The Representation Of Chinese EFL Learners’ Second Language Collocation And Influencing Factors

The present research focuses on the Chinese EFL learners’ representation of second language collocation. There exsist two language systems in Chinese EFL learners’second language:target language system and interlanguage system. The research first investigates the collocation representation in Chinese EFL learners’ target language and interlanguage. Furthermore, the research also investigates whether Chinese lexis is the cause by which Chinese EFL learners generate interlanguage collocations during the acquisition of target language collocations. The research questions are:1) How do Chinese EFL learners represent target language collocatons? 2) How do Chinese EFL learners represent interlanguage collocatons? 3) Is Chinese lexis the cause by which Chinese EFL learners generate interlanguage collocations?In order to answer these questions, the research conducts three experiments. Experiment 1 uses self-paced reading task and component word decision task to investigate Chinese EFL learners’ representation of target language collocation. Experiment 2 uses self-paced reading task and acceptability rating task to investigate Chinese EFL learners’ representation of interlanguage collocation. Experiment 3 uses primed semantic decision task to investigate the L1 influence on the Chinese EFL learners’ L2 collocation processing. The results show:1) Higher-level Chinese EFL learners represent target language and interlanguage collocations holistically; 2) Lower-level Chinese EFL learners represent target language collocations analytically but interlanguage collocations holistically; 3) There is significant priming effect from learners’ L1. The results indicate:1) The representation of target language collocation of Chinese EFL learners develops through stages; 2) The interlanguage collocation possesses mental representation, even for higher-level Chinese EFL learners; 3) Chinese EFL learners’ representation of interlanguage collocation comes from the activation of Chinese lexis.