Chapter 9. Present tense as a neutral form in the L2 French of Chinese L1 speakers
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Claire Saillard
Abstract
This chapter illustrates the claim that Chinese L1 speakers acquiring French as an L2 may face a double challenge stemming from their previous experience of a language without grammatical tense. For these learners, the process of ascertaining the temporal value of French tenses as well as their aspectual values may be hindered by negative transfer from the L1. This chapter starts with a brief description of the tense-aspect system of French and Mandarin Chinese, highlighting the main differences between them; it then presents analyses and results from a study based on narrative stretches relating to past situations extracted from the blogs written by the participants. We claim that French present tense is often used as a neutral form by Chinese L1 speakers, rather than being a default or base form typical of lower L2 proficiency. Arguments supporting this claim are based both on comparative linguistic descriptions and on semantic analyses of the learner’s productions, taking into account the interaction of lexical aspect and overt tense marking. The chapter ends with a discussion of the results weighing the explicative power of the transfer hypothesis as opposed to universalist hypotheses.
Abstract
This chapter illustrates the claim that Chinese L1 speakers acquiring French as an L2 may face a double challenge stemming from their previous experience of a language without grammatical tense. For these learners, the process of ascertaining the temporal value of French tenses as well as their aspectual values may be hindered by negative transfer from the L1. This chapter starts with a brief description of the tense-aspect system of French and Mandarin Chinese, highlighting the main differences between them; it then presents analyses and results from a study based on narrative stretches relating to past situations extracted from the blogs written by the participants. We claim that French present tense is often used as a neutral form by Chinese L1 speakers, rather than being a default or base form typical of lower L2 proficiency. Arguments supporting this claim are based both on comparative linguistic descriptions and on semantic analyses of the learner’s productions, taking into account the interaction of lexical aspect and overt tense marking. The chapter ends with a discussion of the results weighing the explicative power of the transfer hypothesis as opposed to universalist hypotheses.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Acknowledgments xi
- About the contributors and editor xiii
- Chapter 1. The development of third person singular present form -s 1
- Chapter 2. Zero-present under past in child French 21
- Chapter 3. The L2 acquisition of the English present simple – present progressive distinction 57
- Chapter 4. There is no time like the present 87
- Chapter 5. Examining the influence of transfer and prototypes on the acquisition of the present progressive in L2 Spanish 113
- Chapter 6. Formation and function of the simple present in conversational L2 Russian 153
- Chapter 7. L2 acquisition of English aspect by L1 Arabic speakers 185
- Chapter 8. The L2 acquisition of the present in the Japanese tense-aspect system 215
- Chapter 9. Present tense as a neutral form in the L2 French of Chinese L1 speakers 253
- Chapter 10. The simple present and the expression of temporality in L1 English and L2 English oral narratives 289
- Chapter 11. Conclusions and directions for future research 335
- Subject Index 341
- Name Index 345
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Acknowledgments xi
- About the contributors and editor xiii
- Chapter 1. The development of third person singular present form -s 1
- Chapter 2. Zero-present under past in child French 21
- Chapter 3. The L2 acquisition of the English present simple – present progressive distinction 57
- Chapter 4. There is no time like the present 87
- Chapter 5. Examining the influence of transfer and prototypes on the acquisition of the present progressive in L2 Spanish 113
- Chapter 6. Formation and function of the simple present in conversational L2 Russian 153
- Chapter 7. L2 acquisition of English aspect by L1 Arabic speakers 185
- Chapter 8. The L2 acquisition of the present in the Japanese tense-aspect system 215
- Chapter 9. Present tense as a neutral form in the L2 French of Chinese L1 speakers 253
- Chapter 10. The simple present and the expression of temporality in L1 English and L2 English oral narratives 289
- Chapter 11. Conclusions and directions for future research 335
- Subject Index 341
- Name Index 345
