The word "collocations" refers to the habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another. The correct spelling is /kɒləˈkeɪʃ(ə)nz/, where each letter represents a specific sound. The initial "c" is pronounced as /k/, followed by an unstressed "o" pronounced as /ə/. The "l" sound is immediately followed by a stressed "o" pronounced as /oʊ/, and then "c" pronounced again as /k/. This is followed by "a" pronounced as /eɪ/ and "t" pronounced as /ʃ/, and the word ends with a nasalized "n" sound pronounced as /nz/.
Collocations are word combinations or phrases that frequently appear together in a language. They are essentially specific and predictable patterns formed by the co-occurrence of words, where the meaning of the combination cannot be deduced simply by understanding the individual words alone. These word partnerships are considered as fixed, traditional, or customary in a particular language, making them an essential aspect of vocabulary acquisition and language learning.
Collocations occur in various forms, such as verb + noun (e.g., "make a decision"), adjective + noun (e.g., "heavy rain"), and adverb + adjective (e.g., "highly successful"). Collocations can also involve prepositions, such as "at risk" or "in love." They bring precision and naturalness to language use, aiding in fluency and effectiveness of communication.
Understanding collocations is important for learners of a language as it enables them to produce more native-like and idiomatic expressions. Native speakers often use collocations intuitively, whereas non-native speakers may struggle to find appropriate word combinations. Recognizing and internalizing collocations helps learners avoid common language errors, enhance their vocabulary range, and develop language proficiency.
Collocations are often learned through exposure and practice, rather than being explicitly taught as individual words. Dictionaries may provide information on common collocations, but modern language tools, such as collocation dictionaries or language corpora, are specifically designed to explore the patterns and relationships between words, thereby facilitating the acquisition of accurate and natural language use.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word collocation is derived from the Latin words col- meaning together and locatio meaning placement or arrangement.