Bi-directional Transfer in Chinese EFL Learners' Apologizing Behavior

Abstract

The present study investigated the apologizing behavior of Chinese EFL learners in their first language (L1) and second language (L2) to address the issue of bidirectional language transfer (from L1 to L2 and from L2 to L1) in foreign language learning. Data were collected via the instrument of a written discourse completion test Traces of cross-linguistic influence from both directions were found. As regards L1 influence on the L2, when apologizing in the L2, the intermediate EFL learners were more status-sensitive than the English native controls in their apology realizations. The advanced EFL learners were more prone to acknowledge responsibility to strangers and offer more repairs to acquaintances than the English native controls. Effects of the L2 on the L1 were less noticeable than from the other direction and were mainly observed in the advanced EFL learners. The advanced EFL learners did not vary their apology realization patterns according to the interlocutor's relative power as Chinese native controls did when apologizing in the Ll. Taken together, these results show that crosslinguisticinfluence can occur bi-directionally at the pragmatic level in foreign language learners