毕业设计（论文）-英语专业学生在英语写作中冠词的误用分析.doc

英语专业学生在英语写作中冠词的误用分析Error Analysis of the Articles in English Majors Writing作者姓名：专业： 指导老师： 2016年5月19日AbstractArticles are frequently used in English speaking and writing, but the incorrect uses of articles may exert negative impact on communication. Hence, to use articles in a correct way is of great significance. This thesis takes senior English majors at NPU as an example, and try to explore the types of misused articles and factors caused the errors. This thesis chooses 30 pieces of the argumentative writing written in the Film Appreciation class by senior English majors at NPU as the analysis materials. These materials are corrected by a foreign teacher Tim who teaches English Writing. This thesis combines quantitative analysis with qualitative analysis. First, each types of error and counts the frequencies of each type are identified by the author. Then, a visual table is made to show the percentage each category takes up in the whole errors. Second, with the help of inter-language theory, the factors caused the error of misused articles are found. This study shows that there are three types errors of misused articles. They are omission of an article, overuse of an article, and confusion in the use of articles. Among these three types, omission of an article takes up the highest percentage, which is 51%. In addition, from the perspective of inter-language theory, there are three factors caused the misuse of articles. They are the negative transfer of mother language, the negative transfer of target language and the effect of training. Key words: misused articles, Inter-languagei摘要 冠词在英语表达中使用频率极高，且冠词的误用将在一定程度上影响人们的交际，因此，正确掌握冠词的使用显得尤为重要。本文以西北工业大学英语专业大四学生为例，主要研究英语专业学生在英语写作中冠词误用的类型和原因。 本文以西北工业大学2012级英语专业学生影视鉴赏期末作文为研究对象，从中选取30份。这些语料均在外教的指导下进行批改。针对这些语料，本文采用了定量与定性相结合的研究方法。作者首先对语料库中出现的冠词误用现象进行分类识别，并计算各类冠词误用出现次数，绘制成直观的表格。之后，按照冠词误用的统计结果，作者结合中介语理论归纳英语专业学生常出现的英语冠词误用的原因。 本次研究显示，英语专业学生在英语写作中的冠词误用主要分为三种类型，分别为冠词漏用，冠词的过度使用和冠词混用，其中冠词的漏用占三种类型的比例最大，为51%。另外，本文作者在中介语理论的指导下，分析出三种导致冠词误用的原因，分别是母语的负迁移，目标语的负迁移和训练的影响。 关键词：冠词误用，中介语理论iiiContentsAbstractiChapter One Introduction11.1 Background of the research11.2 Purpose of the research11.3 Significance of the research2 1.3.1 Theoretical significance2 1.3.2 Practical significance21.4 Structure of the thesis 2Chapter Two Literature Review32.1 Previous studies on English article system by Chinese and overseas scholars3 2.1.1 Studies by Chinese scholars3 2.1.2 Studies by overseas scholars32.2 Inter-language theory.4 2.2.1 Definition of inter-language4 2.2.2 Characteristics of inter-language5 2.2.3 Stages of inter-language development6 2.2.4 Five factors of inter-language72.3 Error analysis theory8 2.3.1 General introduction of error analysis8 2.3.2 The procedures of error analysis9Chapter Three Research Methodology113.1 Research subject113.2 Research questions113.3 Research methodology113.4 Research procedures11Chapter Four Results and Analysis134.1 Types of errors in English majors writing13 4.1.1 Omission of an article13 4.1.2 Overuse of an article14 4.1.3 Confusion in the use of articles154.2 Causes of misuse of articles16 4.2.1 The negative transfer interference of mother language16 4.2.2 The negative transfer interference of target language16 4.2.3 The effect of training17Chapter Five Conclusions195.1 Major findings195.2 Limitations of the research195.3 Recommendations for future researches20Bibliography21Acknowledgements23Chapter One Introduction1.1 Background of the researchThe inter-language theory was first put forward by Selinker in 1972. It is a theory of studying the error use of language. This theory not only consists of its definition, features, phases, and the causes of inter-language, but also provides a way called the Error Analysis to analyze the mistakes. For the part of Error Analysis, it provides five steps to analyze mistakes, including collecting mistakes, distinguishing mistakes, describing mistakes, explaining mistakes, and evaluating mistakes. Through these five steps, we can analyze the misuse of language step by step. As function words, articles, indefinite, definite and zero articles, are frequently used in English speaking and writing. Though there are only three types of articles, students still have lots of problems in using them for the complexity of their usage. Besides, since there are no articles in Chinese, Chinese English learners may find the use of article very difficult to master. Based on the above reasons, students may make many mistakes in the actual use of articles, especially in their writing. As for the readers, they may misunderstand the true meaning that the writers want to express. These incorrect uses of articles may exert negative impact on communication. Therefore, the analysis of misuse of articles is very necessary. Inter-language theory has provided a scientific method for the analysis of misuse of language. The misuse of articles belongs to a situation of the misuse of language. This thesis is going to analyze the misuse of articles based on the inter-language theory. 1.2 Purpose of the researchArticles are often used in our speaking and writing and they always carry different meanings in different contexts. Being able to use articles correctly will make students expression clearer and improve their level of English. There are three purposes in this thesis. The first purpose is to find out the types of misused articles by applying the usage of articles, so that students can identify the mistakes that they make. The second purpose is to clarify the factors of misuse of articles by applying the inter-language theory so that students can have a better understanding about the reasons why they make such mistakes in the actual use of articles. The third purpose is to provide ways for students to use articles correctly as well as make their expression clearer. 