What Do English Learners Ask? A Categorization of Language Questions on HiNative

Abstract

This paper examines the types of English-language questions posed by learners on HiNative, a global peer-to-peer language learning platform. While online question-and-answer platforms have been widely adopted for language learning, the linguistic focus and distribution of learner-generated questions in self-access digital environments remain underexplored. Drawing on a linguistic content analysis approach informed by learner autonomy, the study systematically classifies learners’ questions across key linguistic domains. Using qualitative content analysis, a dataset of 783 learner-generated inquiries was categorized into key linguistic domains (grammar, vocabulary, usage, pronunciation, idioms, translation, comparison, formality/contextual use, and other). The findings reveal a predominant focus on meaning-oriented questions, particularly translation (34.2% of all questions) and vocabulary (21.5%), while grammar and pronunciation queries were comparatively rare. This distribution suggests that learners prioritize communicative meaning, lexical expansion, and pragmatic appropriateness over formal rule-focused learning. Such inquiry patterns highlight learners’ reliance on their first language as a bridge to the target language and their pursuit of precise and natural usage in authentic contexts. These results contribute to second language acquisition research by offering insights into learner priorities in informal, technology-mediated settings, with implications for the design of adaptive learning resources and learner support systems.