Null Subjects And Null Objects In L2 Syntax By Chinese Learners Of English

Within the framework of generative grammar, this paper examines and analyzes the distribution of null subjects and null objects by conducting a grammaticality judgement test to 108 Chinese learners of English and making statistical analysis based on SPSS software. The results show that a significant difference is found between unlearning of null subjects and unlearning of null objects. More specifically, Chinese learners have less difficulty in unlearning null subjects than null objects. Secondly, Chinese learners are more successful in unlearning null matrix subjects than null embedded subjects and this is also the case between null matrix objects and null embedded objects. Meanwhile, compared with null referential subjects, learners have better performance on unlearning null expletive subjects. Thirdly, the elementary learners are apt to accept English sentences with null subjects and null objects, but with the enhancement of English proficiency learners are gradually aware that null subjects and null objects are not allowed in English. The high rate of success in unlearning null subjects by advanced learners proves that UG is still available and plays an indirect role via L1 in SLA, and that L2 parameter can be reset. Lastly, Chinese topic constructions do transfer in L2 syntax by Chinese learners of English, indirectly resulting in null subject phenomenon, and with the improvement of learner's English proficiency Chinese topic constructions gradually decrease their adverse effect on the acquisition of English subjects.We propose that the specification of AGR and T in English and the existence of expletive subjects in English result in Chinese learners'better performance on unlearning null subjects than null objects. As for the better performance on matrix subjects and objects, this paper offers the possible explanation from the perspectives of both syntactic complexity and syntactic level. It is held that matrix sentences have simpler syntactic structure and higher syntactic level, receiving more attention in learning, and thus learners are more successful in matrix subjects and objects than embedded subjects and objects. Moreover, from the perspective of L1 transfer, this paper discusses learners'better performance on expletive subjects than referential subjects. We suppose that the reason lies in the fact that there is no negative transfer from L1 in terms of expletive subjects. In addition, we exploit the Subset Principle to explain why Chinese topic constructions will transfer to L2 syntax by Chinese learners of English. English topic constructions and Chinese topic constructions constitute a subset-superset relation, and therefore some topic constructions which can be permitted in Chinese are not allowed in English. Due to lack of direct evidence to show which topic constructions are not allowed in English, it will be difficult for L2 learners to get rid of effect of Chinese topic constructions.This paper,on the one hand, reveals learners'internal-language acquisition process by exploration of unlearning of null subjects and null objects in English syntax by Chinese learners as well as the distribution difference between null subjects and null objects, and by analysis of reasons which lead to the distribution difference. On the other hand, it can provide guidance for English teaching and learning and accordingly promotes second language acquisition.