This study investigated the efficiency of learning the Chinese numeral classifiers by L2 Chinese learners by means of an alignment-oriented task. Participants were a total of 96 intermediate learners of L2 Chinese, wh...This study investigated the efficiency of learning the Chinese numeral classifiers by L2 Chinese learners by means of an alignment-oriented task. Participants were a total of 96 intermediate learners of L2 Chinese, who were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group, with each group consisting of 32 participants. The continuation task used in this study consisted of a picture-based Chinese text depicting a room with an array of objects, which necessitates the use of classifiers. The two experimental groups were both required to first read the text and then write to describe their own rooms in comparison with the one in the text. One group was instructed to use the classifiers from the text as much as possible in their writing, whereas the other was not required to do so. Participants in the control group were first given the picture to look at in the absence of the text and then asked to describe their own rooms. The results showed that the continuation task significantly enhanced participants’ retention of the Chinese numeral classifiers, suggesting that the alignment-based approach is an effective way to learn difficult linguistic categories such as the Chinese classifiers.展开更多
This special issue provides an overview of the xu-argument, a newly emerging view on language acquisition. The view is new in that it makes two key points:i) language is acquired through xu, a Chinese word with a comp...This special issue provides an overview of the xu-argument, a newly emerging view on language acquisition. The view is new in that it makes two key points:i) language is acquired through xu, a Chinese word with a composite meaning of completion, extension and creation(CEC)(Wang, 2016), and ii) high efficiency in learning a language is achieved by xu.展开更多
文摘This study investigated the efficiency of learning the Chinese numeral classifiers by L2 Chinese learners by means of an alignment-oriented task. Participants were a total of 96 intermediate learners of L2 Chinese, who were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group, with each group consisting of 32 participants. The continuation task used in this study consisted of a picture-based Chinese text depicting a room with an array of objects, which necessitates the use of classifiers. The two experimental groups were both required to first read the text and then write to describe their own rooms in comparison with the one in the text. One group was instructed to use the classifiers from the text as much as possible in their writing, whereas the other was not required to do so. Participants in the control group were first given the picture to look at in the absence of the text and then asked to describe their own rooms. The results showed that the continuation task significantly enhanced participants’ retention of the Chinese numeral classifiers, suggesting that the alignment-based approach is an effective way to learn difficult linguistic categories such as the Chinese classifiers.
基金supported by the MOE Project of the Center for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies。
文摘This special issue provides an overview of the xu-argument, a newly emerging view on language acquisition. The view is new in that it makes two key points:i) language is acquired through xu, a Chinese word with a composite meaning of completion, extension and creation(CEC)(Wang, 2016), and ii) high efficiency in learning a language is achieved by xu.
