The Effect Of Verbal Semantics On L2 Acquisition Of The English Progressive Aspect By Chinese-Speaking Learners

Time is one of basic categories of human languages and tense-aspect system is grammaticalized representation of the basic category. Because tense-aspect systems of different human languages have their own features, in learning (includes foreign language learning), the acquisition of tense-aspect systems of the learned language becomes one of the most principal difficulties for second language learners. Besides, one of the most important tendencies in English education theory is the shift from teaching to learning, how the second language categories are acquired has become a focus in second language research. Tense-aspect acquisition is no exception to this trend.In the past twenty years, applied linguists have made a great deal of studies of tense-aspect acquisition from different perspectives. The study of the Aspect Hypothesis is the most noteworthy part among them. Although there are many studies done within the framework of the Aspect Hypothesis, some further studies are needed for the following reasons. First, some study results do not support the Aspect Hypothesis. Second, studies of Chinese English learners are relatively few. In order to prove the generality of the Aspect Hypothesis, more languages should be studied. Third, in the framework, most research studied and described the acquisition of the simple past tense. Studies that focus exclusively on the progressive are still relatively needed. The present study addresses this need.This study examined the effect of verbal semantics on L2 acquisition of the English progressive aspect by Chinese learners. According to the framework of Z. Vendler's four lexical aspects in English verbs (states, activities, accomplishments and achievements) and the Aspect Hypothesis proposed by Andersen and Sharai,-this thesis studied 70 Chinese learners (35 of lower level are non-English freshmen and 35 of higher level are English major juniors). In order to show the difference between native speakers and non-native speakers in using progressive markings, the study also chose 10 native speakers as control group. The data was obtained by the subjects' responses in two tasks: cloze test and English progressive judgment test The present study discussed the following questions: 1) overall use of progressive marking. 2) Distribution of progressive marking by lexical aspect. 3) Distribution of alternatives to progressive marking by lexical aspect 4) Means across lexical aspects in English progressive judgment test. The study results supported the Aspect Hypothesis and hypotheses proposed in this study, that is: 1) Chinese-speaking learners of English use the progressive aspect more appropriately with activities,and the appropriate use of progressive then spread from activities to accomplishments and achievements. 2) Chinese-speaking learners of English do not inappropriately over-generalize the progressive aspect to state verbs. 3) There is a distributional difference among the alternative verbal morphological forms that compete with the progressive aspect across the four lexical aspects. For example, the subjects were more likely to use base / simple present with states, past (-ed) with accomplishments and achievements. Through the study, the writer strives vigorously to obtain implications for English teaching and learning, thus, searching for approaches to improve English teaching and learning level, at the same time, enhancing more teachers and researchers' attention and thinking of the area.