Native language Interference in Learning English Verbs

Native language Interference in Learning English Verbs摘 要：母语的干扰就是学习者在学习第二语言时使用第一语言的现象。对于中国的英语学习者，负迁移是一个不可避免的现象。第二语言的习得研究表明母语的迁移是影响第二语言习得的一个重要因素，并且这种影响可能在学习过程中的任何方面发生，例如：语音、词汇、句法等方面。本论文基于第二语言习得的相关理论,研究母语是怎样影响英语学习的。我们都知道，英语和汉语在很多方面都很相似，但是就是因为这一点, 汉语尤其影响中国学生学习英语动词。因为动词是英语句子中最重要的组成部分。在我的论文中，我将研究英语动词的语意构成，小品词，并对汉语和英语进行一定的比较。这一研究对英语教学法的发展和英语学习者都有一定的帮助。勿容质疑，学习一门外语最好的方法就是在外语国家居住一段时间。不幸的是，很多学习者都没有这样的机会，他们不得不坐在自己国家的教室里学习。所以语言迁移现象在第二语言学习中很普遍。所以在本论文中，我将着重研究汉语对英语动词学习的影响。关键词：母语、语言迁移、干扰、英语动词Abstract:Mothertongueinterferenceisdefinedastheuseofelementsfromonesnative languagewhilelearninga secondone. To Chinese English learners, negative transfer is an inevitable phenomenon. Second language acquisition research shows that the first language transfer is one of the important factors that influence second language acquisition, and this influence can occur in the course of learning all the subsystems in the second language such as phonology, lexicon, morphology, and syntax. This paper based on the related Second Language Acquisition theories, to study how Mothertongueinterferencein learning English. As we know English and Chinese are similar in many aspects, but just for this point, Chinese influence Chinese students in learning English verbs, because “verbs” are the most important element in English sentences. In my thesis, I will discuss the semantic composition of English verbs, making a comparison between English and Chinese head verbs and do some research on particles. It goes without saying that the best way of learning a foreign language is to stay for a long period of time in a target language countryUnfortunately not many of our learners had or have an opportunity to experience learning English this way Most of them have to undergo that well-known painful process of sitting and studying it at home or in the classroom, which goes in our country. So language transfer is very common in second language learning. So, in this thesis, I want to study “how our native language -Chinese, interfere with learning English verbs.Key Words: native language, language transfer, interference , English verbsNative language Interference in Learning English VerbsIntroductionMothertongueinterferenceisdefinedastheuseofelementsfromonesnativelanguagewhilelearningasecondone.InstancesofChineseinterferenceinEnglishlearningcanbefoundatthelevelofpronunciation,morphology,syntax,vocabularyandmeaning.Second language acquisition research shows that the first language transfer is one of the important factors that influence second language acquisition. The transfer of mother tongue in second language learning has always been a focus of attention. First language thinking is a common phenomenon in second language acquisition process. As we know, the study of two kinds of languages provides many opportunities for cultural enrichment and global education for all students. Contrastive Analysis between Chinese and English can make us know the real problems which exists in the study. It goes without saying that the best way of learning a foreign language is to stay for a long period of time in a target language countryUnfortunately not many of our learners had or have an opportunity to experience learning English this wayMost of them have to undergo that well-known painful process of sitting and studying it at home or in the classroom, which goes in our country. Mother tongue interference is defined as the use of elements from ones native language while learning a second one. We should avoid the negative transfer and promote the positive transfer so as to achieve the degree of proficiency in the second language acquisition