Cognitive Study Of Language Transfer In Second Language Acquisition

Language transfer has been a central issue in applied linguistics for at least a century.During this period,its importance in second language learning has been reassessed several times.To obtain a comprehensive understanding of transfer is of prime significance to the study of SLA.The role of L1 in second language learning has long been a controversial issue.However,first language influence can be easily traced in all aspects of second language learners' interlanguage.This paper is to examine the internal mechanisms underlying transfer so that we may reach a deeper understanding of the nature of transfer.This paper at first gives an overview of language transfer.Then,it follows a diachronical study on language transfer.Behaviorism assumes that second language acquisition is all about transfer and transfer involves superficial carryover of similar or dissimilar features between two languages;Mentalism downplays the role of the Ll considerably and views universal elements as the only explanatory factor for second language acquisition(SLA);Current study of transfer incorporates new development in UG theory and cognitive theory,and focuses on finding out the underlying process of the phenomenon.After a diachronic review of the studies on language transfer,the author proposes the key framework of this paper——cognitive studies on language transfer.Cognitive theories on language transfer are presented separately.Kellerman's prototypicality examines the transferability judgments;Markedness theory provides further explanations for language transfer in supplementation for Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis(CAH);Psychotypology is used to explain the learners' perception of the language distance as well as the Parameter theory.The theories mentioned above constitute the theoretical framework for the explanation and prediction of language transfer in this paper.Further analysis of language transfer in the empirical studies of the author is followed with strong connection to the theoretical framework.Based on more than one hundred compositions written by the second year college students,the study is meant to give evidences to the theoretical studies mentioned in former chapters and to give detailed explanation and prediction in language transfer.Transfer in different linguistic levels will be explored in great details,though more attention will be paid to syntactic and semantic transfer because of the research methodology of this paper.Finally a brief conclusion is given.Conclusion stresses the importance of transfer in SLA and summarizes the interpretations of transfer made in the light of cognitive theories.