studies were exploring mother tongue interference during the process of second language writing and the relationship between mother tongue thinking and second language proficiency. Thirdly, linguists have implemented transfer study at all language levels, including the studies of pronunciation and intonation (Gao Yujuan, Shi Feng, 2006, etc), the studies of lexical and syntax (Li Hong, 2002; Wang Gaiyan, 2006). Lastly, scholars have studied cultural transfer and pragmatic transfer. The researches have involved the study of cultural transfer and pragmatic transfer during the process of foreign language communication.
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Chapter Two Theoretical Framework
Now days, no one can ignore the crucial role of language transfer in the process of second language acquisition. In the past 100 years, with the development of second language acquisition theory, the role of language transfer has gone through many changes. This chapter will talks about theoretical framework of this thesis.
2.1 Definition of Language Transfer
Language transfer is considered as one of important notions in second language acquisition. It has been studying for over one hundred years. Therefore, it is difficult to give a unified definition since different linguists hold different views on this issue. Transfer was first used as an important concept in Learning Psychology. According to H. Ellis (1965), transfer is an assumption that the learning of target A have effect on the acquisition of target B, he believes this is one of the most important notion in educational theories and application. In his view of point, there exists both negative and active aspect in transfer. If the learner’s existing knowledge can facilitate the process of learning, it will produce positive effects. If it produce negative effects, it means that the learner’s previous knowledge impede the learning process. Linguists have been studying language transfer for a long time; however, different linguist holds different views on the definition of language transfer. Some linguists even have opposite opinions on it. Lado(1957) suggested that learners are all depend on their mother tongue in their second language acquisition process. On the contrary, Dulay and Burt (1974) believed that language transfer is nearly no use. Behaviorists regarded language transfer as a result of habit formation. Weinerich(1953) regarded language transfer as “language interference” and Kellerman(1986) considered language transferred as “cross-language influence”. From the above definition we can see that most early definition about language transfer is negative. These definitions ignored the facilitate effect of mother tongue. In order to clear people’s misconceptions on language transfer, after decade’s years
