Positive Transfer of Native Language in Second Language Acquisition

王曼

Abstract:Language transfer can be divided into two types: positive transfer and negative transfer. Previous study always thinks that negative transfer of native language should be taken seriously because it plays an important role in second language acquisition. However, as a matter of factor, positive transfer also has great influence on second language acquisition. This paper will give a detailed analysis of positive transfer from two aspects: syntactic transfer and phrase transfer. The paper also offers some methods in dealing with language transfer in second language acquisition.

Key words: Positive transfer; native language; second language acquisition

1. Introduction

The influence of native language on second language acquisition is always a controversial issue in that learners native language either promotes or hinders second language acquisition. This influence is determined by language transfer whose definition varies among different linguists. Danish linguist Faerch and Kasper define transfer as “the process by which L2 learners activate L1 knowledge in developing or using their interlanguage, and point out that the process may either support (positive transfer) or detract (negative transfer) from Learning.”(OMalley and Chamot, 2001:148). The present popular definition of this term is the “working definition” given by the American linguist Odlin. In his view, “transfer is the influence resulting from the similarities and differences between the target language and any other language that has been previously (and perhaps imperfectly) acquired.”(Odlin, 2001: 27).

There are two types of language transfer: positive transfer and negative transfer. When the relevant unit or structure of both languages is the same, it will lead to correct language production called positive transfer. However, language interference is most often discussed as a source of errors known as negative transfer.

2. Positive transfer in English acquisition

2.1 Syntactic transfer

In all the languages we know of there exist three basic sentence forms, i.e. the declarative sentence, the imperative sentence and the interrogative sentence. The fundamental elements of a sentence are the subject(S), the verb(V) and the object(O). It is undeniable that although Chinese is a topic-oriented language and English is subject-oriented language, they still have some corresponding elements in syntactic level. This section will focus on the similarities of the first two forms of sentence in both Chinese and English.

2.1.1 Declarative sentence

A declarative sentence or declaration, the most common type, commonly makes a statement or declare the users opinion. Declarative sentence in both Chinese and English has five main syntactic structures which are correspondent:

1) SV: The meeting has finished. 会议已经结束了。

2) SVC: The cake tastes good. 蛋糕味道很好。

3) SVO: The students are doing their homework. 学生们在写作业。

4) SVOO: The teacher gives me a classic novel. 老师给了我一本经典小说。

5) SVOC: He found that problem quite complicated. 他发现那个问题很复杂。

2.1.2 Imperative sentence

An imperative sentence tells someone to do something (and if done strongly may be considered both imperative and exclamatory).

2.1.2.1 The way of dealing with the subject

When the subject is the first person, the imperative sentence will maintain the subject:

1) Let me help you.

2) 我们出发吧。

However, when the subject is the second person, both Chinese and English imperative sentence omit the subject:

1) (You) Go and wash your hands.

2)（你）打开门。

2.1.2.2 The way of negation

In both Chinese and English, people use the same method to negate the imperative sentence, that is, to put the negative word before the verb:

1) Dont forget me!

2) 别匆忙的做决定！

From the analysis above, it is quite evident that there are lots of similarities between Chinese and English syntactics, which can lead to positive transfer and help the acquisition of English to some degree.

2.2 Phrase transfer

This part will mainly concentrate on the analysis of similarities between phrases in Chinese and English. In both Chinese and English, phrases can be divided into two types: ordinary phrases and idioms. Phrases which can not be understood from the original meaning of each constituent part are called idioms. Idioms come into being from the daily language practice of human beings. The analysis of the positive transfer of NL in this section will take idioms as example.

“Semantic unity and structural stability are the two characteristics of idioms.” (Zhang, 2004) On the one hand, the meaning of idioms is fixed and almost can not be altered. On the other hand, “idioms in both languages also have a structural stability: the constituents could not be changed or replaced, the word order can not be inverted or changed and the constituents can not be deleted or added to, not even an article.”(Zhang, 2004) For example, we could not substitute “in the seventh heaven”(开心极了) with “in the eighth heaven” nor use “学海无涯苦作船” to replace “学海无涯苦作舟”. Besides its structural stability, some idioms even have corresponding meaning in both languages, as in “Blood is thicker than water”(血浓于水), “Speech is silver, silence is gold”(能言是银，沉默是金), “Still water runs deep”(静水流深). The most obvious example is “a tooth for a tooth”(以牙还牙).

From what is discussed above, its easy to see that in both Chinese and English, idioms have something in common, either in their structure or meaning.

3. Conclusion

In conclusion, positive transfer of native language is an evident phenomenon in second language acquisition. For the learners, on the one hand, they should foster the basic knowledge of both native language and second language. On the other hand, they have to practice as much as possible to master the practical use of the second language.

［参考文献］

［1］OMalley, J. M. & Chamot, A. U. Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition ［M］. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. 2001.

［2］Odlin, T. Language Transfer: Cross-linguistic influence in language learning ［M］. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press. 2001.

［3］张维友，《英语词汇学教程》.武汉：华中师范大学出版社，2004.

（作者单位：山东大学（威海），山东 威海 264209）