by relaying on or getting rid of the native language.EnglishandChineseverbs,althoughsimilarinmanyaspects,havesomesubtlebutsignificantdifferencesinsemanticcomposition,bringingdifficultiestoChinesestudentsinlearningEnglishverbs.Chapter 1.Thesemanticcompositionofphrasal verbs1.1 AccordingtoWebstersNewWorldDictionary,averbis"awordthatcharacteristicallyistheGrammaticalcenterofapredicateandexpressesanact,occurrence,ormodeofbeing.”Fromthisdefinitionwecanseethatthesemanticfunctionofaverbistodescribeamotion,mayitbeanact,occurrence,ormodeofbeing.However,motionitselfcannotmakeupamotionevent.There areotherelementsassociatedwithmotionsuchasdirection(asin"take"and"bring"),aspect(asin“restart”)andsoon.Alltheseassociativeelements,togetherwithmotion,semanticelementsarerealizedbylinguisticstructuresofvariousforms.Amotionisexpressedbywhatwecallaverb, whichcomprisestheheadverb,theparticleandthereflection.Since reflectionismoreconcernedwithgrammar,wewilllimitourselvestoaconsiderationofthefirst two.Therefore,herewehavetwosets,asareillustratedinthefollowing:SetA(motion)SetB(head verb)motionmannerparticledirectioncauseresult. Noticeably,thesetwosets,thatis,thesemanticcompositionanditslinguisticform,areseldominone-to-onecorrespondence.Insomecasesamotionisrealizedbyasingleheadverb e.g.HecuppedhishandsandIpouredsomewaterintothem."Cup"means"toform(esp.thehands)intotheshapeofacup",whichdepictsbothmotionandmanner.However,sometimesasingleverbisincapableofdepictingamotion,inwhichcaseparticles,e.g.“in, out, on, off, up, down, above, down, through, across, along, around, past, by, away, back”areusedinconjunctionwiththeheadverb,indicatingdirection,manner,aspect,andso on.E.g.Iranin./我跑进去。I ran out. /我跑出来。I got on. /我上去了。I got off. /我下来了。She came over. /她过来了。It toppled over. /它倒下了。It flew up. /它飞上去了。It flew down. /它飞下来了。I went above. /我走到上面去。I went below. /我走到下面去。He ran through. /他跑了过去(从内部穿过)。He ran across. /他跑了过去(从表面横过)。He ran along. /他跑开了。He ran around. / 他绕着跑。He ran past/by. /他(从旁边)跑过去。He ran away. /他跑开了/他跑走了。He ran back. /他跑回来/去了。She came forth. /她走向前来ManydirectionverbsinChineselike“进去”、“出来”、“上去”、“下来”、“进来”、“出去”和“回去”arecasesinpoint.1.2 From the other point of view, we can categorize the phrasal verbs into four partsThe first part: compoundVerbs and particles retain their original meanings; the semantic meaning of the phrase is the mixed meaning of the two.E.g. take out（拿出） set up（建立）turn on（打开） hand down （传下来）bring in(带进)get on（上车） pick up （拾起）ran away （逃跑） The second part: ExpandingIn this part, we are going to tackle verbs and particles that change their original meanings. For example: go into a shop (走进商店) Verbs and particles retain their original meanings, while “go into a problem(调查一个问题)”, which means that somebody investigate a problem. This way is what we call the expanding. Many phrasal verbs belong to this kind. E.g. ran into danger (遇上危险) Hit upon an idea（想出一个主意）Jump at an offer （很快接受报价）Put down an uprising （镇压一次起义）Go without food （挨饿）Cut down on spending（削减开支）Put up with pollution （忍受污染）The third part: strengthening Verbs are the main part of a phrase. Particles just play an minor role in a phrase. All these functions can be classified into the following two parts: Result “Out, up, down” are the particles of this kind Eat up (吃完) burn up (烧尽)slow down (放慢) wake up (醒来)find out (发现) fight back(回击)strengtheningSome particles looked as if unnecessary, but if we look at them from the pragmatics these words are very necessary; because some verbs need the particle to strengthen the semantic meaning.For example:Enter into a house (走进房子)back up a team（支持求队）end off a speech（结束演讲）Fight with enemy （和敌人作战）seek for truth （寻求真理）watch out an event （关注某事件）strike