How do frequency and usefulness influence Japanese vocabulary choices at B1

The web search did not return direct sources explicitly addressing how frequency and usefulness influence Japanese vocabulary choices specifically at the B1 level. However, several points can be inferred from related findings and general vocabulary acquisition research:

• Frequency of exposure to vocabulary strongly promotes recall and learning of spoken forms and vocabulary (, ). High-frequency words are more likely to be acquired and used earlier and more reliably.
• Usefulness, often related to word familiarity or perceived utility, also affects vocabulary learning, though high frequency does not always guarantee perceived usefulness ().
• Vocabulary acquisition research suggests learners prioritize words that are both frequent in real use and deemed useful for communication at their proficiency level (, ).
• For intermediate learners (B1 level), vocabulary choices are influenced by exposure frequency but also by the need to cover words useful for more complex everyday conversation and interaction contexts, which align with usefulness (, ).
• Studies on language learning strategies emphasize that at intermediate levels, learners often select vocabulary that is both encountered frequently and judged practical/functionally important for their purposes ().

Based on these insights, Japanese vocabulary selection at B1 level is likely shaped by a combination of:

1. Frequency — prioritizing words frequently encountered in listening, reading, and conversation.
2. Usefulness — prioritizing words that enable communication in typical intermediate learner contexts.

I will now verify if there are more direct references or studies specifically relating these factors to B1 Japanese vocabulary choices.

References

• THE EFFECTS OF TALKER VARIABILITY AND FREQUENCY OF EXPOSURE ON THE ACQUISITION OF SPOKEN WORD KNOWLEDGE

• The learner as lexicographer: using monolingual and bilingual corpora to deepen vocabulary knowledge

• The Effectiveness of Instagram “Studyin.Japanese” to Improve Japanese Vocabulary Skills of Intermediate Level Japanese Language Department UMY’S Students

• Editorial: Second or foreign language learning and cognitive development

• Vocabulary Change in Process Writing: Effect of Text Structure Instruction

• Word Familiarity and Frequency

• Japanese Lexical Complexity for Non-Native Readers: A New Dataset

• Everyday Language Exposure Shapes Prediction of Specific Words in Listening Comprehension: A Visual World Eye-Tracking Study

• Vocabulary learning from reading and listening: Replications of Brown et al. (2008) and Vidal (2011)

• Rethinking Bilingual Enhancement Effects in Associative Learning of Foreign Language Vocabulary: The Role of Proficiency in the Mediating Language.

• Disentangling Effects of Input Frequency and Morphophonological Complexity on Children’s Acquisition of Verb Inflection: An Elicited Production Study of Japanese

• The Processing Cost of Scrambling and Topicalization in Japanese

• Disentangling Effects of Input Frequency and Morphophonological Complexity on Children’s Acquisition of Verb Inflection: An Elicited Production Study of Japanese

• Persepsi Pembelajar Terhadap Media Kamus Tematik Berbasis Web Bagi Pembelajar Kosakata Bahasa Jepang Tingkat Dasar

• Modeling individual differences in vocabulary development: A large‐scale study on Japanese heritage speakers

• Japanese Verba Analysis on The Use of Duration, Intensity, and Frequency by Indonesian and Malaysia Teachers

• Age effects in spoken second language vocabulary attainment beyond the critical period

• Editorial: Second or foreign language learning and cognitive development

• Factors in cognitive processing of Japanese loanwords by advanced Chinese Japanese-as-a-foreign-language learners

• High-Frequency Vocabulary: Moving From Recognition to Recall Level on Quizlet