syntax, and morphology, their vocabularies increase throughout their life.
4
In acquiring vocabulary native speaker and non native speaker may have different
ways to get it. As Lightbown and Spada state children whose their first language is English has little effort in learning vocabulary, and it is quite different with
those are non native speakers.
5
Native speaker of English may be easy in getting it because they are accustomed with the language. In contrast, some of non native
speakers of English may not get many vocabularies as easily as native speaker because their language is different with English, they must adapt with the spelling,
the letters and the meaning.
2. Kinds of Vocabulary
Nation divides kinds of vocabulary into three or four levels based on how its frequency and how its range; they are:
a. High frequency words. These words often occur in all kinds of uses of
language whether in formal and in informal uses, in speech and writing, in novels, conversations, newspaper, and academic texts. The number of
high frequency words are about 2000 words of English, it can be found in a text is about 80 or more of running words in formal written text and
about 90 in friendly conversation. b.
Academic words. These words are usually put or found in all kinds of academic subject area such as in academic writing that including
Economic or Geography textbook, Arts, Science, Commerce, and Law. Academic words do not often occur in daily uses. Less than 2 of the
running words in conversation are from academic word list. These words of academic words are important for people who will use English for
academic study. c.
Technical words. These words often occur in more special purposes and very common in one particular area such as the vocabulary of Physics or
4
Thom Hudson, Teaching Second Language Reading, New York: Oxford Universiy Press, 2007, p. 227.
5
Pasty M. Lightbown and Nina Spada, How Languages are Learned. Third Edition, New York: Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 97.
