The Influence of First Language on Second Language and Its Application to Colleg
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最后更新时间:2024-03-07
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点赞:10885
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最后更新时间:2024-03-07
Abstract: First language can affect second language learning in both positive and negative ways. Through adopting theories of language acquisition, comparing similarities and differences between first and second languages, and analyzing general problems Chinese non-English majors encounter in their second language acquisition, this article examines effective ways of College English Teaching.
Key words: first language acquisition; second language learning; College English Teaching
First language refers to the first language learned in childhood and still spoken, or the native language of the community in which a child has been brought up. The development of a first or native language is called first language acquisition. People usually develop their native language naturally and succesully. A person’s first language is not necessarily his/her dominant language. For some people, language acquisition does not stop at the stage of first language acquisition. They go on to learn a second or foreign language. This process is called second language learning. A second language is any language learned after one’s first language. According to researches, the defining difference between a first language and a second language is the age the person learned the language.
In the process of acquiring a second language, Hyltenstam found that around the age of six or seven it seemed to be a cut-off point for language learners to achieve native-like proficiency. To achieve the fluency, it is better to start a second language education in an early age. In China, more and more people, especially college students, are learning English as their second language. But most of them complain about the difficulties in acquiring a foreign language and the embarrasent when frequently speakingChinese-English in communications. So it is necessary to probe into the process of the first and second language learning, and the distinctions of the first and second languages.
Success in language learning can be determined in two ways: likelihood and quality. The first language learners will usually learn their first language and be fully succesul. But for the second language learners, success is not guaranteed. They may be fossilized or stuck due to the influence of their succesul first language learning, so they can rarely become fully succesul in their second language learning.
There are definitely both negative and positive effects the learners’ first language brings to his/her second language learning. Let’s take a detective look into the negative effects first language brings to second language. The role of first language in second language learning is initially a negative one. “Taking a psychological point of view, we can say that there is never peaceful co-existence between two language systems in the learner, but rather constant warfare, and that warfare is not limited to the moment of cognition, but continues during the period of storing newly learnt ideas in memory.” To dig into this problem, first, we he to notice that the accents from one’s first language get in the way of our second language learning. It makes one’s pronunciation sound not so standard and natural, and finally become the first great obstacle in one’s future communication. Furthermore, the learners’ first language affects their acquisition of new vocabulary and grammar. The learners, especially the very beginners, usually memorize new foreign words and phrases through connecting them with Chinese images. But often the meanings of some English words and phrases are not identicalwith those Chinese images. In this case, unoidable mistakes occur. There are many grammatical differences between English and Chinese language. If the learners confuse them two, their formerly systematic study will consequently be in great chaos. And this does in turn produce some reluctance in their further second language study. Our cultural background has also greatly influenced our second language acquisition. Different cultures he different characteristics, of which sometimes are on the opposite. If a learner is short of knowledge about the culture of his/her target language, he/she is likely to be frequently disturbed because they can only understand the meaning of an expression literally. Or even they would find great embarrasent or confusion, especially in colloquial situations in communication.
Key words: first language acquisition; second language learning; College English Teaching
First language refers to the first language learned in childhood and still spoken, or the native language of the community in which a child has been brought up. The development of a first or native language is called first language acquisition. People usually develop their native language naturally and succesully. A person’s first language is not necessarily his/her dominant language. For some people, language acquisition does not stop at the stage of first language acquisition. They go on to learn a second or foreign language. This process is called second language learning. A second language is any language learned after one’s first language. According to researches, the defining difference between a first language and a second language is the age the person learned the language.
In the process of acquiring a second language, Hyltenstam found that around the age of six or seven it seemed to be a cut-off point for language learners to achieve native-like proficiency. To achieve the fluency, it is better to start a second language education in an early age. In China, more and more people, especially college students, are learning English as their second language. But most of them complain about the difficulties in acquiring a foreign language and the embarrasent when frequently speakingChinese-English in communications. So it is necessary to probe into the process of the first and second language learning, and the distinctions of the first and second languages.
Success in language learning can be determined in two ways: likelihood and quality. The first language learners will usually learn their first language and be fully succesul. But for the second language learners, success is not guaranteed. They may be fossilized or stuck due to the influence of their succesul first language learning, so they can rarely become fully succesul in their second language learning.
There are definitely both negative and positive effects the learners’ first language brings to his/her second language learning. Let’s take a detective look into the negative effects first language brings to second language. The role of first language in second language learning is initially a negative one. “Taking a psychological point of view, we can say that there is never peaceful co-existence between two language systems in the learner, but rather constant warfare, and that warfare is not limited to the moment of cognition, but continues during the period of storing newly learnt ideas in memory.” To dig into this problem, first, we he to notice that the accents from one’s first language get in the way of our second language learning. It makes one’s pronunciation sound not so standard and natural, and finally become the first great obstacle in one’s future communication. Furthermore, the learners’ first language affects their acquisition of new vocabulary and grammar. The learners, especially the very beginners, usually memorize new foreign words and phrases through connecting them with Chinese images. But often the meanings of some English words and phrases are not identicalwith those Chinese images. In this case, unoidable mistakes occur. There are many grammatical differences between English and Chinese language. If the learners confuse them two, their formerly systematic study will consequently be in great chaos. And this does in turn produce some reluctance in their further second language study. Our cultural background has also greatly influenced our second language acquisition. Different cultures he different characteristics, of which sometimes are on the opposite. If a learner is short of knowledge about the culture of his/her target language, he/she is likely to be frequently disturbed because they can only understand the meaning of an expression literally. Or even they would find great embarrasent or confusion, especially in colloquial situations in communication.