This study investigated 48 Hong Kong English as a second language (ESL) learners' engagement in three types of interactive tasks conducted via video chat or text chat. The learners, paired with their university friends, completed a descriptive task, a narrative task, and a decision-making task. They were randomly assigned to either the video-chat or text-chat group and were interviewed about their emotional engagement in each task immediately after task performance. The findings revealed that both groups of learners were behaviourally the least engaged but cognitively the most engaged in the decision-making task. They experienced positive emotions during the descriptive task, but fewer reported positive emotions in the other two tasks. The text-chat group was the most socially engaged in the decision-making task. Furthermore, the video-chat group was behaviourally and emotionally more engaged than the text-chat group. These findings have implications for task design and selection in computer-mediated communication.

Kida and Barcroft studied second language (L2) homograph learning by specifically examining the form-meaning mapping component. Their research shed light on the type of processing-resource allocation (TOPRA) model, which posits that the allocation of processing resources in highly demanding tasks may facilitate certain aspects of L2 word learning while inhibiting others. The role of working memory (WM) in L2 word acquisition is widely recognized, yet its influence on the effects of processing tasks has not been tested within the context of the TOPRA model. To further test whether the TOPRA model applies to Chinese-speaking English learners and how WM potentially modulates the relationship between processing types and the mapping component of L2 words, we partially replicated and extended Kida and Barcroft by testing the effects of WM and processing tasks on L2 learning of English homographs. Eighty-four undergraduates, 28 from each of the three intact classes, took part in a pretest - a treatment phase where participants engaged in either semantic processing, structural processing, or a mapping (control) condition - and posttests (L1/L2 free recall, L2-to-L1/L1-to-L2 cued recall). They also completed a first language (L1) reading span task to measure their WM. Results revealed that processing tasks significantly affected the semantic learning and mapping component of L2 words, and interacted with WM during the novel mapping between known L2 forms and secondary L2 meanings. These findings are discussed in relation to two core issues in the TOPRA model.

The study examined how L2 engagement is associated with students’ general life satisfaction, a core element of well-being. A total of 1,109 seventh-grade EFL learners from a rural secondary school in China completed a measure of life satisfaction (family satisfaction, environment satisfaction, academic satisfaction, school satisfaction, freedom satisfaction, and friendship satisfaction) and a measure of foreign language engagement (cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, behavioural engagement, and social engagement). Path analysis shows that life satisfaction generally predicted L2 engagement positively. Variations were found in the associations between six life satisfaction dimensions and four L2 engagement dimensions. A positive psychology lens is adopted to interpret the findings and make concrete suggestions about how to enhance learner engagement. The findings imply that a proactive preventative stance on bolstering engagement could be encouraged such as fostering learners’ positive perceptions and beliefs of self, family, school, environment, study, and friends.

This study investigated the impact of different semantic tasks (pleasantness-rating and translation reading-aloud) and structural tasks (letter-counting and word-copying) on Chinese-speaking children's learning of English words. Participants' memory of first language (L1) counterparts for second language (L2) words and learning of L2 word phonology and phonology-meaning mapping were respectively assessed via the L1 free recall, L2 free recall, and picture-cued L2 recall tests. Logistic mixed-effects regression modeling yielded the following findings. First, pleasantness-rating and letter-counting had minimal impact on the acquisition of L2 word knowledge, except that letter-counting significantly facilitated the recall of L2 word phonology. Second, translation reading-aloud and word-copying positively influenced L2 word acquisition, although the former did not significantly affect phonology learning. Third, translation reading-aloud outperformed pleasantness-rating when it came to recalling L1 counterparts and learning L2 word phonology and phonology-meaning mapping, and word-copying was more effective than letter-counting in the learning of L2 word phonology and phonology-meaning mapping. These findings partially support the transfer appropriate processing (TAP) framework and confirm the predictions of the processing-resource allocation (TOPRA) model, although some divergent results—most likely attributable to methodological difference—were observed. Additionally, these results offer valuable instructional implications.

Abstract This paper reports a longitudinal study of topic continuity in Chinese EFL learners’ English written narratives by tracking their dynamic change of referential choices over two years. The proportional distribution of referential forms were calculated and texts produced by learners were analyzed. The calculation and analysis yielded the following findings. Firstly, while the general distribution of referential forms follows Givón’s cross-linguistic topic continuity scale, indicating the dominant role of discourse context in referring, quite a few instances deviate from this scale, suggesting the modulating effect of multiple factors, including L1 influence and articulators’ cognitive pressure. Secondly, with an increase in English exposure, L2 learners’ use of the typical referring form in each context displayed an increasing tendency over time. Finally, the developmental paths of L2 referential choices exhibited individual variability. These findings pointed to variation in interlanguage and the modulating effect of non-linguistic or internal cognitive factors on reference production.

