The Application of Transfer―based Strategies in non―English Major’s Writing

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Abstract：　Writing　is　a　complicated　thinking　process.　Different　thinking　mode　will　affect　multiple　aspects　including　the　article　organization，　diction，　construction，　words　usage　etc.　Different　thinking　modes　between　Chinese　and　English　make　their　own　different　expressing　habits.　Based　on　the　research　above　of　native　language　transfer，　this　thesis　aims　at　discussing　how　to　improve　students’　English　writing　ability　from　the　native　language　transfer　strategies.

Keyword：　negative　transfer，　positive　transfer

1.　Strategies　to　Avoid　the　Negative　Language　Transfer　of　Surface　Structure

The　mistakes　caused　by　the　interference　of　native　language　on　target　language　have　something　in　common　that　students　tend　to　use　Chinese　expressing　ways　directly　in　English，　ignoring　the　different　expressing　habits　of　the　two　languages.　It　is　greatly　caused　by　the　limited　vocabulary　and　linguistic　knowledge　of　students，　which　force　them　to　use　the　thinking　way　and　language　rules　of　native　language　unconsciously，　and　then　translate　it　in　to　target　language，　inevitably　resulting　in　the　mistakes　in　language　level　and　expressing　contradicting　western　thinking　pattern.

1.1.　To　Emphasize　Imitation　during　Language　Learning　Process

After　perspective　analyzing　on　the　language，　the　Western　linguists　draw　the　conclusion　that　language　is　flexible，　can　not　be　described　by　still　ideas，　and　grammar　can　not　explain　and　create　all　language　expressing.　based　on　this，　the　bilingual　learners，　especially　the　non　English　majors，　should　learn　to　imitate　English　during　writing.

During　the　ten　weeks　instruction，　the　students　in　experimental　were　assigned　to　recite　5　good　samples　of　compositions　every　twice　week.　Few　of　them　will　have　the　spot　check　in　at　the　beginning　of　the　classes.

1.2　To　Adopt　Chunk　Teaching　Method

Chunk　teaching　surpassed　the　boundary　between　traditional　vocabulary　and　grammar，　integrating　vocabulary，　grammar　and　syntax.　Moon　indicates　that　either　from　the　angle　of　semantics　or　syntax，　Chunk　teaching　can　provide　great　generative　power.　（Moon1997：43）。　The　concept　of　chunk　is　extensive，　inside　which　an　integrated　semantic　combination　is　configured.　It　advocates　students　to　make　composition　by　taking　vocabulary　formation　and　sentence　pattern　as　a　whole.　Thus，　when　a　similar　structural　pattern　is　needed，　the　students　can　recall　it　directly　from　the　database　of　vocabulary　combination　in　their　brains，　consequently　avoiding　making　the　linguistic　mistakes.

1.3　To　Form　the　Chinese-English　Conversion　Concept　during　Language　Learning　Process

Semantic　triangle　（Ogden&Richards，1923） indicates，　the　objects　（reference）　in　reality　will　firstly　respond　to　brain　to　form　as　ideas　（thought　or　reference），　then　output　as　language　elements　（symbo1），　this　is　the　language　expressing　process.

For　those　non　English　majors　who　have　less　fundamental　English　knowledge，　I　modified　the　semantic　triangle　shown　as　below，　to　illustrate　the　output　process　of　target　language.　The　process　from　concept　to　language　output　is　always　the　bilingual　learners'　bottle　neck，　in　which　they　just　can　not　get　away　from　the　influence　of　the　native　language.　When　responding　for　the　objects　（reference），　they　will　naturally　reflect　native　language’s　thought　and　concept　（thought　or　reference／mother　tongue），　then　turn　to　the　expressing　methods　of　native　language　（symbol／mother　tongue）.

In　this　case，　the　students　should　use　their　familiar　native　language　to　organize　the　concept　to　be　expressed，　identify　the　similar　expressing　method　in　their　brains.　For　example，　if　you　want　to　say　a　student　is　hardworking，　Chinese　will　be　“use　heart”，　which　is　typical　Chingish.　Apparently，　you　can　not　find　the　corresponding　expressing　in　target　language，　so，　you　need　to　analyze　“use　heart”　in　Chinese，　which　has　the　meaning　of　devoting　heartily，　the　following　similar　vocabulary　combination　can　fit：　be　absorbed　in，　be　committed　to，　devote　oneself　to，　concentrate　on，　pay　attention　to　and　so　on.　Therefore，　to　form　the　Chinese　to　English　conversion　concept　based　on　idea　can　bring　the　native　transfer　strategy　a　success　under　surface　structure.

2.　strategies　to　Promote　Positive　Language　Transfer　from　Deep　Structure

During　English　learning，　many　teaching　methods　are　of　persuading　students　to　form　English　thinking　mode.　However，　it　is　pretty　difficult　for　non　english　majors.　How　can　they　improve　English　writing　ability　even　with　poor　fundamental　English　knowledge？　Actually，　the　writing　processes　of　both　native　and　foreign　languages　are　similar，　you　have　to　use　the　same　method　to　think，　modify，　and　use　strategy　and　style.　This　is　the　above　mentioned　positive　native　language　transformation　of　deep　structure.　But　there　are　still　some　differences　between　the　two　difference　languages　in　terms　of　writing.

