A Corpus Based Study on Conceptual Transfer Involving Classifier-noun Collocation Errors Made by Advanced-level Chinese as Second Language Learners

Abstract

Abstract-Within the framework of conceptual transfer, this study makes an error analysis on 52 classifiers of grade A based on the writing part of HSK advance.The identified systematic features are analyzed in terms of their collocation with nouns and discussed from a lexical conceptual transfer perspective. Three error types are summarized and systematic lexical conceptual transfer is revealed. For Chinese as a second language (CSL for short) learners, if there is no overt linguistic categorization in their first language, conceptual transfer means to obtain conceptual knowledge of classifiers as well as to build up conceptualization models. These findings have largely testified thesis of conceptual transfer in SLA and provided pedagogical significance in CSL teaching.