Causes of and Remedies for Chinglish in Chinese College Students’ Writings

Ping Wang, Weiping Wang

Foreign Language Department, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
School of Foreign Languages and Literature, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.

DOI: 10.4236/ojml.2012.22009                

Abstract

Based on Interlanguage Theory and other theories, this study examines data from samples of Chinese college students’ writings and interviews with the students to explore the causes of and remedies for Chinglish (a term used to refer English with Chinese characteristics). It claims that Chinglish is mainly caused by syntactic transfer from Chinese, the influence of Chinese thought patterns, inadequate exposure to authentic English and insufficient practice in English writing. The interviews with the students showed that the proportion of L1 thinking decreased with the writer’s L2 development. The recommended remedies for Chinglish include raising students’ awareness of distinctions between English and Chinese, increasing their exposure to authentic English and practice in English writing, and adjusting their thought patterns.

Keywords

Chinglish; ESL Writing; Causes; Remedies

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Bao, H. (2001). Cultural context and translation. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[2]	Chen, Z. (1981). On problems of translation—A series of talks given at the institute of journalism. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[3]	Clausen, M. (1987). Concise process handbook. New York: McGrawHill.
[4]	Cook,V. (1991). Second language learning and language teaching. London, UK: Edward Arnold.
[5]	Deng, Y. (1983). Language and culture. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[6]	Deng, Y., & Liu, Y. (2001). Language and culture—A contrastive study of English and Chinese language and culture. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[7]	Ellis, R. (1985). Understanding second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[8]	Ellis, R. (2000). Second language acquisition. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Research Press.
[9]	Izumi, S., & Bigelow, M. (2000). Does output promote noticing and second language acquisition? TESOL Quarterly, 34, 239-278. doi:10.2307/3587952
[10]	Jia, Yu. (1997). Cross-cultural communication. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
[11]	Klein, W. (1986). Second language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[12]	Kobayash, H., & Rinnert, C. (1992). Effects of first language on second language writing: Translation versus direct composition. Language Learning, 42, 183-215. doi:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1992.tb00707.x
[13]	Krashen, S., & Terrell, T. (1983). The natural approach. Oxford: Pergamoon/Alemany Press.
[14]	Krashen, S. (1985). The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. London, UK: Longman Publishing Press.
[15]	Li, J. (2007). Negative language transfer in college English writing by Chinese students: Problems and strategies. CELEA Journal, 2, 88-103.
[16]	Lian, Sh. (1993). A contrastive study of English and Chinese. Beijing: Higher Education Press.
[17]	Lian, Sh. (2002). On the Chinese and western thinking mode. Foreign Language and Teaching, 2, 40-48.
[18]	Liu, M. (2006). Comparison of English and Chinese and translation. Beijing: China Translation Publishing Press.
[19]	Long, M. (1996). The role of the linguistic environment in second language acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie, & T. K. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 413-468). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
[20]	Chen, F. K. (1998). Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (English-Chinese). Beijing: Commercial Press.
[21]	Nunan, D. (2001). Second language teaching and learning. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[22]	Odlin, T. (2001). Language transfer—Cross linguistic influence in language learning. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
[23]	Pinkham, J. (1998). The translator’s guide to Chinglish. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
[24]	Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11, 129-158. doi:10.1093/applin/11.2.129
[25]	Song, M., & Suh, B. (2008). The effects of output task types on noticing and learning of the English past counterfactual conditional. System, 36, 295-312. doi:10.1016/j.system.2007.09.006
[26]	Spada, N., & Lightbrown, P. (2008). Form-focused instruction: Isolated or integrated? TESOL Quarterly, 42, 181-207.
[27]	Spolsky, B. (2000). Conditions for second language learning. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
[28]	Stern,H. (1983). Foundamental concepts of language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[29]	Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S. Gass, & C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp. 235-253). Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
[30]	Uzawa, K., & Cumming, A. (1989). Writing strategies in Japanese as a foreign language: Lowering or keeping up the standards. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 46, 178-194.
[31]	Wang, W., & Wen, Q. (2002) Chinese thinking mode and second language writing—A study on the college students’ English writing process. Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages, 4, 64-76.
[32]	Whalen, K., & Menard, N. (1995). L1 and L2 writers’ strategic and linguistic knowledge: A model of multiple-level discourse processing. Language Learning, 44, 381-418. doi:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1995.tb00447.x
[33]	Xiao, A., & Li, J. (2007). A course in English-Chinese translation. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press.
[34]	Xu, R. (2006). The markedness of not…until and transfer]. Journal of Sichuan College of Education, 11, 30-32.
[35]	Yang, X. (2004). Errors of Innovativeness. Wuhan: Huazhong University of Science and Technology Publishing Press.
[36]	Yu, L. (2004). Language transfer and second language acquisition— Review, reflection and research. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
[37]	Zhang, G. (2004). Recognize the differences and get the semantic emphasis—The most efficient way to avoid Chinglish. Journal of Tianjin Foreign Studies University, 4, 58-60.