Finding ways to make phrase-learning feasible: The mnemonic effect of alliteration

The Lexical Approach (LA) is founded on the belief that, in order to achieve a high level of accuracy with fluency, learners of a foreign language need to commit to memory vast numbers of multi-word expressions. However, since it is far from clear that the methodology currently associated with the LA holds out well-founded hope that phrase learning on such a vast scale is widely achievable in ordinary school-based foreign language teaching, supplementary methods and strategies seem to be called for. It is also possible that a change is needed concerning the criteria for deciding which multi-word expressions should be focused on in teaching and materials writing. Thus far, the criteria most commonly advocated seem to be those of frequency and utility. If it were the case that certain moderately common classes of multi-word lexis were relatively easy to remember on account of salient phonological patterning (e.g., alliteration), it could then be argued that a third criterion, that of memorability, ought to be given additional weight. This paper reports results of controlled experiments which indicate that multi-word expressions which alliterate are indeed more memorable than ones which show no such salient phonological patterning. Implications for FLT methodology are briefly outlined.