Some salient and persistent difficulties encountered by Chinese and Francophone students in the learning of English vocabulary

Vanparys, Johan; Zimmer, Carole; Li, Xinghua; Kelly, Peter

doi:10.1075/itl.115-116.06van

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Few studies have examined lexical transfer in learners of different L1 backgrounds (but see Jarvis 2000;Hu et al 1982;Ringbom 1987;Yu 1996;VanParys et al 1997). These studies highlight the differences in lexical production between learners of different L1s and consider that at least some of those differences are traceable to the influence of the mother tongue.…”

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confidence: 94%

Early Foreign Language Learning: the Case of Mother Tongue Influence in Vocabulary Use in German and Spanish Primary-School EFL Learners

Llach

2014

European Journal of Applied Linguistics

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This paper investigates the influence of the mother tongue in vocabulary use in foreign language writing. The lexicon is considered one of the language aspects most permeable by L1 (Arabski 2006). L1 transfer is pervasive in all age groups and L1 backgrounds. Factors such as contrastive relationships between L1 and L2 lexis, or psychotypology evidence differences in lexical transfer. We were interested in describing how the L1 influences lexical production in L2 writing. Moreover, we wanted to examine whether different L1s influence lexical transfer in different ways. We analysed the written production of 71 Spanish and 38 German 4 th graders. Learner compositions were scrutinized for instances of lexical transfer: borrowing or complete language shift, literal translation or calque, transfer of semantic features from L1 to L2 words, and relexification or foreignizing. Linguistic and psychotypological reasons led us to believe that German learners would transfer more, due to the higher perceived similarity between German and English. Results confirmed this hypothesis but only as regards borrowing. The great formal similarity between many German words and their English equivalents is liable to lead learners to these types of transfer. By contrast, calques and transfer of semantic features are more independent of formal similarity, and thus rarer in our data of young, low proficient L2 learners. Zusammenfassung: In diesem Beitrag wird der Einfluss der Muttersprache auf die Wortschatzbenutzung in L2 untersucht. Der Wortschatz wird als einer der L1 durchlässigsten linguistischen Aspekte (Arabski 2006) betrachtet. L1 Übertragung kann in Lernern aller Altersgruppen und L1en wahrgenommen werden. Kontrastive Beziehungen zwischen L1 und L2 Wortschatz oder psychotypologische Aspekte legen Unterschiede in lexikalischer L1 Übertragung offen. Wir waren daran María-del-Pilar Agustín-Llach: Universidad de La Rioja, E ˗ mail: Maria-del-pilar.agustin@unirioja.es EuJAL 2014; 2(2): 287-310 MOUTON Brought to you by | Nanyang Technological University Authenticated Download Date | 6/12/15 4:21 AM María-del-Pilar Agustín-Llach MOUTON Brought to you by | Nanyang Technological University Authenticated Download Date | 6/12/15 4:21 AM

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confidence: 94%

Early Foreign Language Learning: the Case of Mother Tongue Influence in Vocabulary Use in German and Spanish Primary-School EFL Learners

Llach

2014

European Journal of Applied Linguistics

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“…We now know a great deal about the way language is represented in the mind, how it is stored and retrieved (Aitchison 1987). This knowledge can be put to use in order to devise effective and efficient (and, we believe, more appealing) techniques for the benefit of the FL learner (Vanparys 1995, Vanparys, Zimmer et al 1997, Heidemann 1996. From a cognitive perspective, the position that one would acquire a foreign language in an unconscious way, unconsciously adding to one's internal (that is, hidden) language model, is no longer tenable.…”

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confidence: 99%

How to offer real help to grammar learners

Vanparys¹,

Baten

1999

ReCALL

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This article discusses strategies for creating a supportive grammar learning environment, which have been implemented in CALL packages for Dutch. They stem from recent advances in cognitive psychology and cognitive linguistics, as well as our own experience. The basic metaphor behind our conception of the ideal CALL package is that of a toolbox rather than a set of instructions. Users select a tool from a range of available instruments because they think it is the one that suits their purpose best. Different learners may pick out different tools and use them in different ways, even if their goals are the same.

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“…However, studies carried out from the 1990s onwards have focused on the lexical acquisition processes of English learners coming from different language backgrounds (e.g. Agustín Llach, 2012;Hu, Brown & Brown, 1982;Jarvis, 2000;VanParys, Zimmer, Li & Kelly, 1997;Yu, 1996). These studies, which have employed a wide range of vocabulary tasks other than the lexical availability task, attest the differences in productive and receptive vocabulary knowledge between learners with different L1s and explain these differences in the light of linguistic distance.…”

Section: Effect Of Language Proximity On Lexismentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of language typology on L2 lexical availability and spelling accuracy

Martínez-Adrián

Puerto

2017

ijes

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This paper explores whether language typology plays any role in lexical availability and spelling accuracy in L2 English. Two groups of adult speakers were compared: a group of native speakers of a language typologically distant from English with a logographic writing system (Chinese; n=13) vs. a group of native speakers of a language typologically closer to English with an alphabetic system (Spanish; n=14). All participants performed a lexical availability task (Carcedo González, 1998a) which was later on analyzed in terms of the 'total number of words' and the 'total number of words containing spelling mistakes' per each of the 15 semantic categories included. Spanish speakers displayed larger available lexica and fewer spelling mistakes than Chinese speakers, an outcome which would confirm the positive influence of L1-L2 proximity on L2 lexical availability and the deleterious effect of having a non-alphabetic L1 writing system on L2 spelling accuracy.

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Some salient and persistent difficulties encountered by Chinese and Francophone students in the learning of English vocabulary

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

Early Foreign Language Learning: the Case of Mother Tongue Influence in Vocabulary Use in German and Spanish Primary-School EFL Learners

Early Foreign Language Learning: the Case of Mother Tongue Influence in Vocabulary Use in German and Spanish Primary-School EFL Learners

How to offer real help to grammar learners

The effects of language typology on L2 lexical availability and spelling accuracy

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