scholarly journals Coping with Lexical Gaps: Use of Compensatory Strategies by Iranian EFL Students

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Hojati ◽  
Akbar Mirzaee
Keyword(s):  
Native Speaker ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Strategy Use ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Compensatory Strategies ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Lexical Items

Learners of English as a non-native anguage unavoidably confront situations in which insufficiency of their linguistic knowledge presents them with difficulties. There are also case in which the absence of some native-language lexical items in the target language is the source of problems the learners have to grapple with. This  study focused on the phenomenon known as ˜lexical gap .The aim was to identify and examine the use of compensatory strategies employed by Iranian EFL students in coping with lexical gaps.To this end, number of Iranian undergraduate EFL students were selected and then split into two groups of intermediate-level and advanced-level. Both groups were given two written tasks requiring them to introduce eight Farsi words with no English counterparts to a typical native speaker of English. The analysis of data revealed  well as the existence of some surprising differences between the frequencies of strategy use by the two groups.

scholarly journals Assessing multilingual multimodal image description: Studies of native speaker preferences and translator choices

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
STELLA FRANK ◽  
DESMOND ELLIOTT ◽  
LUCIA SPECIA
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Image Description ◽  
The Core ◽  
Future Work

AbstractTwo studies on multilingual multimodal image description provide empirical evidence towards two questions at the core of the task: (i) whether target language speakers prefer descriptions generated directly in their native language, as compared to descriptions translated from a different language; (ii) whether images improve human translation of descriptions. These results provide guidance for future work in multimodal natural language processing by first showing that on the whole, translations are not distinguished from native language descriptions, and second delineating and quantifying the information gained from the image during the human translation task.

scholarly journals NATIVE AND TARGET LANGUAGE INFLUENCE ON THE STUDENTS’ INTERLANGUAGE PRODUCTION: A CASE OF INDONESIAN EFL COMPOSITIONS

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Endang Fauziati Fauziati
Keyword(s):  
Error Analysis ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Native Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Linguistic System ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Learner Language ◽  
Language Influence

English compositions written by Indonesian EFL students contain erroneous sentences which portray learner language. The errors are neither of their native language nor the target language, but containing linguistic system from both. This is called an interlanguage. This study focuses on one of interlanguage features, that is, permeability, meaning the susceptibility of interlanguages to infiltration by first language and target language rules or forms. It aims to provide empirical evidence of the permeability of the students’ interlanguage production by describing the types and degree of the native and target language influence and explaining the possible causes of the influences. The data were 264 ill-formed sentences elicited from their English free compositions. Error analysis and interlanguage analysis were used as framework for collecting, identifying, describing, and explaining the data. The results indicate that their interlanguage production was influenced by their native language and the target language at both lexical and syntactical level. The dominant native language influence was on vocabulary (i.e. Indonesian borrowings) and the target language influence was on grammar (i.e. verb tenses). The native language influence had a little lower frequency compared with that of the target language. The main source of the influence was their possession of two language systems in their mind was activated regardless of their intention to use one language only. The native language influence was due to the good mastery of the native language and the limited knowledge of the target language. The target language influence was due to the learning strategy used.

scholarly journals NATIVE LANGUAGE INTERFERENCE ON TARGET LANGUAGE WRITINGS OF INDONESIAN EFL STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
R. Agus Budiharto
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Grammatical Errors ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
L1 Influence ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Language Influence ◽  
Grammatical Sentence

Possessing language students who are skilled in creating a structured, orderly and no error-found piece of composition constitutes a hope and a wish for many EFL teachers, as they are the individuals who undergo a big problem when their students commit numerous errors in EFL writing as a result of their native language interference. This study is aimed at exploring native language influence on students� English writings as well as investigating the salient and common grammatical errors in their writing with the purpose of checking whether or not Indonesian as the students� L1 influence them when writing in English. To this end, a corpus of 22 English essays written by students is examined and the errors are then categorized according to the following aspects: grammatical, lexico-semantic, mechanics, and word order sorts of errors. In this study, mixed methods research designs are used: quantitative and qualitative. The results revealed that UNIRA students commit different sorts of errors which are chiefly on account of their native language (Indonesian) interference. The students highly rely on their L1 in stating their thoughts, even though the ranking processes revealed that their essays hold different sorts of errors, those in the grammar and the lexico-semantic statistically constitute the most serious and recurrent ones.Keywords: grammatical sentence; L1 interference; lexico-semantic; writing.

scholarly journals Cognitive Theory of Markedness and Native Language Transfer

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Liang Deng
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Transfer ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge

<p>In the process of second language acquisition (SLA), such phenomena as some linguistic knowledge in the target language is much easier to acquire than others in SLA and some linguistic knowledge in native language is apt to be transferred are prevailing. To account for these phenomena, markedness theory is introduced and attempts to provide a plausible explanation. In particular, cognitive theory of markedness, or rather, prototypicality has proven to be effective and powerful in predicting the transferability of native language. This paper tries to offer a brief introduction of markedness theory and its recent development, prototypicality and conduct a review on related achievements gained in the studies of native language transfer in SLA. At the same time, shortcomings of current researches as well as prospect of future researches in this field will be pointed out.</p>