1.3 Significance of the research1.3.1 Theoretical significanceTheoretically, this thesis is significant in two ways. First, it can expand the influence of the inter-language theory. Since it provides a scientific method to analyze the misuse of language, students can get to know this theory in the process of applying inter-language theory to correct mistakes. Second, people can find some limitations about this theory in the actual use of it and perfect the theory. 1.3.2 Practical significanceSince the inter-language theory offers scientific methods for analyzing the misuse of articles, students can have an overall understanding about the misuses. When the factors that cause the misuse of articles are found, students can avoid the misuses consciously, which can help them improve the accuracy of using articles as well as make the communication effective. 1.4 Structure of the thesisThis thesis consists of five chapters in total.Chapter one is the brief introduction to this thesis. The background, the purpose, and the significance as well as the structure of the thesis are included in this chapter.Chapter two is about the literature review. Previous researches on articles and the introduction of inter-language theory are introduced in this chapter. Chapter three is the research methodology. Data collection and data analysis of the materials are discussed in this chapter. Chapter four is the results and discussion. Major findings are discussed in this chapter. Chapter five draws a conclusion of this thesis. The summary of major findings, some limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed in this chapter. Chapter Two Literature Review2.1 Previous studies on English article system by Chinese and overseas scholarsThere have been a large number of studies concerning the English articles, covering their acquisition, function, translation, and error analysis, etc. Chinese scholars and overseas scholars have contributed a lot to the study of articles from different perspectives. 2.1.1 Studies by Chinese scholarsFrom 1980s to nowadays, studies of articles done by Chinese scholars can be divided into two types according to their focuses. The first type is the general description of how the English articles are used, which is more like a summary of grammatical rules (eg. Zhang Yunping, (1986)；Bo Bing，1992；Xu Shihua，1996； Sun Li(1995); Duan Yi(1997).). These researchers often concentrate on the usage of articles by providing lists of examples and brief explanations. However, they dont pay attention to the fact that articles are used differently in different contexts. The second type of study is about articles acquisition. In this type, Chinese scholars often analyze either the misuse of articles or the ability of using articles correctly between the high level students and the low level students by choosing CLEC or high school students examination paper as their analysis materials(eg: Li Jingquan and Cai Jinting（2001）；Zhang Jing（2007)；Yang Jingyun（2008）)；Wang Wenjing (2014)Their studies just describe the misused features but dont explain the factors that why students misuse articles. Besides, they dont give an analysis about the article acquisition of English majors. 2.1.2 Studies by overseas scholarsSimilarly, some scholars abroad are also interested in studying the acquisition of articles by English learners from different language backgrounds, especially from the cross-linguistic perspective. Scholars abroad often make some empirical studies by collecting inter-language data from first language and second language of English learners of different ages in different backgrounds. Like Chinese scholars, some scholars abroad also focus on the teaching of articles. Kharma(1981) made an error analysis on using the English definite and indefinite articles in an Arab university. The interviewees of the study were students from the Department of English Language and Literature at Kuwait University. Besides, he gave his suggestions in teaching articles of Arabic and English.Parrish (1987) argued that compared with using an accuracy analysis alone, using different kinds of ways for analyzing inter-language data could adequately uncover the processes underlying inter-language development. Therefore, she adopted three systems to analyze the article acquisition of a 19-year-old female learner of ESL. She found that semantic function and lexical categories of noun phrases and the subject governed the article system. Master (1997) analyzed spoken inter-language data from fifteen non-native English learners at three English inter-language levels representing five first language backgrounds (Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and German) to describe the acquisition of the two zero articles. One occurs in definite and the other occurs in definite noun phrases. Trenkic (2001) explored the acquisition of the English articles by Serbian EFL learners. These learners first language does not have an article system. He used the data elicited from a translation task performed by four proficiency group. From the above brief review of literature, we can see that English article system has been studied in different languages in the world, but overseas scholars pay much attention to the results of acquisition of English articles on students, especially for those whose mother language does not have articles. They dont explain why students misuse articles. 2.2 Inter-language theoryLarry Selinker proposed the inter-language theory in 1972 to emphasize that learner language is different from natural language. Inter-language can reflect the development of learners second language knowledge. 