Negative Transfer Of Chinese On English Writing Of TCSL Major Students

Native language influence on foreign language learning is a heated topic in the field of Second Language Acquisition. It is generally believed that Chinese students’English learning is greatly influenced by their native language, or by the Chinese language positive and negative transfer. For students in TCSL major, whose orientation and curriculum are specialized, Chinese negative transfer may be a predominant influence in the process of English writing.Since there are scare researches on negative transfer of Chinese of TCSL major students by applying some theories on language transfer, this paper analyzes and explores the influence negative transfer of Chinese has on English writing of students in TCSL major, in order to find answers to the following questions:(1) What effects does negative transfer of Chinese have on TCSL majors’English writing?(2) Are there any differences concerning the frequency of negative transfer of Chinese in English writing of TCSL majors among different grades?(3) Are there any differences in negative transfer of Chinese respectively in substance, lexis, morphology, syntax and discourse among different grades?This paper chooses136students in grade one, two and three of TCSL major from Shanxi Normal University as subjects. With Contrast Analysis, Errors Analysis and Inter-language as theoretical basis, and with English writing, questionnaires and interviews as instruments, it explores the influence negative transfer of Chinese has on English writing of the selected subjects in both quantitative and qualitative methods. The research finds:(1) The influence negative transfer of Chinese has on English writing of TCSL students mainly exists in substance, lexis, morphology, syntax and discourse.(2) There are significant differencesconcerning the frequency of negative transfer of Chinese in English writing of students fromthe three grades. The higher the grade is, the less the students are influenced.(3) Throughcomparisons, in substance, lexis and discourse, there is no significant difference betweengrade two and three, but there are significant differences between grade one and the other twogrades. In morphology, there is no significant difference between grade one and three, butthere are significant differences between grade one and two, also between grade two and three.In syntax, there are significant differences among the three grades. The research suggests thatTCSL students at lower grade are more prone to be influenced by negative transfer of Chinese;it is impossible to eliminate the influence of negative transfer of Chinese, but to some extent,with extended understanding of the differences between English and Chinese, the influencecan be reduced.The research conclusion has certain practical value to English researchers and Englishlearners. The data from empirical studies deepens the understanding of the relationshipbetween negative transfer of Chinese and English writing, and improves the English writingability of TCSL students and English teaching methods.