Translation from L1 to L2 vs. direct writing

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-228
Author(s):  
Ali Jahangard ◽  
Shari Holderread
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
First Language ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Direct Writing ◽  
Translation Strategy ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Efl Students

Abstract This study explores the issue of non-native speakers writing a text in their first language (L1) and then translating the text to the second language (L2) to enhance the final text in L2. Writing samples taken from 25 Iranian engineering students in an intermediate level compulsory general English as a foreign language class served as data. The students were provided with a form which instructed them to write their first essay in Farsi (L1) and then translate it into the foreign language, English. The compositions were suggested to be two paragraphs long to provide enough text to analyze. The second composition done by the same group of students a week later on a second topic was written directly in the target language (English). Each student’s work was evaluated in detail using a rating scale divided into two main sections, writing skills and effective writing. This study showed that intermediate level EFL students writing in L1 and then using a translation strategy did not produce better writing samples in L2 than when they wrote directly in L2.

Improving EFL learners' pragmatic awareness

2003 ◽  
Vol 141-142 ◽  
pp. 199-223
Author(s):  
Seran Doğançay-Aktuna
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Effective Communication ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Main Claim ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Linguistic Resources ◽  
Pragmatic Awareness ◽  
Language Classrooms

This paper overviews the ways in which EFL learners' pragmatic awareness can be developed in language classrooms through focused instruction and practice. It argues that effective communication requires awareness of the conventions governing language use and attention to the characteristics of the context and the interlocutors, besides linguistic resources. The main claim is that even though some pragmatics data that is based on native speaker norms might not provide relevant models for learners of English as a foreign or international language, these learners still need to become aware of crosscultural variation in norms of language use and learn how to consider social and contextual factors surrounding effective communication. After defining pragmatic competence and transfer, the paper discusses possible ways for integrating pragmatic consciousness-raising into language teaching and the problems involved in this endeavour. It then describes a course designed to raise pragmatic awareness in advanced level EFL learners as part of their TEFL training program. The underlying principles, materials and sample activities of the course are presented and learners' reaction to the course is discussed.

English language schooling, linguistic realities, and the native speaker of English in Hong Kong

Multilingua ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jette G. Hansen Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Government School ◽  
The Impact ◽  
At Home

AbstractThe study employs a case study approach to examine the impact of educational backgrounds on nine Hong Kong tertiary students’ English and Cantonese language practices and identifications as native speakers of English and Cantonese. The study employed both survey and interview data to probe the participants’ English and Cantonese language use at home, school, and with peers/friends. Leung, Harris, and Rampton’s (1997, The idealized native speaker, reified ethnicities, and classroom realities.TESOL Quarterly 31(3). 543–560) framework of language affiliation, language expertise, and inheritance was used to examine the construction of a native language identity in a multilingual setting. The study found that educational background – and particularly international school experience in contrast to local government school education – had an impact on the participants’ English language usage at home and with peers, and also affected their language expertise in Cantonese. English language use at school also impacted their identifications as native speakers of both Cantonese and English, with Cantonese being viewed largely as native language based on inheritance while English was being defined as native based on their language expertise, affiliation and use, particularly in contrast to their expertise in, affiliation with, and use of Cantonese.

scholarly journals A Call for Conducting Multivariate Mixed Analyses

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie
Keyword(s):  
Complex Form ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Simultaneous Analysis ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Mixed Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
Multiple Variables ◽  
Qualitative Analyses

<p>Several authors have written methodological works that provide an introductory- and/or intermediate-level guide to conducting mixed analyses. Although these works have been useful for beginning and emergent mixed researchers, with very few exceptions, works are lacking that describe and illustrate advanced-level mixed analysis approaches. Thus, the purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of <em>multivariate mixed analyses</em>, which represents a complex form of advanced mixed analyses. These analyses characterize a class of mixed analyses wherein at least one of the quantitative analyses and at least one of the qualitative analyses <em>both</em> involve the simultaneous analysis of multiple variables. The notion of multivariate mixed analyses previously has not been discussed in the literature, illustrating the significance and innovation of the article. <strong></strong></p>

A Corpus-Based Exploration of the Discourse Marker Well in Spoken Interlanguage

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 570-593
Author(s):  
Lan-fen Huang
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Intermediate Level ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Discourse Marker ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
First Languages

This corpus-based study examines the widely-used discourse marker well in Chinese-speaking learners’ speech and compares its frequencies in native speaker data and Swedish learners. While Swedish learners overuse well, Chinese-speaking learners (predominantly at the upper-intermediate level) significantly underuse it. The positions and functions of well are further examined using a functional framework. One-fourth of the Chinese-speaking learners who use well manipulate its positions in utterances in a similar way to native speakers. In terms of functions, well is employed for speech management much more frequently than for attitudinal purposes. The greater use of the former does not generally create negative effects, but the under-representation of the latter may suggest that Chinese-speaking learners sound too direct in certain contexts. The paper concludes by considering pedagogical implications for different first languages and proficiency levels and their possible applications to the instruction of well.

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