Gender differences in foreign language learning: A study of Chinese university students' English usage
Thien Nam Nguyen
Vietnam National University - Ha Noi
Summary in English
Though there were previous studies on errors in the usage of classifiers in
learning Vietnamese as foreign language (cf. Đại học Tổng hợp HN. 1975; Đại học
Tổng hợp Tp. HCM 1995; Đại học Quốc gia HN, 1997), these have merely observed
the errors but failed to analyse the causes of the errors due to the lack of a
critical theoretical framework. While these studies have made some contribution
to the teaching Vietnamese to foreigners, they failed to realize that the errors
are intralingual errors. Consequently they have been unsuccessful in solving the
roots of the causes. This study is arguably the first significant and thorough
study on errors in using classifiers in learning Vietnamese as foreign language.
In this study, the Error Analysis framework which was initiated by Pit Corder is
used as a core framework for analyzing data. This has shed new light on aspects
which were not addressed in the previous studies, and has helped to provide
better solutions to the causes of errors.
This article will try to (1) describe and analyze the errors in using
classifiers in learning Vietnamese; (2) prove that these are intralingual
errors; and (3) propose practical exercises in order to help learners minimize
the errors. In general, there are three types of errors which are commonly
committed by learners in using classifiers in Vietnamese. These are (1) omisson
of some required classifiers; (2) addition of some unnecessary or incorrect
classifiers; and (3) selection of an incorrect classifier. Through systematic
observation and analysis of data from experiences in the teaching Vietnamese to
foreigners from various backgrounds, I have come to the following conclusions:
(1) classifiers in Vietnamese are linguistic components which are complicated,
and not easily learned or properly applied by learners; (2) the errors in using
classifiers in learning Vietnamese are intralingual errors. My data have proven
that learners from various backgrounds tend to commit identical errors. This
finding is especially important in terms of methodology as it helps Vietnamese
language teachers to see that the errors do not arise solely because of
interference from learners’ native tongues; and (3) most of the errors are due
to overgeneralization, though there is a small number resulting from transfer of
training and communicative strategy.