at the iron （打铁）hurry up（赶快）check upon a card （检查证件）meet up with a friend (遇见朋友)The forth part: conventional During our daily life, we often use some phrases. These verbs and particles come into a new idiom. For example : come by (得到) take after （长的酷似）come about (发生)Chapter 2.AcomparisonbetweenEnglishandChineseheadverbs2.1Nouns -verbs WilliamMorrisandMarryMorrispointedoutintheirHarperDictionaryofContemporaryUsage(1975):"Theconversionofnounstoverbsisaformoflinguisticchangeasoldasthelanguageitself."Since1980s,N-VConversionhasbeendrawingattentionasanewtrendofModernEnglish,demonstratedinthefollowingremarks:"Oneofthefastest-growingtrendsis verbing(orthepracticeofconvertingnounsintoverbs).Afewyearsagowouldyouhaveattendedameetinganddaredtosayyouhadcategorizedyoursubject?Thentime-linedandamendedit?Yetyouhearthisconstantlyineducationandbusiness,Mattersareresourcedandtargeted."(EducationalAge/1985)RandolphQuirkgaveeight categoriesofN-VConversioninhisAGrammarofContemporaryEnglish(1973).Justtakesome of themasexamples.bottle(toputintoabottle/ (把.) 装进瓶子)themotionrealizedintheverb"bottle"canbeinterpretedas"motion+path+ground".However,fromitsChinesetranslationwecanseethatinChineseitisseparatedintotwoparts,thatis,ageneralverb"装"andcomplement"进瓶子".e.g.The wall of the classroom are whited (粉刷成白色) In this sentences , “white” is used as verb, which means that somebody used some tool and painted the classroom in whiteMr. Smith headed the delegation (率领) “head” means a part of the body , but in here which means “ lead”Face difficulties squarely and overcome them (正视) Expect these, we also have other phrases: to cheek (厚着脸说) to mouth big phrases (夸大的说话) to shoulder ones responsibility (肩负) to stomach an insult (忍受) to back somebody up (支持) to hand a person（用手领着）to finger (摸索) to give N / to provide with N (给予，提供)Shelter (n.避难所)to shelter =to give shelter to (掩护，遮蔽)Label (n.标签) to label =to put a label on （贴标签于）to deprive of N (去掉)Dust (n.) to dust =to remove dust from (拭去灰尘) To dowith N （用来做）This type is mainly about the tool Head (n.) to head = to strike, touch with the head (用头撞，顶)Hammer (n.) to hammer = to strike with the hammer (用锤子敲击)To be act as a N with respect to (像 那样)This kind of verb is mainly on the action that the noun refer to E.g. polite (飞机驾驶员) to polite =to act as a polite to （驾驶）Dog to dog =to follow or hunt like a dog (尾随，追踪)To make /change into N （使成为， 把变为）Fool to fool = to make a fool of （愚弄）Cash to cash = to change into cash (兑成现金) To send /go by N (用来寄送，乘前往)Telephone to telephone =to send .by telephone (打电话)Bicycle to bicycle =to go by bicycle (骑自行车) To spend a period of time denoted by N （度过）Summer to summer =to spend summer (过夏天)Weekend to weekend = to spend weekend (过周末) 2. 2 Act+mannere.g.Hedevouredallthebiscuits.他狼吞虎咽地吃完了所有的饼干。"Devour"means"toeathungrilyandinlargequantitiessothatnothingremains",whichis expressedinChinesebyageneralverb"吃",anadverbial"狼吞虎咽地"andacomplement"完". Actually"act+manner"typecoversmostspecificverbsinEnglish,whosevividnessandfreshnesshavebecomeafeatureoftheEnglishlanguage.Itisworthyofnotethatthesameactinconjunctionwithdifferentmannersunfoldsdifferentpicturesoftheact.ThatexplainswhyEnglishhaslargenumbersofsynonyms,whichshareacentralconceptualmeaningbutdifferinmanner, intensity,style,association,andsoon.NowondertheBritishlinguistF.Palmersaid,“Therearenorealsynonymsandnotruewordshavethesamemeaning.”Tohighlightthesubtledifferencesamongsynonyms,acomponentialanalysiswouldbeofhelp.Forinstance,whenweintendtoexpress“笑”inEnglish,themostpossiblewordthatcomestoourChinesemindis"laugh"or"smile",themostgeneralonesofitskind.Actually,wehaveaseriesofsynonymstochoosefromaccordingtoagivencontext,analyzedbelow:chuckle:+laugh+quietlygiggle:+laugh+silly+repeatedly+uncontrollablysniggle:+laugh+halfsuppressedgrin:+laugh+teeth-shownguffaw:+laugh+loudly+perhapsrudelyAnd