An Empirical Study On English Negation Attrition Of Senior One Students In Chinese Context

Language attrition investigates the phenomenon that language learners' ability of using a specific language regresses gradually due to reduction of use.Compared with language acquisition,language attrition is a relatively new study field.Since 1980 s,studies about language attrition have focused on its definition,hypotheses,nature and factors.As an important language attrition theory,Regression Hypothesis investigates the relationship between language attrition sequence and acquisition sequence.It claims that language attrition follows a reverse order to language acquisition.Language attrition can be subdivided into phonology attrition,vocabulary attrition and syntax attrition.In the field of syntax attrition,negation structure attrition is a hot issue which attracts extensive attention of researchers and scholars at home and abroad.Based on previous research,this study intends to investigate whether Chinese senior one students experience the attrition of English negation after three-month vacation.The author raises three research questions: 1.What's the actual situation of English negation attrition among high school students? 2.Will English negation attrition conform to Regression Hypothesis? 3.What are major factors causing the attrition of English negation?Consequently,the author conducts the same test about English negation among 30 senior one students before and after their three-month-summer vacation.The comparative analysis of those two tests shows that there exists significant attrition of English negation among senior one students.Besides,Regression Hypothesis justifies the English negation attrition.And the major factors causing attrition of English negation are the initial level before attrition,the contact with English and the interference from Chinese negation structures.Depending on the results,the author makes some suggestions for English learning and teaching in Chinese context.Firstly,the teacher should help students set a proper goal basing on their own levels and learning abilities.Secondly,students should keep contact with English in various ways during a long vacation.More importantly,the teacher should teach students some learning and rehearsal strategies which can help students reduce attrition and learn English efficiently.