语际影响(crosslinguistic influence)经常被视为语言迁移(language transfer)的同义词,主要指二语学习者母语与二语之间的相互影响,也指多语学习者母语、二语和三语之间的相互影响(Odlin 1989;Jarvis&Pavlenko 2008;蔡金亭2021).就二语学习而言,母语对二语学习的影响显而易见,但二语发展到较高水平,也可能反过来影响母语的使用.围绕语际影响的研究已经进行了七十多年,发表了大量论文和专著.在此背景下,Routledge出版社新近出版了由美国宾州州立大学K.McManus撰写的专著Crosslinguistic Influence and Second Language Learning(《语际影响与二语学习》).该书聚焦于成人二语学习中的语际影响,围绕理论模型、具体表现和教学研究三大模块,通过举例说明的方式,展示了语际影响在二语学习中的重要作用.下面先介绍该书内容,然后讨论其特色以及阅读启发.

母语迁移是影响二语产出的重要因素,但此前尚无人考察过汉语如何影响中国学生表达英语语篇中的主题延续性.鉴于此,本研究跟踪调查了中国大学生在英语叙事语篇中指称主题延续性时发生母语迁移的动态变化情况.结果发现:1)在标记主题介绍与延续时,来自汉语的正负迁移均有发生;2)随着二语水平的提高,母语正负迁移的百分比都发生了非线性变化:3)母语迁移的变化趋势存在个体变异.母语迁移不仅是个体行为.还处于时时变化中.

多语习得已经成为应用语言学的研究热点,其中多语者各语言的互相影响(即语言迁移)是核心问题之一.近二十多年来,前人在多语词汇和语法习得研究中发现了各类迁移的证据,但这些研究在数据类型及来源、迁移判断方法、个体与组群关系等方面还存在一些不足.鉴于此,本文在借鉴前人的理论、吸收前人研究方法的有益成分并提出迁移定义的基础上,提出多语产出中迁移研究的比较—归纳方法框架(包括2个层面和8个步骤).该框架适用于分析多语者个人与组群在三语或二语产出中发生正、负语言层迁移和概念迁移的情况.

As a prevalent phenomenon in second language acquisition (SLA), crosslinguistic influence (CLI) has attracted ever-lasting attention, as reflected by the publication of several monographs (e.g., Cai, 2021; Jarvis & Pavlenko, 2008; Odlin, 1989; Ringbom, 2007), many edited volumes (e.g., Alonso, 2016; Gass & Selinker, 1983), and numerous research articles. In these books and papers, mounting evidence for CLI has been accumulated in various areas of languages. In particular, CLI may occur between first language (L1) and second language (L2) in lexicon, grammar, phonology, discourse, and pragmatics, with its effects being both positive and negative. Besides, it has been shown that the occurrence of CLI is constrained by a variety of factors, such as linguistic and psycholinguistic factors and those related to learning environment and language use (Jarvis & Pavlenko, 2008). CLI has been addressed from diverse theoretical perspectives including universal grammar, functional linguistics, and psycholinguistics (see Cai, 2021 for a review).

主观跨语言相似度是影响语言迁移的重要因素之一,它以相关语言的客观异同为基础,但不等于客观异同.目前已有研究均以二语学习者为受试,鲜有学者系统研究三语学习者多方面的主观跨语言相似度.鉴于此,笔者设计问卷,考察了汉-英-日初学者在词类、语法具体项目上对日汉、日英之间跨语言相似度的主观认识.结果 发现:1)日汉、日英在各词类和各语法项目上的主观相似度有所差异,但日汉比日英的主观相似度变化幅度更大.2)在除动词外的其他词类上,日汉的主观相似度均显著高于日英.3)在除句子结构和时体之外的其他语法项目上,日汉的主观相似度均显著高于日英.

母语的语言类型对英语动词论元构式可能有影响,但国内尚无相关研究发表.因此,本文通过对TOELF11语料库中母语为德语、汉语、西班牙语学习者的同题目同水平英语作文进行标注与分析,考察了二语学习者母语的语言类型对他们使用英语动词论元构式的影响.结果发现:(1)学习者的母语与目的语的类型相似性对VL和VOL构式中动词与介词的类符频数都没有显著影响,但对形符频数有显著影响,类型相似性越高,形符频数越高.(2)母语与目的语的类型相似性有助于提高动词论元构式使用的正确率.但类型相似性在两类构式中对动词错误都没有显著影响,对介词错误的边缘显著影响只在VOL构式中存在.

概念迁移研究经过20多年的发展,国内外均发表了不少论著.但在关于概念迁移的观点中仍存在前后矛盾、术语歧义等问题;仍缺少能揭示概念迁移产生原因、表现形式和影响因素的理论框架;很多实证研究判断概念迁移的思路不科学,方法欠严谨.鉴于此,本文对前人的相关研究进行了批判性综述,肯定其贡献,指出其不足.在此基础上,本文讨论了概念迁移的基本观点,提出了概念迁移研究的理论框架和方法框架.