if we express “看” in English ,we have : Look (mainly on the act), see (mainly on the result), stare (mainly on the intention) and glance, watch, observe (all these words are different in meaning)About “惊讶”,there are many words ,for example : Surprise, astonish, amaze, astound.In the group of “answer, replay, respond” they all mean “回答”,But there is a little difference among them .Answer is very commonly used in English (Vt) :A. Answer+ n e.g. answer a question, a letter , a telephone call B. Answer +noun clause e.g. “Can you answer this question?” The teacher asked. “Yes, we can.”Answered the students. = The students answered that they could answer the question. Reply means “答复”（Vt /Vi）A. Vi reply to +n. e.g. reply to somebodys question B.Vt reply +noun clause e.g. I said “Good morning, how are you?” When I met Mr. WhiteHe replied “Fine, Thank you, and you?” When he asked me to help him with his English, I replied that I would do so. Respond (Vi) means “作答”E.g. She responded with a smile. They responded to the call of the party.2.3 Act+directione.g.lend/借 (给.) borrow/(向.)借take/拿走 bring/带来 fetch/取回Inthefirstpair,Chineseresortstocomplementandadverbialtodenotedirectionandinthesecondgroup,particlesareemployed.2.4. Act + cause or result(Act+cause)e.g.Thedoorblewopen./门吹开了。(Act+result)In view of the mistakes of missing the verb in the structure of “verb + result” inducting“making somebody doing something”made by the students whose mother tongue is Chinese in the process of learning English, the flowing examples make a contrast between English and Chinese. A: English to Chinese Shepersuadedhimtogiveupsmoking./她说服了他戒烟。They are sinking the ship. /他们在沉船。We heated the soup on the cooker. /我们在炉子上热汤。What time shall I wake you? /我啥时候叫醒你？Somebody broke the glass. /有人打破了玻璃杯。B: Chinese to English 我已经喝完了两瓶啤酒。/I have finished two bottles of beer. 请熨平弄皱的床单。/Please smooth the crumpled bed sheets. 那个男孩弄坏了我的画。/ The boy spoiled my painting. 擦干你的脸吧。/Dry your face. 我们腾空了所有的房间。/ We emptied all the room. In all these examples, English just use a verb to express act and result, but in Chinese we must use a verb and a complement to express the same meaning. Because of this reason, many Chinese learners often make mistakes in translation.Chapter3.Particlesinthephrasal verbs3.1.Brief introductionA. What are the phrasal verbs?There are many verbs in English that can be followed by prepositions and/or adverbs (also known as adverb particles). Different authors give them different names: phrasal verbs; prepositional verbs; two-word verbs; multi-word verbs. We will refer to them as phrasal verbs.Phrasal verbs are verbs that consist of verbs and particles.VerbParticleExampleMeaningLookUpYou can look up any new words in your dictionary.You can find the meaning of any new words in your dictionary.GetThroughI tried to phone her, but I couldnt get through.I tried to phone her, but I couldnt get connection.MakeOutI just cannot make Jim out at all.I just cannot understand Jims behavior.B. The type of phrasal verb(1) Intransitive Phrasal VerbsAn object does not follow the following phrasal verbs: "Once you leave home, you can never really go back again. That old Jeep had a tendency to break down just when I needed it the most.Popular songs seem to catch on in California first and then spread eastward.We used to just drop by, but they were never home, so we stopped doing that.We would finish one Dickens novel and then just go on to the next.