A Study On Transfer Of Native Language Reading Ability In Second Language Reading Based On The Linguistic Interdependence Hypothesis And The Linguistic Threshold Hypothesis

This thesis gives a brief introduction of language transfer theories:Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis, Error Analysis, Interlanguage Hypothesis, Theory of Markedness, common underlying proficiency (CUP), the linguistic interdependence hypothesis (LIH) and the linguistic threshold hypothesis (LTH) and based on LIH and LTH, this thesis reports an empirical study on whether Chinese reading ability can be transferred in English reading and what is the role played by English proficiency level; Four questions are proposed in an attempt to clarify the relationship among the three:1). To students studying college English, is Chinese reading ability transferred in English reading? 2). If so, is it positive transfer or negative transfer? and what is the role played by English proficiency level? 3).In group of low English proficiency level, is Chinese reading ability transferred in English reading negatively? 4) In group of high English proficiency level, is English reading ability more powerful predicator than Chinese reading ability?In this study, four classes are chosen randomly from a department (except English department) in Changzhi University.82 students are from two classes in Grade 1, the other 84 students come from the other two classes in Grade 3, totally 166 students. Then they are given three tests:English proficiency test, Chinese reading ability test and English reading ability test. According to the scores of English proficiency test, the participants are divided into two groups:the group of high English proficiency level and the group of low English proficiency level.Correlation analyses are made between Chinese reading ability and English reading ability, and also English proficiency level and Chinese reading ability in two groups. In the group of high proficiency level, English proficiency level is positively correlated with English reading ability whereas Chinese reading ability are negatively correlated with English reading ability. In contrast, in the group of high proficiency level, there are positive correlations between Chinese reading ability and English reading ability, and also English proficiency level English reading ability.In multiple linear regression analysis among English reading ability(dependent variable), Chinese reading ability(independent variable) and English proficiency level(independent variable) in the group of low proficiency level, only English proficiency level enters into regression equation however in the group of high proficiency level, both English proficiency level and Chinese reading ability do. Further, in this group, English reading ability is more powerful in predicting English reading ability than Chinese reading ability. Therefore, to students whose English proficiency level is below linguistic threshold, they should focus on improve their English reading skills whereas the ones whose language proficiency level is above linguistic threshold, they can develop their Chinese reading skills in order to be transferred in English reading and improve their English reading ability.