1.绪论
1.1研究内容
在学习语言的过程中，很多因素都能影响到学习的程度。其中最为显著的因素是环境因素，很多人的语音学习或多或少都受到了一语的影响，具有促进作用的影响称为语言的正迁移；反之，称为语言的负迁移。二语习得过程中，负迁移表现的更为明显。It is well noticed that there are plenty of studies writing about the influence of dialectson the acquisition of English speech sounds, which are from the segmental point such asphonemes, while some are from the supersegmental such www.1daixie.comas tones, stress, syllable, etc. Theseresearches respectively touch upon Shanghai dialect (Wu Hongbin, 2002); Gansu dialect(Yang Dexiang, 2003); Linxi dialect (Zhang Xiaohua, 2007); Shandong dialect (Sui Hua,2009); Shenyang dialect (Liu Xizhe, 2010), and little about the influence of Xi'an dialect overthe acquisition of English speech sounds, so this paper attempts to fill up this blankness.
1.2 Significance and Objects of the Research研究意义和对象
The significance of this study lies in:
1) Studies on the negative transfer of Xi'an dialect over the acquisition of Englishsounds are few till now, this study will present English pronunciation errors of Xi'anstudents. This study is trying to makes some contributions for this blankness;
2) The results of the research will help Xi'an students to know their problems in theacquisition of English sounds, so as it is useful to avoid the negative transfer of theirdialect;
3) This paper is of significances and necessity since it is try to make a comparativelyclear analysis about Xi'an dialect and English speech sounds and which will helpEnglish teachers in this area to facilitate teaching and learning process.
In this paper, transfer theory will be used towww.1daixie.com analyze the negative transfer of Xi'andialect over the acquisition of English sounds. Transfer is a traditional term from psychologyof learning which means imposition of previously learned patterns onto a new learningsituation. In second language acquisition, the knowledge of the native language (LI) inacquisition of foreign language (L2) can indeed have a facilitation or inhabitation effect onthe learner's progress in mastering a new language. Traditionally, facilitation effect is knownas positive transfer, while inhabitation is considered negative transfer.
1.3 Research Method研究方法
The research method for this paper includes pronunciation test, which is to know theinformation systematically on the pronunciation of Xi'an Students. Face to Facecommunication will be better to know the problems directly. Students are coming from onelocal college which lives in Xi'an; in addition to their parents all speak dialect at home. Sothey can represent the general condition of Xi'an students' English pronunciation to someextent. In order to get the precise information, the author will use Excel to analyze the datefrom the test and PRAAT to transcribe the recording of all the participants. At last, thequestionnaire will be designed to investigate the attitude of dialect users. In order to find outthe errors of participants' pronunciations, those steps are adopted to make sure the results ofthe study are fully reliable.
Chapter Two Literature Review文献回顾
2.1 Language Transfer语言迁移
As a matter of fact, it is not easy to give a very clear and precise definition oflanguage transfer. Wherever, it is essential to look back on its development and thesorts of definitions provided by some foreign scholars.Transfer, the term, was originally derived from the Latin word “transfer”，andthe meaning of it is “to bear, to print, to impress, or to copy (from one language toanother)". As its meaning illustrates, it can also be used to refer to “ to carry-over orgeneralization of the previous learned responses from one kind of situation toanother" (Webster Third New World International Dictionary, 1986: 356-3570.Besides, the further developed meaning now is made use of in linguistics. However,transfer is recognized so ambiguous a term that some scholars even put forwardabandoning it or using it in highly strict ways (e.g,. Corder 1983:561-568; Kellermanand Sharwood Smith 1986: 431-442).
"The phenomenon of native language influence on the learning of a secondlanguage has been recognized for centuries and is the most substantialinfluence".[Selinker] It has been taken a long time for people to notice the phenomenaof the impact of first language on the second language acquisition. It's pretty easy tofind out that the second language learners imitate with “foreign accent". Many peoplecan recognize where the foreigners come from just through their pronunciation. Theawareness of such foreign accent is the one example of how people to realize theexistence of cross-linguistic influence，which is known as language transfer.
Chapter Three Sound Systems .........................................24-34
3.1 Phonetic system of English......................................... 24-29
3.1.1 The Consonants of English .........................................24-25
3.1.2 The Vowels of English......................................... 25-27
3.1.3 English Sound Changes......................................... 27-29
3.2 Phonetic System of Xi'an Dialect .........................................29-34
3.2.1 Background of Xi'an Dialect......................................... 29-32
3.2.2 Characteristics of Phonemes .........................................32-34
Chapter Four Research Design......................................... 34-43
4.1 Purpose of the Research......................................... 34-35
4.2 Testing Materials .........................................35-37
4.3 Participants in the Research .........................................37-38
4.4 Data Collection .........................................38-42
4.5 Testing Procedure .........................................42-43
Chapter Five Data Analysis and Discussions......................................... 43-57
5.1 General Analysis of the Data Collected .........................................43-46
5.2 Specific Analysis......................................... 46-57
Conclusion结论
Under the theory of language transfer, this paper has studies the general featuresof English vowels and consonants and those of Xi'an dialect. Through theinvestigation of 50 students in Xi'an Conservatory of Music and scientific analysis,the influence of Xi'an dialect over the acquisition of English pronunciation isunveiled. It is found that language transfer really do happen in EFL learning for Xi'anstudents. Negative transfers are more obvious than positive transfers for Xi'anstudents. So the study focuses more on the negative transfer, it finds out thedifferences and problems Xi'an students confront with. How the negative transfersbehave on the EFL learning is also explored. What's the most important is that how toavoid the negative transfer or say problems encountered by Xi'an students are given.
The major findings of this thesis are, first, from the aspect of vowel, thenegative influence of Xi'an dialect over the diphthongs and long and shortmonophthongs of English is more prominent. They confuse the front vowels ，and have the problem of sounds addition; second，at the level of consonantsinfluenced by Xi'an accents, Xi'an students confuse /v/ and consonant clusters. Theycannot pronounce the dental fricative /0/ and /5/; alveolar lateral in a correct wayand also has the problem of additional vowels. They are confused by adding vowelsafter voiceless consonants such as adding h/ after voiceless consonant
The previous habit of articulating Xi'an dialect more or less fossilizes thelearner's pronouncing of English sounds. Some students would not correct theoriginal error sounds willingly. They consider it is a thing of wasting labor or may befeel kind of .psychologically. This results is out of their ignoring the importance if thepronunciation output if the language. They pay little attention to the practical use ofthe language.