English vocabulary for Japanese university students

Japanese speakers have much difficulty building their English vocabulary. A limited vocabulary inhibits the communication process which includes speaking, listening, writing, and reading. When native speakers of English encounter unfamiliar words, they try to establish meaning through English word-formation rules. An understanding of these rules will help Japanese speakers to cultivate their English vocabulary. Therefore, the aims of this thesis are to analyze the standard vocabulary which Japanese speakers learn in junior and senior high schools and at the universities and to describe effective ways to target English vocabulary by using English word-formation rules.

According to the categorization of English word-formation rules given by Randoph Quirk and others, the English words list authorized by JACET is analyzed in order to organize strategies to help students enhance their English vocabulary.

This thesis concludes that word analysis, reevaluation of the JACET word list, and systematically teaching word-formation rules will enhance Japanese students' vocabulary.