(2) Separable phrasal verbsThe object may come after the following phrasal verbs or it may separate the two parts: I turned off the light. I turned the light off. You have to do this paint job over. When the object of the following phrasal verb is a pronoun (it / them / me / you / him / her / us), the two parts of the phrasal verb must be separated: I turned it off.Thats a lot of money! Dont just throw it away.(3) Inseparable Phrasal Verbs (Transitive)With the following phrasal verbs, the lexical part of the verb (the part of the phrasal verb that carries the "verb-meaning") cannot be separated from the prepositions (or other parts) that accompany it: "Who will look after my estate when Im gone?" My second son seems to take after his mother.(4) Three-Word Phrasal Verbs (Transitive)With the following phrasal verbs, you will find three parts: "My brother dropped out of school before he could graduate." Make sure of the students identity before you let him into the classroom. 1C. What are the particles?Particles can be loosely defined a words without a specific meaning but with a definite function in conversation. They are difficult to translate directly as they do not have direct equivalents in English. Particles are used particularly frequently in the spoken language.AccordingtoWebstersNewWorldDictionary,the particle, which we are commonly used, are the flowing48: aback,about,above,across,after,against,ahead,along,among,apart,around,as,aside,at,away,back,before,behind,be-low,beneath,between,beyond,by,down,for,forth,for-ward,from,in,into,of,off,onto,out,over,overboard,past,round,through,together,towards,under,up,upon,with,without。 Among all these words , we often use up、out、off、in、on, Here we have some examples :Whenyoungchildrenarelearningtheirnativelanguagetheyveryoftenhearverbphrases suchas走过来(comeoverhere),到爸爸那去(goovertoDaddy),伸出舌头(putoutyourtongue);Orelse"pickitup","putitaway",etc.Intheaboveexamples, the Chinese“过”,“去”,“出”andEnglishones,“over”,“up”and“out”,actasparticlesin directionalphrasalverbs. Asmentionedinthefirstpartofthispaper,notallthemotioncomplexescanbelexicalizedassingleheadverbs.Quiteoften,particlesusedbothinEnglishandChinesetoaddinformationlikedirection,aspectandsoon. The combinationofaheadverbandaparticleiscalledphrasal,whichpresentstheappearance ofatwo-wordorthree-wordphrasebutfunctionsinmanyrespectslikeasingleword.ItisprobablytruethatchildrenofEnglish-speakingpeoplelearnEnglishphrasalverbs earlier than any other kind of verbs, and those foreign learnersfindthemdifficulttomaster.Thereasonistwo-foldeda.Averbphrasetypemayhaveameaning,whichissimplythesumofitsparts,butmay alsohaveameaning,whichbearslittleapparentrelationtothoseparts.b.Theparticlemayindicatesomekindofdirectionbutmayjustaseasilyhaveameaninglittlerelated todirectioninitsspatialsense.TherearetoomanyphrasalverbsinModernEnglishto be discussed here. Since our topic is the comparison of the linguistic forms of the motion verbs, we confine our discussion to directional phrasal verbs.3.2 The semantic property of particlesThe particles play an important part in a verb phrase; take “up” as an example, which can be used as an adverb and a proverb. Which is commonly used as the following meanings:(1) Movement and position. You sue up in literal combinations to indicate movement from lower position or place to a higher one .For example, if some one jumps up, they raise themselves to their feet, and if you run up a hill, you run from the bottom of the hill towards the top. Down can be often used instead of up to indicate movement in the position direction. (2) Increasing and improving As well as signifying movement upwards, up can also be used to indicate an increase in quality or intensity. For example, if something speed up, it beg