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The prevalence of mobile technologies has enabled ubiquitous online reading and learning for L2 learners, especially in the area of incidental lexical learning (Kukulska-Hulme et al., 2015; Ma, 2016; Song & Fox, 2008; Wible, Liu, & Tsao, 2011). Research reveals that learners tend to use lexical tools, especially e-dictionaries or dictionary apps, more frequently than other learning tools or technologies such as YouTube, social networking sites, mobile apps or online language games (Ma, 2016; Ma, 2017; Levy & Steel, 2015; Steel & Levy, 2013). Given the importance of accessing the meaning of unknown vocabulary encountered in online reading, these meaning technologies have become indispensable tools for L2 learners to learn and interact with the vast amount of available online information (Hamel, 2012; Dang et al., 2013). A user-friendly online dictionary or dictionary app is key to decoding new information and helping learners understand messages encountered online. These apps are often equipped with multiple functions, including word searching, recording words, note taking, or even self-testing, but users’ use of these functions has rarely been reported.
Review of the literature shows that studies on e-dictionaries largely focus on measuring the effectiveness of dictionary use when compared to paper dictionaries (Dziemianko, 2010; Chen, 2010), examining some specific features such as look-up behaviours (Laufer & Hill, 2000; Liu, Fan, & Paas, 2014) and studying multimedia glosses embedded in the dictionary design (Chun & Plass, 1996; Yoshii, 2006; Yagnguas, 2009). The results of these studies identified good features of e-dictionaries and confirmed their positive educational value on L2 learning. However, most of these studies are experimental in nature and are under researchers’ manipulation. Very few have investigated learners’ perspectives on e-dictionary use. As Levy (2015) points out, it is important to hear learners’ voices as “learners are increasingly utilising their own powerful, personal technologies in their language learning independently outside of class without a teacher present” (p. 557).
This study starts with a review of the literature on dictionary use. Then it reports a survey involving more than 200 Chinese L2 learners from a university in Hong Kong, which probed deeply into their experience with and perspectives on the functions of dictionary apps, especially concerning those which they actually use and which they desire, as well as understanding patterns in the learners’ use of the dictionary apps in their daily routine – i.e. when, where, and how they make use of them. After discussing the results, some implications will be provided to inform dictionary app developers and language teachers about how to improve users’ lexical learning.