Despite the burgeoning research on feedback, we know little about the ways in which students engage with supervisory feedback in doctoral writing - a crucial element for understanding students' feedback uptake. To address this issue, this study uses text analysis and semi-structured interviews to explore Chinese international doctoral students' engagement with supervisory feedback from invisible and overt dimensions [Handley, Karen, Margaret Price, and Jill Millar. 2011. "Beyond 'Doing Time': Investigating the Concept of Student Engagement with Feedback." Oxford Review of Education 37 (4): 543-560]. We contextualise this study within intercultural doctoral supervision and focus on the process of students' writing and revising their PhD proposals. Results show that by engaging invisibly and overtly with the feedback, the students not only co-construct and lead the feedback dialogues but also maintain their voice and ownership of the writing. However, the findings also suggest the danger that supervisors may neglect students' invisible feedback engagement and interpret their mindful reflections as none or superficial engagement with feedback. Students' feedback engagement involves negotiations with multiple, even conflicting cultural values mainly from disciplinary norms and their inherited Chinese cultures (e.g. the different manifestations of critical thinking). We suggest developing a constructive attitude towards cultural diversity to facilitate feedback dialogues in intercultural doctoral supervision.

基于使用取向的二语习得研究已在国际上取得了较为丰硕的成果,但国内仍处于起步阶段.为推动国内相关研究,本文全面综述了该领域的研究现状.首先讨论基于使用取向二语习得的理论主张,然后从学习者的构式知识、输入对构式习得的影响、构式迁移三方面梳理实证研究,最后从内容和方法两方面对今后研究进行了展望.

本文分析了32名大学生两年中完成的5次英语口头叙事语篇中使用形名搭配的情况,重点探究二语水平和跨语言相似性对他们使用各类英语形名搭配的动态影响.结果 发现:(1)随着大学生总体英语水平的提高,他们使用形名搭配的正确率并没有明显变化.(2)跨语言相似性不同的两类搭配在错误率上表现出不同的变化特点,一致搭配在各次测试中没有显著变化,而不一致搭配有显著变化.

随着学习者二语水平的提高,可及性、嵌入性与生命性对他们使用英语关系从句的准确度有什么影响?关于这些语言共性的假说能否预测各类英语关系从句的准确度差异?为了回答这些问题,本文跟踪79名大学生4个学期,通过看图作文,收集了他们的五次英语记叙文语料,聚焦于其中各类关系从句的正确率.研究发现:第一,在各次测试中,可及性和嵌入性对大学生使用英语关系从句的正确率都没有影响,各类关系从句的正确率顺序均不支持可及性层级假说、感知难度假说和主宾语层级假说.第二,生命性对关系从句的正确率有一定影响,但生命性层级的预测只在较高二语水平阶段才成立.在各次测试中,生命性与可及性都没有交互影响;生命性与可及性、嵌入性的交互影响在低水平阶段不存在,但在较高水平阶段有逐渐增强的趋势.

近年来,普遍语法视角下的三语语法习得研究日益受到重视.前人围绕学习者的母语和二语如何影响三语语法这个关键问题,提出了母语因素假说、二语地位模型、累计强化模型、类型优先模型、手术刀模型和语言相近模型.它们大都得到了实证研究的支持,但同时也受到了其他研究的挑战.为推动国内三语语法习得研究,本文介绍这些模型/假说的理论观点,综述相关实证研究,最后对相关问题进行了讨论.

竞争模型作为重要的语言学习理论,其发展包括经典竞争模型和统一竞争模型两个阶段.它们都对语言迁移提出了一系列理论观点,并引发了不少实证研究,但国内对此知之甚少.本文全面介绍了两个阶段的竞争模型对语言迁移的理论观点,系统梳理了相关的实证研究,并指出了今后研究的发展方向.与经典模型相比,统一竞争模型的理论观点更加全面系统,相关实证研究的范围更广,从单一的句子理解扩展到语言的各层面以及文化因素等;在研究方法上,涉及的受试趋于多样化,不仅丰富了离线手段,而且推广运用了ERP等在线手段.但目前研究在内容和方法上仍存在一些不足,需要努力克服.

近10多年来,基于使用取向的二语习得研究在国际上发展迅速,特别是在动词论元构式研究上尤其如此,但国内同类研究才刚刚起步.为此,本文在阐述基于使用取向二语习得研究主要理论观点的基础上,重点从内容和方法两方面系统梳理了英语动词论元构式的相关研究.研究内容主要包括学习者的构式知识和母语迁移的影响两个方面.研究方法主要包括语料库、实验方法的分别运用与结合运用,以及计算机模拟等.最后,指出了今后动词论元构式习得研究的五个方面,包括:(1)研究输入因素对英语其他动词论元构式习得的影响;(2)研究更多母语背景下动词论元构式习得中的母语迁移;(3)同时考察输入因素和语言迁移的影响;(4)二语产出与二语加工研究并重;(5)创新研究方法.

定向动机流构念是在追求个人目标、愿景下的高强度且持续的更高级动机结构.本文使用质化研究方法,聚焦某本科院校四名应届毕业生所经历的高强度、持续性的动机轨迹,检验其动机行为中是否存在定向动机流的核心特征,从而验证其结构的有效性.研究表明,受试的动机行为中存在动机特征,即有长期目标的动机行为的方向性、显著的促成性结构、积极的情感;体现了定向动机流结构在个体及群组层面创造长期动机的实用价值.