Journal of Letters
Publication Date
2017-07-01
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate L1 Thai learners'avoidance behavior with respect to English phrasal verbs. L2 learners are assumed to avoid an L2 feature that is different from or does not exist in their L1 (Schachter 1974; Kleinmann 1978; Liao and Fukuya 2004). Itis hypothesized that L1 Thai learners would prefer using single-word equivalents to phrasal verbs, and if anavoidance occurred, they would avoid using figurative phrasal verbs more than literal ones due to their figurative meanings. Theresearch participants were 52 university students of intermediate proficiency level .The data were elicited by administering a comprehension task, followed by a preference assessment task and a translation task. Theresults showed that the L1 Thai participants preferred using single-word verbs to phrasal verbs due to the non-existence of phrasal verbs in Thai. Theavoidance behavior was also more evident with figurative phrasal verbs due to theirsemantic complexity. Theavoidance behavior can be attributed toL1-L2 differences and the semantic complexity of phrasal verbs.
DOI
10.58837/CHULA.JLETTERS.46.2.4
First Page
171
Last Page
216
Recommended Citation
Kosolsombat, Punyavee and Pongpairoj, Nattama
(2017)
"Avoidance of L2 English Phrasal Verbs by L1 Thai Learners,"
Journal of Letters: Vol. 46:
Iss.
2, Article 4.
DOI: 10.58837/CHULA.JLETTERS.46.2.4
Available at:
https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/jletters/vol46/iss2/4