Language transfer: How much do EFL learners perform collocation conventions in English?

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1, 34 - 47, 31.03.2022

Semin Kazazoğlu

Öz

Contrastive linguistics is a field of linguistics that reflects applied linguistics to foreign language learning. It aims to compare a mother tongue and a foreign language, to identify the differences and contrasts between them, and thus to provide effective foreign language teaching methods. In resetting parameter language learners transfer linguistic features into two distinct system. Accordingly, while some features of the foreign language can be transferred to the mother tongue, it is also possible for the mother tongue to affect the target language. This phenomenon is called transfer. Transfer has both a positive and a negative side. Its negative side is called interference and its positive side is called positive transfer. While positive transfer makes learning easier, interference makes it difficult. This study aimed at analyzing Turkish EFL learners’ L1 interference on L2 collocational errors that they uttered in written production. Errors that participants made were categorized under three headings a) errors involving L1 word order; b) errors involving prepositions; and c) errors involving wrong word choice. The data was gathered by two writing tasks and translation. The findings suggested that L1 interference is observed in all of the tasks regardless of the level of the students. However, wrong word choice error is among the most recorded type of error in all levels of students. Besides, lower proficiency level students do more errors than those who have higher proficiency level. However, regardless of the proficiency level, all participants make crosslinguistic errors involving wrong word choice in their L2 writing productions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

interference, collocation, cross-linguistic influence, second language acqusition, error analysis

Kaynakça

• Aksu Kurtoğlu, Ö. (2016). A theoretical view to collocations with an argument of integrant approach in teaching level, Mersin Üniversitesi Dil ve Edebiyat Dergisi, MEUDED, 13(1), 39-70.
• Alqaed, M.A. (2017). Perceptions on L2 lexical collocation translation with a focus on English-Arabic. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(6), 128-133.
• Artoni, D., & Rylova, A. (2021). L1 interference in interlanguage pragmatics. Annali Di Ca’ Foscari. Serie Occidentale, 55(55). https://doi.org/10.30687/AnnOc/2499-1562/2021/09/014
• Bartan, Ö.Ş. (2019). Lexical collocation errors in literary translation. Dil Dergisi, (170),73-88.
• Cangır, H., & Durrant, P. (2021). Cross-linguistic collocational networks in the L1 Turkish–L2 English mental lexicon. Lingua, 258, 103057.
• Fortescue, M. (2014). A network model of lexical organization in the bilingual brain. In: 4th UK Cognitive Linguistics Conference, 117-135.
• Hoey, M. (2005). Lexical priming: A new theory of words and language. Routledge.
• Huang, L.S. (2001). Knowledge of English collocations: an analysis of Taiwanese EFL learners. In: Luke, C., Rubrecht, R. (Eds.), Texas papers in Foreign Language Education.
• James M.A. (2012). Cross-Linguistic Influence and Transfer of Learning. In: Seel N.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_702
• Kazazoğlu, S. (2020). The impact of L1 ınterference on foreign language writing: A contrastive error analysis. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 16(3), 1177-1188.
• Kootstra, G., & Muysken, P. (2017). Cross-linguistic priming in bilinguals: Multidisciplinary perspectives on language processing, acquisition, and change. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 20(2), 215-218. doi:10.1017/S1366728916001127
• Luft Baker, D., McCoach, B. D., Ware, S., Coyne, M. D., & Rattan, S. M. (2021). Effects of Spanish vocabulary knowledge on the English word knowledge and listening comprehension of bilingual students. International Journal of Bilingual Education & Bilingualism, 1(15). https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2021.1908219
• Modarresi, G. (2009). Collocational errors of Iranian EFL learners in written English. TELL, 1(3),135-154. Nesselhauf, N. (2003). The use of collocations by advanced learners of English and some implications for teaching. Applied Linguistics, 24(2), 223-242.
• Nişancı, S. (2014). Factors influencing Turkish EFL learners’ collocation production, Yeditepe University, Unpublished Master of Arts.
• Odlin, T. (1989). Language transfer: Cross-linguistic influence in language learning. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Öksüz, D., Brezina, V., & Rebuschat, P. (2021). Collocational processing in L1 and L2: The effects of word frequency, collocational Frequency, and association. Language Learning, 71(1), 55-98. Phoocharoensil, S. (2013). Cross-Linguistic Influence: Its Impact on L2 English Collocation Production. English Language Teaching, 6 (1), 1.
• Richards, J., & Schmidt, R. (2002). Dictionary of language teaching & applied linguistics. Pearson Education Limited. London: Longman.
• Schmitt, N. (2010). Researching vocabulary: A vocabulary research manual. Palgrave Press.
• Wolter, B. & Gyllstad, H. (2011). Collocational links in the L2 mental lexicon and the influence of L1 intralexical knowledge. Applied Linguistics, 32(4), 430--449.
• Zughoul, M. & Abdul-Fettah, H. (2001). Collocational competence of Arabic speaking learners of English: A study in Lexical semantics. Journal of the College of Arts, 1-19, 9. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED479650.pdf.