| Avoidance phenomenon, a negative language strategy, is inevitable for second languagelearners to avoid unsatisfactory language expressions in the learning process. Learners always avoidusing the difficult words or structures, and choose to use the words or structures with simplemeanings and usages. In essence, avoidance phenomenon is a kind of communication strategieswhich second language learners use appropriately for smooth communication, but overuse orimproper use of it will have a negative impact on foreign language learning (Ellis,1994). Andhyponymy, also called semantic inclusion, is an important sense relation. The word that is general inmeaning is called superordinate, and the more specific word is called hyponym. However, in theprocess of English learning, many Chinese non-English majors are willing to producesuperordiantes, and tend to use less hyponyms. Therefore this thesis attempts to analyze the causesof underproducing English hyponyms and to find corresponding solutions by empirical study, inorder to improve the efficiency of English teaching and to promote students’ English learning.The research questions are as follows:1) Do Chinese non-English majors avoid using Englishhyponyms in the second language learning?2) If so, are there any effects of English proficiencylevel on participants’ avoidance of English hyponyms?3) If so, are there any effects of hyponymtypes on participants’ avoidance of English hyponyms?4) If so, are there any effects of test types onparticipants’ avoidance of English hyponyms?5) If so, why do they avoid using English hyponyms?The subjects of this study are one hundred non-English major sophomores from twouniversities in Zhejiang and Shaanxi Province. In order to ensure that most participants know themeanings of the English hyponyms tested, the author firstly randomly selects10participants to do avocabulary test, in which there are forty hyponyms, among which there are13nominal hyponyms,13adjectival hyponyms and14verbal hyponyms. Then30hyponyms (10nominal hyponyms,10adjectival hyponyms and10verbal hyponyms) are chosen for the research. The remaining90students are the subjects for the following tests. According to their scores in the College EnglishTest-Band4(CET-4), they are divided into three groups: high score group, intermediate group andlow score group. And they will be asked to take the multi-choice test, recall test and interviewsuccessively. The data of research will be analyzed by SPSS. Through the research, the findings are:1) in the process of English learning, Chinese non-English majors avoid using hyponyms to someextent, especially the learners with lower English proficiency level;2) there exists the negativecorrelation between English proficiency level and the avoidance of English hyponyms, in otherwords, the higher student’s English proficiency level is, the fewer the occurrences of avoiding usingEnglish hyponyms;3) students tend to avoid using more verbal hyponyms and adjectival hyponyms than nominal hyponyms;4) students tend to avoid using less hyponyms on the multiple test than onthe recall test.The research results show that Chinese non-English majors avoid using hyponyms due tovarious reasons:1) the influence of the acquisition sequence of students’ vocabulary;2) theinfluence of the students’ different language abilities and thinking methods;3) the lack of languageinput and output;4) the negative influence of students’ psychological factors;5) the negativeinfluence of teachers’ valuation on errors.This study is of great significance for English vocabulary teaching:(1) in the process ofEnglish teaching, students and teachers should have a good understanding of the avoidancephenomenon and avoidance strategy, and know the positive and negative aspects of avoidancestrategy, so teachers should pay more attention to its positive aspects for students;(2) teachersshould enlarge students’ effective language input;(3) teachers should attach importance to theEnglish hyponyms and its exposure to the students, encourage them to use more hyponyms inpractical use and make the right feedback on their language output;(4) teachers should develop thestudents’ ability of self-recognition and help them abandon the ideas of losing face and being afraidof making errors in order to overcome psychological obstacles. |
