The Effects Of EFL Learning On Conceptual Transfer

Based on the conceptual transfer hypothesis and empirical studies on shape/material categorization,this paper investigates whether there exists conceptual transfer during the process of English learning,or to be more specific,whether English learning influences Chinese EFL learners’ conceptual categorization of objects in terms of shape and material.Four groups of participants(Chinese monolinguals and EFL learners of low English proficiency,intermediate proficiency and high proficiency)were chosen to complete a categorization task.They were first presented with a standard item with an unfamiliar label and then were asked to choose which one of the other two items(one with the same shape but of different material from the standard item and the other of the same material but with a different shape)could be called the same label.There were twelve triads of items classified into complex objects,simple objects and substances,with four triads in each type.The numbers of their shape and material choices were submitted into SPSS for analysis.Data analyses yielded the following results.First,English learning as a foreign language does exert influence on the conceptual categorization of Chinese EFL learners in terms of shape and material.Generally speaking,Chinese EFL learners as a whole made more shape choices compared with Chinese monolinguals,though not significantly so.When the three types of items were concerned,under the influence of English learning,Chinese EFL learners as a whole had no material preference for simple objects while Chinese monolinguals had.Secondly,Chinese EFL learners’English proficiency influences their conceptual categorization.With the enhancement of English proficiency,there was a tendency for Chinese speakers to make more shape choices and fewer material choices,and EFL learners of high proficiency made significantly more shape choices than Chinese monolinguals.Treating complex objects,simple objects and substances separately,we could see that with the enhancement of English proficiency,there is a decrease in the percentages of material preference and an increase in the percentages of shape preference.Moreover,Chinese monolinguals had significantly higher material preferences for simple objects than EFL learners of high proficiency.These findings have both theoretical and pedagogical implications.Theoretically,the findings add to the literature of conceptual transfer by revealing the categorization features concerning shape and material by Chinese monolinguals and EFL learners at different English proficiency levels and provide empirical evidence for linguistic relativity.Pedagogically,the study sheds light on the interaction between the teaching and learning of L2 knowledge and cognition model and helps to understand second language acquisition and to seek a more effective foreign language teaching method.