2.2.1 Definitions of inter-languageThe term inter-language was first used by Larry Selinker (1972). It is defined as the systematic knowledge of language that is independent of both the learners first language and the second language system he or she is trying to acquire. It is a unique linguistic system and the product of interaction between two linguistic systems, which are learners first language and target language. Corder (1971:67) defines inter-language as the transitional competence and idiosyncratic dialects.According to Ellis (2000:33), the definition of inter-language involves the following premises to second language acquisition. The first premise is that learners build a system of abstract linguistic rules that are based on the comprehension of second language. The system of rules can be taken as mental grammar and is viewed as inter-language. The second premise is that a second language learners grammar is permeable. It is unstable and can be modified, and it can be affected by new language rules or forms. The third premise thinks that a learners grammar is transitional, which means learners will form inert-language and gradually improve the complexity of their second language knowledge. The fourth premise is that the system learners build is variable. Different learners will have systematic variability at any one stage of development. Some researchers take variability as an aspect of performance rather than competence. The variability reflects that learners want to use their language to communicate by changing some rules or forms. The fifth premise is that learners make use of various learning strategies to improve their inter-language. Errors that learners produce can show all kinds of learning strategies. The sixth premise is that a learners grammar is likely to fossilize. Many second language learners cant develop the same language proficiency as native speakers. Learners stop learning during a period of time. Fossilization is particular to second language grammar. From the above explanation, we can know that inter-language is the unique system that is constructed by second language learners. The system is different from the first language and second language, but it can reflect the characteristics of the first language and second language. Inter-language plays an important role in researching the second language acquisition. 2.2.2 Characteristics of inter-languageInter-language can reflect the characteristics of learners first language and target language and the characteristics always emerge in the inter-language systems. Selinker (1972) summarizes three principle features of inter-language. Inter-language is permeable. The principles that form the learners knowledge at any one time are not fixed and can be modified. Inter-language can be influenced by some external factors. Target grammars or rules may be partially learned or improperly applied, while the native language forms may permeate the developing inter-language rules at all levels. Inter-language is dynamic. It is the process of constant change towards the target language system. It does not jump from one stage to the next. Language learning is a process of interaction between native language and target language, because the learning process needs to be revised and understood slowly. Inter-language is systematic, which means that inter-language is not formed randomly. Inter-language has an integrated structure and is systematic. Second language learners use inter-language based on the existing language rules in the same way as the native speakers use native language based on their internalized rules of first language. Learners make use of inter-language rules systematically. 2.2.3 Stages of inter-language development Second language learners usually experience similar stages in the process of learning a target language though the spans of time spent by language learners are different. According to D.Brown (1987), learners will experience four stages of inter-language development. The first stage is Random Error Stage. In this stage, learners use some forms of the target language, but learners only vaguely realize that there are certain rules in the target language system. The second stage is Emergent Stage of Inter-language. In this stage, learners begin to discern some rules of the target language and to internalize them. These rules are thought to be reasonable by language learners. In this stage, learners may begin to master principles of the target language and try to understand these rules. In general, learners do not know why they make errors and cant correct errors when people point out these errors. The third stage is Systematic Stage. In this stage, learners can understand some principles of the target language, but his understanding is insufficient. The big difference between the second and the third stage is that learners can correct their errors when errors are pointed out to them and can explain why they produce incorrect forms in the third stage. The last stage is Stabilization Stage. In this stage, learners know the correct language forms and make few errors and can express their ideas fluently. The last stage includes learners self-correction. Learners can be aware of their errors before people point out errors to them. In this stage, inter-language system is stable. 2.2.4 Five factors of inter-languageSelinker asserts that there are five principal factors of cognitive processes operated in the inter-language. These are language transfer, overgeneralization of first language rules, transfer of training, strategies of second learning, and strategies of second language communication. Among these factors, the language transfer is the most important one. For language transfer, it includes positive transfer and negative transfer. Positive transfer means learnersmother languages rule or habits have a good influence on their learning of second language. Contrary to positive transfer, negative transfer means that the forms of their mother language have disadvantages in learning a second language. Because of the influences of their mother language, their ways of using second language go against to the target language and couldnt be accepted by the native speakers. The negative transfer makes it more difficult for learner to learn a new language. Overgeneralization of first language rules means the learner creates a deviant structure based on other structures in first language. Generaliz