Author(s)

Yiran Zhang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Columbia University, New York, 10027, United States

Corresponding Author

Yiran Zhang

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of native language grammatical gender systems on second language (L2) acquisition, focusing on the concept of "conceptual transfer." Conceptual transfer refers to the influence of a learner's native language structures and concepts on their understanding and usage of L2. By exploring the varied effects of gendered, pronoun-based gendered, and genderless native languages on learning gendered second languages, this study synthesizes findings from six empirical experiments. These findings suggest that surface transfer plays a significant role in early stages or simpler L2 tasks, while deep transfer becomes critical in more complex linguistic situations. Additionally, the study identifies limitations in existing research, such as the lack of comprehensive data on genderless languages and the influence of cultural factors on gender bias, raising questions about the extent to which grammatical gender affects speakers' gender conceptualization. This work contributes to the ongoing discussion in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) by offering a nuanced view of how native language structures shape L2 learning outcomes.

KEYWORDS

Conceptual transfer, grammatical gender, second language acquisition

CITE THIS PAPER

Yiran Zhang, Conceptual Transfer of L1's Effects on Learning Grammatical Gender in L2. Lecture Notes on Language and Literature (2024) Vol. 7: 1-6. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/langl.2024.070801.

REFERENCES

[1] Gygax, P. M., Elmiger, D., Zufferey, S., Garnham, A., Sczesny, S., von Stockhausen, L., Braun, F., & Oakhill, J. (2019). A Language Index of Grammatical Gender Dimensions to Study the Impact of Grammatical Gender on the Way We Perceive Women and Men. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 1604.  
[2] Lambelet, A. (2016). Second grammatical gender system and grammatical gender-linked connotations in adult emergent bilinguals with french as a second language. The International Journal of Bilingualism, 20(1), 62-75. 
[3] Mecit, A., Lowrey, T., & Shrum, L. (2020). Grammatical gender and anthropomorphism: "It" depends on the language. St. Louis: Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis. 
[4] Odlin, T. (2005). Crosslinguistic influence and conceptual transfer: what are the. concepts? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 25, 3-25.
[5] Sabourin, L., Stowe, L. A., & de Haan, G., J. (2006). Transfer effects in learning a. second language grammatical gender system. Second Language Research, 22(1), 1-29.

Sponsors, Associates, and Links

---

• Journal of Language Testing & Assessment
  
  
• Information and Knowledge Management
  
  
• Military and Armament Science
  
  
• Media and Communication Research
  
  
• Journal of Human Movement Science
  
  
• Art and Performance Letters
  
  
• Lecture Notes on History
  
  
• Philosophy Journal
  
  
• Science of Law Journal
  
  
• Journal of Political Science Research
  
  
• Journal of Sociology and Ethnology
  
  
• Advances in Broadcasting