Affiliation:
1. Xi'an Jiaotong – Liverpool University
Abstract
This chapter investigates the second language acquisition of the Chinese reflexiveziji‘self’ by English and Korean speakers. The aim is to utilize cognitive and behavioural measures in order to investigate the hypothesis that Chinese and Korean reflexives are pragmatically regulated, while English reflexives are syntactically governed. The measures used are reaction timing, confidence levels and knowledge source attribution. The experiment specifically examines how a processing account of reflexives can support a pragmatic/syntactic distinction of reflexive regulation in linguistic theory by observing how long-distance and local binding is achieved in neutral and biased contexts. Results reveal that English and Korean learners of Chinese have differing sources of language transfer affecting their interpretation of Chineseziji. Overall, the measures obtained shows their power in understanding what underlies traditional antecedent judgements.
Publisher
John Benjamins Publishing Company
Reference29 articles.
1. The L2 acquisition of Chinese reflexive ziji;Chen;McGill Working Papers in Linguistics,1996
2. Long distance reflexives and islandhood in Chinese head movement versus adjunction to IP;Cole;Journal of Chinese Linguistics,1997
3. Measuring unconscious knowledge: distinguishing structural knowledge and judgment knowledge