The Instruction and Acquisition of the BA Construction by Students of Chinese as a Foreign Language

This book explores the linguistic properties and acquisition of the BA construction in Chinese, arguing that properties that require knowledge from interfaces are more difficult to master than those that involve pure syntactic knowledge. Instructors should provide manipulated input to help learners notice and process these properties.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 238 pages
Publication date: 15 November 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate and challenging BA construction in Chinese, exploring its linguistic characteristics and the acquisition process for learners of Chinese as a foreign language. By adopting the Interface Hypothesis and the Processing Instruction approach, Hongying Xu makes a compelling argument that not all aspects of the BA construction are equally difficult to acquire. Specifically, she emphasizes that properties that require knowledge from interfaces, such as semantics, pragmatics, and syntax, pose greater challenges than those that solely rely on pure syntactic knowledge.

Xu suggests that instructors should actively provide manipulated input to assist learners in recognizing and processing these properties. This proactive approach aims to enable learners to grasp the complexities of the BA construction before they are expected to produce grammatical and appropriate sentences. By exposing students to controlled and structured input, instructors can facilitate their understanding and mastery of the BA construction, ultimately enhancing their language proficiency.

The book further discusses the pedagogical implications of teaching the BA construction. It emphasizes the importance of providing clear explanations and examples to facilitate learners' comprehension. Additionally, the book suggests various teaching strategies, such as task-based learning, collaborative learning, and multimedia resources, to enhance the learning experience and promote effective language acquisition.

In conclusion, this book offers valuable insights into the linguistic properties and acquisition of the BA construction in Chinese. By adopting a comprehensive approach and utilizing effective teaching strategies, instructors can effectively guide learners in mastering this challenging construction, thereby improving their language proficiency.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793641410