Comparative Analysis of Cognates in Two Datasets in Spanish Teaching in China

This paper aims to conduct a comparative study of two glossary compilations between two programs of Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) teaching in China, through statistical analysis and a survey of familiarity with cognates among ELE students in China. Specifically, we investigate: (1) the lexical difference between two SFL teaching systems: one nationalized in China and the other at the international level (CEFR); (2) the awareness of bilingual cognates for Spanish learners in China. The results indicate that: (1) the vocabulary list nationalized in China has more high frequency words than that of CEFR; (2) in L3 Spanish learners, the survey did not find an awareness of cognate, but rather an high-frequency effect in the lexicon. This study serves to emphasize the status of cognates for research and teaching in SFL, as well as to provide a reference for future lexical studies of SFL both in China and internationally.