An ERPs Study Of Advanced Chinese EFL Learners’ L1 Conceptual Transfer In English Sentence Comprehension

While previous studies on language transfer focus on explicit linguistic performance, conceptual transfer aims to investigate its intrinsic cognitive mechanism behind. As far as my knowledge is concerned, previous research examining conceptual transfer has been restricted to the theoretical level and interest on empirical researches has been emerging only recently. What’s more, among the few empirical studies, most of them revolve around language production, leaving the investigation from the perspective of language comprehension ignored.The current research, based on conceptual competence model, aims to explore advanced Chinese EFL learners’ L1 conceptual transfer in English sentence comprehension by using ERPs techniques. Two research questions are put forward:(1)Do advanced Chinese EFL learners mobilize L1 conceptual transfer unconsciously when comprehending English sentences?(2) Does the initial induction of Chinese mode of conceptualization facilitate L1 conceptual transfer?A 2(mode of conceptualization: SMC, EMC) × 2(the initial induction of Chinese mode of conceptualization: unprimed, primed) within-subject design is adopted in the experiment. Sixteen postgraduates majoring in English in Si Chuan International Studies University(SISU) are chosen to participate in the experiment. The stimuli, programmed by E-prime2.0, are presented at the center of an 19 inch wide screen in randomized order. Subjects are asked to read each sentence carefully and to respond to a true/false comprehension question by pressing one of the two appropriately marked keys F and J in response to a visual prompt at the end of each trial. ERPs results are collected and recorded by the software Neuroscan4.5. Then, the ERPs data are treated by the off-line analysis and the outcomes are put into the statistic software SPSS16.0. The experiment is completed in the Key Lab of Cognitive Neuroscience & Foreign Language Learning in SISU.Three major findings can be summarized as follow:(1) With regard to the comprehension of SMC sentence and EMC sentence under unprimed condition, a N170(MSMC=96.26, MEMC=127.04) reveals a significant difference [t(15) =2.700, p=.016], suggesting the L1 conceptual transfer in advanced Chinese EFL learners’ English sentence comprehension.(2) With regard to the comprehension of SMC sentence(MSMC=4.0424) and EMC sentence(MEMC=9.2219) under primed condition, a P300 shows significant difference [t(15) =-2.230, p=.041], indicating that L1 conceptual transfer takes place.(3) With regard to the comprehending of SMC sentence between unprimed(Munprimed=-6.8227) and primed(Mprimed=-2.6260) conditions, a N400 was found to display statistically significant difference [t(15)=-4.904, p=.000], implying that the initial induction of Chinese mode of conceptualization facilitates L1 conceptual transfer.To sum up, the conclusions are as follows:(1) L1 conceptual transfer takes place in advanced Chinese EFL learners’ English sentence processing;(2) The initial induction of Chinese mode of conceptualization motives L1 conceptual transfer.At last, relevant discussions will be offered based on the model of conceptual transfer. Meanwhile, the pedagogical implications and limitations of the thesis is given as well.