I have been focusing on working with phrases with my students (and also in my own Chinese learning), and in both cases I have realized that phrasebooks can offer some support with language learning.
The significance of phrases
Phrases are especially important in language learning because they increase fluency for both native speakers and language learners alike. This is because there is a limit to the length of sentences we can create without using pre-constructed phrases as shortcuts; phrases reduce the cognitive load and so speed up our talking. Personally, I find some peace of mind when using phrases in a foreign language, because I know that they will be grammatically correct without my needing to think about it.
Learners tend to gain new phrases through repeated use (presumably in real-life situations, but also in simulations/role-plays and any related class-work), just as native speakers do. But how can learners find the right phrases when they need them? Two classic solutions are the travel phrasebook and the business writing guide (book). Both are kept to hand: in the traveler’s pocket or on the office desk; and both are organized according to themes or situations. These reference books are very useful and with web and mobile phrasebooks appearing, they will become easier to use exactly when needed.
The need for a “personal” phrasebook
However, published phrasebooks are very general and will often not respond to the specific need of a particular learner. When I went to the post office in China last month I found my travel phrasebook useful for considering initial requests, but preparation in lesson was what enabled me to have a more complete list of phrases for my exact situation. I found that I needed my own Personal Phrasebook (PPB), tailored precisely to me and my needs.
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