Analysis Of Thai University Students’ Errors In The Usages Of Chinese Comparative Sentences

Along with the rapid economic growth that China has been experiencing for the past few years or decades is the increase in the interest of other countries’ goal of integrating Chinese Language education into their education systems or curricula. This measure is of great importance in order to break language barriers between and among nations having trading and commerce with China. Thailand holds the same view as it finds itself in a strategic position when it introduces the Teaching of Chinese as a Foreign Language among its universities or tertiary institutions.However, despite the proliferation of several teaching processes and methodologies that Thai Universities have been implementing, Thai students or learners of Chinese as a foreign language still have difficulties becoming proficient in the language use, especially in the use of comparative sentences which is one of the key elements of the target language.In response to the above clamor, this paper sought to determine the specific errors that Thai students commonly commit when learning Chinese as a foreign language. Specifically, it dwelt into the manifestations of negative language transfer on Chinese learning among Thai students.The research utilized survey-questionnaire as the main tool to gather the needed information or set of data. The questionnaire contained that highlighted several features of comparative sentences of the target language which were arranged from simple to complex. The participants of the survey were asked to respond to each item accordingly.Furthermore, the research also conducted some preliminary comparative and investigative study on the materials used by Thai universities in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. Books were examined in terms of their level appropriateness to the expectancy level and grade level of the learners.The tabulated data and analyzed results of the research showed that the big difference between the participants’ native language and target language often would interfere with the target language learning. However, gathered data also showed a significant relationship between the learners’ inability to employ effective learning and communication strategies with the number of errors they commit in the target language.This paper attempted to put forward certain measures in order to help Thai learners become more proficient in the use of the target language. This includes, but not limited to, teaching strategies and methodologies and integrated language work materials that relate to several environment that would trigger Thai learners in acquiring and using the target language.