100309
Malvern, D., Richards, B., Chipere, N., & Durán, P. (2004). Lexical diversity and language development. Palgrave Macmillan.
McCarthy, P. M., & Jarvis, S. (2007). Vocd: A theoretical and empirical evaluation. Sage Journals, 24(4), 459–488. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532207080767
Meebangsai, D., Pongtin, P., Kitipoontanakorn, P., & Laosrirattanachai, P. (2023). Investigating proficiency of academic English in student writing: A comparative case study on vocabulary utilization in student research article writing vis–à–vis national and international research. PASAA, 67, 66–100. DOI:10.58837/CHULA.PASAA.67.1.3
Nation, I. S. P. (2006). How large a vocabulary is needed to reading and listening? The Canadian Modern Language Review, 63(1), 59–82.
Nation, I. S. P. (2016). Making and using word lists for language learning and
testing. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Nation, I. S. P. (2018). Resources.
https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/resources
Nation, I. S. P., & Crabbe, D. (1991). A survival language learning syllabus for foreign travel. System, 19(3), 191–201.
Nurmukhamedov, U. (2017). Lexical coverage of TED Talks: Implications for vocabulary instruction. TESOL Journal, 8(4). 768–790.
Nurmukhamedov, U., & Sharakhimov, S. (2021). Corpus-based vocabulary analysis of English podcasts. RELC Journal, 54(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688220979315
Otto, P. (2021). Choosing specialized vocabulary to teach with data-driven learning: An example from civil engineering. English for Specific Purposes, 61, 32–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2020.08.003
Phoocharoensil, S. (2014). Exploring learners’ developing L2 collocational competence. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 4(12), 2533–2540.
Phung, D. H., & Ha, H. T. (2022). Vocabulary demands of IELTS listening test: An in-depth analysis. SAGE Open, 12(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221079934
Roesler, D. (2021). When a bug is not a bug: An introduction to the computer science academic vocabulary list. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 54, 101044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2021.101044
Schmitt, N., & Schmitt, D. (2014). A Reassessment of frequency and vocabulary size in L2 vocabulary teaching. Language Teaching,
(4), 484–503.
Schmitt, N., & Schmitt, D. (2020). Vocabulary in language teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Supanya, N. (2022). Towards the CEFR action-oriented approach: Factors influencing its achievement in Thai EFL classrooms. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 28(2), 33–48. http://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2022-2802-03
Szenes, E., & Tilakaratna, N. (2021). Deconstructing critical reflection in social work and business: Negotiating emotions and opinions in reflective writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 49, 100931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2020.100931
Tegge, F. (2017). The lexical coverage of popular songs in English language teaching. System, 67, 87–98.
Thornbury, S., & Slade, D. (2006). Conversation: From description to pedagogy. Cambridge University Press.
Treffers-Daller, J., Parslow, P., & Williams, S. (2018). Back to basics: How measures of lexical diversity can help discriminate between CEFR levels. Applied Linguistics, 39(3), 302–327. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amw009
Ure, J. (1971). Lexical density and register differentiation. ln G. E. Perren, & J. L. M. Trim (Eds.), Applications of linguistics (pp. 443–452). Cambridge University Press.
van Zeeland, H., & Schmitt, N. (2013). Lexical coverage in L1 and L2 listening comprehension: The same or different from reading comprehension? Applied Linguistics, 34(4), 457–479. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/ams074
Viera, R. T. (2022). Lexical richness of abstracts in scientific papers in anglophone and non-anglophone journals. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 28(2), 224–239.
Wang, P. (2017). A corpus-based study of English vocabulary in art research articles. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 6, 47–53.
Wang, X., (2014). The relationship between lexical diversity and EFL writing proficiency. University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 9, 65–88.
Wang, Y. (2012). An exploration of vocabulary knowledge in English short talks: A corpus-driven approach. International Journal of English Linguistics, 2(4), 33–43.
Warnby, M. (2023). Academic vocabulary knowledge among adolescents in university preparatory programmes. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 61, 101203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101203
Webb, S. (2021). Research investigating lexical coverage and lexical profiling: What we know, what we don’t know, and what needs to be examined. Reading in a Foreign Language, 33(2), 287–302.
Webb, S., & Nation, I. S. P. (2017). How vocabulary is learned. Oxford University Press.
West, M. (1953). A general service list of English words. Longman.
Wingrove, P. (2017). How suitable are TED talks for academic listening? Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 30, 79–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2017.10.010
Wingrove, P. (2022). Academic lexical coverage in TED talks and academic lectures. English for Specific Purposes, 65, 79–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2021.09.004
Wudthayagorn, J. (2018). Mapping the CU-TEP to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 11(2), 163–180.
Yang, S., Zhao, Y., & Ma, Y. (2019). Analysis of the reasons and development of short video application——taking Tik Tok as an example. 9th International Conference on Information and Social Science (ICISS 2019). DOI: 10.25236/iciss.2019.062
Zhang, Y., Li, T., & Li, H. (2024). Using TED Talks in ‘English Corners’ to boost academic discussion skills of postgraduate students in a Chinese EMI university. In B. Zou & T. Mahy (Eds.), English for Academic Purposes in the EMI Context in Asia (pp. 231–257). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-63638-7_10
