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  • Mandarin Handout of Linguistic Features PDF

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    This document discusses some key linguistic features that are different between Chinese (Mandarin) and English and may lead to transfer when Chinese speakers learn English as a second language. Some examples include: noun-adjective word order in Chinese, lack of articles in Chinese, no distinction between subject and object pronouns, verbs are not conjugated to show tense, and time and location expressed in a specific order. The document provides examples to illustrate these differences between the two languages.

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    This document discusses some key linguistic features that are different between Chinese (Mandarin) and English and may lead to transfer when Chinese speakers learn English as a second language. Some examples include: noun-adjective word order in Chinese, lack of articles in Chinese, no distinction between subject and object pronouns, verbs are not conjugated to show tense, and time and location expressed in a specific order. The document provides examples to illustrate these differences between the two languages.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    25 views1 page

    Mandarin Handout of Linguistic Features PDF

    Uploaded by

    Monaka
    This document discusses some key linguistic features that are different between Chinese (Mandarin) and English and may lead to transfer when Chinese speakers learn English as a second language. Some examples include: noun-adjective word order in Chinese, lack of articles in Chinese, no distinction between subject and object pronouns, verbs are not conjugated to show tense, and time and location expressed in a specific order. The document provides examples to illustrate these differences between the two languages.

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    Linguistic feature Chinese (Mandarin) Examples of L1→L2 transfer

    Adjectives Noun-adjective word order soup hot (hot soup)

    I ate (an) apple.


    Articles No articles; may use masculine marker for his/her
    I go to (the) store.

    Where (did) you go?


    Auxiliary Auxiliaries are not used
    He (is) very tall.

    Plural Not marked I have many cat (cats).

    Prepositions May differ or be less distinct, so often difficult

    Pronouns No distinction between subject and object pronouns I love he (him).

    She talk (talks or talked) a lot.


    Verb tenses Verbs are not conjugated to show tense
    I go (went) with my mom.

    Word order Time and location (adverbs) in specific order Tomorrow, I see you. (I will see you tomorrow.)

    Li, C. N., & Thompson, S. A. (2009). Chinese. In B. Comrie (Ed.), The world’s major languages (2nd ed., pp. 703-723). New York: Routledge.
    Rao, C. (2009). Chinese. Retrieved from http://www.ritell.org/Resources/Documents/language%20project/Chinese.pdf

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