2.1　To　Adopt　Integrated　Reading　Method　in　Teaching

The　unity　of　a　composition　is　not　only　represented　in　the　connection　of　word，　sentences　and　paragraphs，　but　also　in　the　semantics　under　surface　and　deep　structures.　Traditional　teaching　methods　emphasize　to　analyze　the　surface　knowledge，　separating　the　connection　between　the　whole　and　the　part　of　the　writing.　College　students　have　strong　native　language　sense　and　the　ability　of　self-learning，　so　we　need　to　emphasize　the　deep　structure　of　writing，　to　help　students　learn　more　about　the　deep　structure　of　English.

2.2　To　Analyze　the　Discourse　Structure　of　the　Target　Language

Chinese　and　English　have　different　discourse　structures.　English　is　Aristotelian-linear，　which　is　linear，　starting　with　subject　sentence，　then　going　deeper　and　deeper.　Michael　Hoe　and　Michael　McCarthy　categorized　English　article　structure　as　three　patterns：　a.　General-Specific　Pattern，　b.　Problem-Solution　Pattern，　c.　Matching　Pattern.　But　Chinese　is　implicative　and　euphemistic.　That’s　why　Chinese　students　tend　to　diverge　from　the　subject　when　writing.“From　the　point　of　education，　it　is　important　to　help　students　know　different　article　types　as　early　as　possible　and　know　how　to　categorize　them，　and　finally　being　able　to　writing　different　articles　as　we　do.”　（Guy　Cook）　The　students　with　higher　native　language　proficiency　will　do　better　at　linking　different　part　in　English　writing.　The　knowledge　learned　during　native　language　writing　including　structural　strategy　and　markedness　theory，　will　be　transformed　to　second　language　writing.　Therefore，　higher　native　language　proficiency　and　being　familiar　with　English　article　structures　can　help　to　create　deep　structure　which　promote　positive　language　transfer.

2.3　To　Construct　English　Discourse　Through　Native　Language　Thinking　Mode

When　making　discourse　analysis，　Andy　Kirkpatrick　found　out　that　Chinese　people　tend　to　narrate　reasons　before　making　their　statements　during　argumentation，　to　form　the　order　as　“because so”，　This　is　why　lots　of　students　did　poor　in　composition　of　CET-4.　For　non　English　majors，　they　will　unconsciously　use　Chinese　thinking　into　the　layout　of　English　writing.　Of　course，　we　can　not　totally　get　rid　of　native　language　thinking.　The　thinking　patterns　of　human　are　generally　similar　with　slight　differences.　Knowing　these　slight　differences　will　help　you　use　positive　native　language　transfer　to　improve　English　writing　ability.

In　pre-writing　stage，　the　students　are　required　to　write　down　the　points　in　Chinese　first，　list　them　in　logical　sequence，　and　then　find　out　the　supporting　details　and　write　the　outline　in　Chinese　accordingly，　translate　them　and　write　the　composition　in　English.

3.　Pedagogical　Implication

For　non-English　majors　in　vocational　school，　tongue　transfer　is　correlated　to　the　writing　quality　of　the　participant.　Positive　transfers　of　their　first　language，　Chinese，　does　exist　in　their　English　writings　in　terms　of　both　linguistic　aspect　and　discourse　aspect.

Therefore，　it　is　extremely　necessary　English　teachers　to　take　strategies　training　into　consideration　in　their　teaching　process　and　try　to　take　advantage　of　it.　Specifically　speaking，　English　teachers　should　be　aware　of　the　advantage　of　Chinese　which　is　usually　excluded　in　the　present　English　writing　process.　On　the　basis　of　various　teaching　focus，　various　ways　could　be　used　to　achieve　a　particular　purpose.　For　instance，　if　the　teaching　focus　is　clear　and　detailed　points，　the　translated　method　in　this　thesis　is　a　good　choice　when　the　teachers　require　the　students　to　develop　their　ideas　in　a　quiet　detailed　way.　If　the　teaching　focus　is　the　varieties　of　vocabulary　and　sentence　patter，　extractions　from　numerous　excellent　works　of　prominent　writers　can　even　be　used，　that　means，　through　reciting　those　extractions，　they　will　endeavor　all　their　energy　to　generate　various　and　colorful　words　and　sentences　and　avoid　to　the　negative　language　transfer　of　the　surface　construction.　So　during　the　vocabulary　combination　and　conversion　process，　various　vocabularies　and　sentences　which　the　students　know　but　are　not　capable　of　putting　them　in　use　will　be　practiced　more　enough　and　thus　really　can　be　mastered　by　the　students.　If　the　teaching　focus　is　on　the　organization　of　the　writing，　the　Chinese　outline　should　be　allowed　for　them　to　create　a　better　organization.

It　is　extremely　difficult　and　unnecessary　here　to　display　all　the　detailed　and　specific　ways　of　English　writing　training.　Generally　speaking，　teachers　should　keep　the　principle　in　their　mind　that　Chinese　does　have　positive　effects　in　English　writing　and　teachers　should　consider　them　seriously　to　take　use　of　them　in　the　teaching　process.　In　this　way，　various　ways　can　be　created　to　be　put　in　use　of　English　writing　process.

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