Exploring the Role of Synonyms in Vocabulary Expansion among Albanian Students Learning English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Background: Lexical synonymy may contribute to vocabulary development by enabling learners to recognise semantic relationships and select contextually appropriate lexical alternatives. Aims: This study aims to investigate the role of lexical synonymy in vocabulary expansion among Albanian students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It specifically examines how awareness and use of synonymous relationships contribute to lexical development, semantic flexibility, and communicative competence in English. The study also explores the relationship between students’ mother tongue competence and their ability to acquire and use English synonyms effectively. Study Design: A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to analyse students’ awareness, acquisition, and use of lexical synonyms in English language learning. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted across the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 academic years at the University of Tirana and Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës, Albania. The participants were undergraduate students from diverse academic programmes, including students in language and literature-related disciplines as well as other fields of study. Methodology: The study was conducted across the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 academic years at the University of Tirana and Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës, Albania. The participants included 71 first-year undergraduate students enrolled in diverse study programmes, including the Faculty of Foreign Languages, the Faculty of History and Philology, the Department of Albanian Language at the University of Tirana, and the Faculty of Education at Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire comprising lexical and textual tasks designed to assess students’ awareness of synonymic relations, translation abilities, and their capacity to employ lexical alternatives in both English and Albanian. In addition, more than 15 English textbook-based texts were analysed to identify and examine synonymic relationships at the lexical, phrasal, and idiomatic levels. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis to explore the relationships between synonym usage density and synonym acquisition in both Albanian-to-English and English-to-Albanian translation directions. Results: The findings revealed positive relationships between awareness of lexical synonyms and vocabulary development. Correct responses ranged from 59% to 84% across the lexical tasks. Pearson correlation analysis showed significant positive associations between synonym usage density and Albanian-to-English synonym acquisition (r = .61), English-to-Albanian synonym acquisition (r = .58), and between the two acquisition directions (r = .64). Conclusion: The study confirms that lexical synonymy plays a significant role in foreign language vocabulary development among Albanian EFL learners. The findings indicate that systematic integration of synonym-based activities into English language instruction can strengthen students’ semantic awareness, expand their lexical repertoire, and improve their overall communicative competence. Furthermore, the study emphasises the importance of establishing meaningful connections between learners’ mother tongue knowledge and foreign language acquisition processes, as such connections can facilitate deeper understanding, more effective vocabulary retention, and more accurate use of lexical items in English.