Vocabulary size estimates for Lithuanian native speakers

Abstract

The vocabulary size estimates suggested for native speakers used to vary considerably. More recently, researchers using Yes/No tests reported numbers that are much closer together. This article seeks to answer the question of whether we can give an estimate of an adult native speaker’s vocabulary size without specifying a language. First, it presents the estimate for a native speaker’s vocabulary size in Lithuanian and explores its variation depending on the person’s age (ranging from 16 to 71 years old), place of residence, their reading for pleasure habits, and gender. Then it compares this estimate to the ones suggested for German, English, and Dutch native speakers. The analysis suggests that the estimates for different languages, at least the ones based on empirical data rather than statistical predictions, do not differ considerably.