Transcript Tomo`s Virtual presentation 633KB Nov 10 2009 09:17:09 PM

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The Influence of L1 on avoidance of
phrasal verbs by Japanese-speaking
English learners
Tomo
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Introduction / Research area
 Area: SLA
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Avoidance in L2 production
 What’s

avoidance?
Learners consciously avoid a grammatical structure
or word and substitute it with something else for the
difficulty.
 What’re
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the causes of avoidance?
This study assumes and investigates that L1
influence is one of the causes of avoidance.
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Aim / Justification
 Analyzing
the influence of L1 on L2 learning will
allow clearer description of L2 acquisition
development processes.
 L1-Chinese
English learners’ phrasal verb
avoidance rate is according to the learners’
proficiency level (Laio & Fukuya, 2004). If L1Japanese English learners show a similar tendency,
it supports the idea that absence of a structure in
L1s slows down the acquisition of L2 that has the
structure.
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References
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Hulstijn, J., & Marchena, E. (1989). Avoidance: grammatical or
semantic causes. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 11(3),
241-255.

Kleinmann, H. H. (1978). The strategy of avoidance in adult second
language acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie (Ed.), Second language
acquisition research (pp. 157-174). New York: Academic Press.
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Laufer, B., & Eliasson, S. (1993). What causes avoidance in L2
learning: L1-L2 difference, L1-L2 similarity, or L2 complexity?.
Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15(1), 35-48.

Liao, Y., & Fukuya, Y. (2004). Avoidance of phrasal verbs: the case of
Chinese learners of English. Language Learning, 54(2), 193-226.

Schachter, J. (1974). An error in error analysis. Language learning,
24(2), 205-214.
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Research questions
 Do
L1-Japanese learners avoid phrasal verbs to a
similar extent as other English learners of L1 which
don’t have phrasal verbs (mostly non-Germanic
languages)?
 Does
avoidance rate diminish accordingly as L1Japanese learners become more proficient at
English?
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Subjects / Sources
 20
Native English speakers
 20
L1-Japanese English learners (intermediate level)
 TOEFL score: 500-599
 20
L1-Japanese English learners (advanced level)
 TOEFL score: 600 or more
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Material / Instruments
 Written
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
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
multiple choice test
Choose a phrasal verb or a one-word equivalent
The texts are in colloquial & informal
Two types of phrasal verbs: literal & figurative
Japanese translation is given
10 minutes to complete
15 questions total
(Sample 1:a literal phrasal verb)
“When the weather is nice I love to _____ early.”
“Me, too. It’s good to enjoy the morning air.”(起きる)
A. rise B. release C. get up D. look after
(Sample 2: a figurative phrasal verb)
“Do you notice that Marvin likes to _____?”
“Yes, but I don’t think that he has anything to be proud of.” (自慢する)
A. lie B. boast C. show off D. break out
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Procedure
1.
All subjects take the test.
2.
Data analysis on the native English speakers
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3.
Data analysis on the two groups of English learners
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4.
The proportion of right phrasal verbs
The proportion of right phrasal verbs to be compared
Inferential statistical analysis with ANOVA

The probability coefficient between subject groups/
types of phrasal verbs will be computed.
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Type of data / data analysis
 Type
of data: Quantitative
 Data: multiple
 Data
choice key selection by participants
analysis:
Proportion of multiple key selection by each group of
subjects will be compared.
 Inferential statistical analysis will be conducted in
order to obtain generalizability of the results.
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Limitations
 Avoidance
or ignorance?
Avoidance presumes being able to use it.
 If subjects don’t know about the phrasal verbs, the
case can’t be treated as avoidance.
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 Avoidance
is the not the only factor that affects the
results.
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The ways the subjects learned: it seems likely that
learners started learning English with
formal/written registers, and not experienced
with informal/colloquial as much.
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Expected findings
 Avoidance
rate of phrasal verbs by L1-Japanese
English learners is similar to one by L1- Chinese
speakers.

Liao & Fukuya’s (2004) study is about L1-Chinese.
 Avoidance
rate is higher in the intermediate level
group than the advanced level group.
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If so, it supports the idea that avoidance of phrasal
verbs can be an indicator of the learners’ acquisition
development.