变异在汉语二语学习者层级性句法结构浮现发展中的作用研究

The role of variation in the emergence of hierarchical syntactic structure in Chinese as second language

本研究纵向跟踪6名从初级到中级阶段的母语为英语的汉语二语学习者的口语发展.通过集合变量以及连缀、嵌入和套合三个子维度,系统考察了口语表达中层级性句法结构系统特征浮现过程中的变异现象.探究了变异对特征浮现的作用。研究发现,层级性句法结构系统的特征浮现经历了吸引子态、自组织临界态两个不同阶段,相对稳定状态下的变异是新状态出现的必要积累,原有成分交互形式的进一步衍生和新的成分交互形式的出现预测了系统未来发展的方向,变异的数量和类型决定了语言的发展和变化的轨迹。该结果为动态系统的特征浮现和变异理论提供了来自汉语二语习得研究的实证支持,而且在原有理论基础上深化了对变异的理解,明确了不同类型变异对于二语学习者句法能力发展的具体作用方式。

Hierarchical syntactic structure poses challenges in second language syntax acquisition.The emergence theory and the variation theory provide new perspectives for clarifying the acquisition process of such structures and revealing the principles of syntactic development.This study traces the oral language development of six native English speakers learning Chinese as a second language.Through the collective variables and the three sub-dimensions of conjunction,embedding and nesting,the study systematically investigates the variation phenomenon in the emergence process of the hierarchical syntactic structure system in their oral expression,and explores the role of variation in the realization of feature emergence.It is found that the characteristics of the hierarchical syntactic structure system have experienced two different stages,i.e.,attractor state and self-organized criticality.The variation under the relatively steady state is the indispensable accumulation of the new state.The further derivation of the original components'interaction forms and the emergence of new components' interaction forms predict the future direction of the system.The numbers and types of variation determine the development of language and the trajectory of changes.The findings provide empirical supports for the emergence theory and variation theory from Chinese second language acquisition,deepen the understanding of variation theory,and clarify the specific role of different types of variation in the development of second language syntactic ability.