A Study On EFL Learners' Cognitive Ability Of Noun-noun Conceptual Combinations

Noun-noun conceptual combinations have been a number of linguists'interest of study in different fields. Underlying their briefness and conciseness in the form, the cognitive process of them is totally the other way. Based on the theories concerning noun-noun constructions, this thesis explores the cognitive ability of English majors in Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. The present research is trying to answer the following questions:1. Do EFL learners have difficulty in comprehending noun-noun conceptual combinations? What kinds of difficulty they have or what mistakes they tend to make in the process of cognition?2. What are the characteristics of the cognitive way of English learners? What are the factors that influence the comprehension of noun-noun conceptual combinations?To study English learners'cognitive ability of noun-noun conceptual combinations is quite a challenge for three main reasons. Firstly, there is no common categorizing criterion of noun-noun conceptual combinations. Different theories hold different opinions, and their classifications are not so persuasive since they cannot cover all possibilities. Secondly, there is no fully-established theory concerning the topic. Lots of theories do mention or notice such a linguistic phenomenon but it is a pity that no systematic analysis has been set up. Although lots of researches have been carried out, it has not achieved any desirable generalizations as well as unifying explanatory principles. Third, there is no persuasive experimental data to give a sound conclusion of the flexible language phenomena. Most of the studies both at home and abroad are focused on the theoretical perspective without enough backup of data. Therefore, to research on the characteristics of Chinese English learners in figuring out the meaning of noun-noun conceptual combinations on the basis of empirical data is significant for the sake of English teaching and learning. In order to get a result as valid as possible, this study adopts more than one theory, drawing on the categorizations with the aim to obtain comprehensive sources and gives the possibility of getting a persuasive result.The research design falls into two parts—a test made up of 40 noun-noun conceptual combinations, and a questionnaire based on the test. The language materials come from different sources on the basis of standards—the classification of Gagne & Shoben on nominals and Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner's theory of conceptual blending. With the aim to obtain relatively comprehensive language materials and a comprehensive result, these items are collected from different areas such as literary work (Seeking Rapture by Kathryn Harrison), the internet (Dictionary. com, iciba.com) and the classic examples analyzed by experts, such as Seana Coulson, Gilles Fauconnier and Mark Turner etc. The pilot study was carried out among different levels of students from sophomores to graduate students from different majors in August,2009. The result shows the items are too difficult and the understanding is influenced not only by language knowledge but also the culture background knowledge. Therefore, modifications were made to the test and the questionnaire. Items like "auction house", "mack daddy", "pauper model", and "vanity plate" involving too much background knowledge to figure out are dismissed. Considering the complexity of the research and the data of pilot study, the author chose English majors in junior year as subjects.Three main findings are obtained from this study. First of all, the study shows fully understanding of the noun-noun conceptual combination presents great difficulties for most EFL learners. They have difficulties especially in the ones concerned with culture and the ones related to their lack of consciousness. Secondly, EFL learners have the ability to work out the complicated relations between the components. Metaphor serves as a main mechanism in particular to guide them to figure out the meaning of noun-noun conceptual combinations. The third finding is that the subjects tend to make an over-generalized explanation in Chinese. The last two points make the main characteristic of Chinese EFL learners in cognition of noun-noun conceptual combinations.Drawing on the data from the research, the conclusion is that it is necessary to study noun-noun conceptual combination especially for us foreign learners who are not adequate in language knowledge as well as cultural knowledge. It is supposed to provide implications for EFL teaching and learning.