A Study On The Conceptual Restructuring Of English Motion Event Expressions By Chinese University Students

Based on Talmy’s Motion Event Frame Theory and Slobin’s Thinking-for-Speaking Hypothesis, the thesis discusses whether or to what extent Chinese undergraduates realize conceptual restructuring in the process of foreign language learning. Among the materials collected,there are few contents that are studied from the perspective of motion event which will be segmented, chosen and restructured. Cadierno and Ruiz once proved that high-level learners are able to acquire the matching features between “form and meaning” in second language, and express motion event with second language narrative style. However, scholars such as Larranaga drew an opposite conclusion. Therefore, the acquisition conditions of motion event in second language and conceptual restructuring conditions haven’t been settled yet. Based on above, the essay will consult the current studies, collect language materials mainly by translation, and research the conceptual restructuring conditions by investigating how language learners behave in motion event from the point of use of verbs, description of backgrounds and pattern of event conflation, so as to evaluate their standard of second language acquisition and give some inspirations to teaching.The thesis mainly discusses the following questions: 1) To what extent do Chinese undergraduates achieve conceptual restructuring inEnglish motion event expressions? 2) To what extent does English proficiency influence conceptual restructuring in English motion event expressions? The subjects of this research include two groups: a group of33 non-English majors in Grade One and a group of 33 English majors in Grade Two. The language materials were chosen from typical sentences which include motion events in English-Chinese Parallel Corpus, picture descriptions Frog, Where Are You? and the feedbacks from students. The students were then tested and the relevant data were collected and analyzed, revealing the following results:1) Chinese undergraduates realized conceptual restructuring in the expression of English motion event. However, the integral level is mediocre, and the native language conceptural system still has an evident influence while undergraduates are describing English motion event.2) English proficiency does affect conceptual restructuring in the expression of English motion events. The higher their language proficiency is, the larger extent they will accomplish conceptual restructuring.The result of the study enables us to dig out more factors that can promote the degree of conceptual restructuring, and to bring enlightments to English teaching. Future research could focus on the investigation of the essential reasons that cause the difference in the extent of conceptual restructuring and the effects of explicit instruction on conceptualrestructuring.