An empirical study of Chinese classifier acquisition from the lens of conceptual transfer

Abstract

This research adopts the perspective of conceptual transfer to investigate the specific cognitive bottlenecks of learners of Chinese as a second language in the acquisition of classifiers. The research reveals that errors made by learners do not occur randomly. Students with the same first language background often commit consistent errors in the selection of classifiers in specific semantic categories, for instance, classifiers for long objects or flat objects, and the direction of such errors shows high predictability. This phenomenon demonstrates the deep influence of the native conceptual system on the categorization mode in Chinese. Based on this finding, this research introduces a direct method of conceptual comparison between Chinese and other languages. It guides learners to actively perceive and understand the differences in conceptual classification between the two languages. Experimental results indicate that this teaching path centered on conceptual cognition not only effectively improves the accuracy of classifier use among learners but also helps them form a more stable Chinese thinking framework with more lasting learning effects. This research preliminarily establishes a teaching process that includes awareness of conceptual differences, cognitive restructuring and contextualized application. It provides a practical reference for the promotion of Chinese teaching from simple practice of linguistic forms to the cultivation of the thinking mode of the target language.