Null Subject Sentences in ‘Because’ Subordinate Clauses and L1 Transfer in English Writing by Korean Learners of English

• 영문명: Null Subject Sentences in ‘Because’ Subordinate Clauses and L1 Transfer in English Writing by Korean Learners of English
• 발행기관: 한국영어어문교육학회
• 저자명: Ji-Hee Kim
• 간행물 정보: 『영어어문교육』제29권 제4호, 25~40쪽, 전체 16쪽
• 주제분류: 사회과학 > 교육학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2023.12.31

영문 초록

The null subject parameter holds significant implications for L1 transfer in language acquisition. English learners whose native language permits null subject sentences often exhibit a tendency to omit subjects in their English expressions (Tati, 2021). This research investigates whether Korean English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners demonstrate a similar inclination toward using null subject sentences in their English writing. This inquiry is particularly pertinent as Korean, akin to Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, is characterized by subject-drop features. Moreover, the study endeavors to elucidate the impact of the topic-prominence feature in Korean on the writing proficiency of Korean learners of English. To achieve these objectives, a thorough analysis was conducted on 20 compositions written by advanced EFL learners enrolled in an all-English University Program in South Korea. The error analysis revealed that 16 students consistently made subject-omission errors, with a pronounced frequency in subordinate clauses introduced by ‘because.’ Intriguingly, these learners also employed fragment ‘because’-clauses as a means to organize information in a topic-comment structure. This study contributes valuable insights into the manifestation of L1 transfer in the writing skills of Korean EFL learners and highlights the nuanced ways in which topic-prominence influences their English language performance.

목차

I. INTRODUCTION

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

III. METHODOLOGY

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

V. IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION

REFERENCE

키워드

null subject sentences topic-prominence feature ‘because’-clauses subject omission errors topic comment structure