1887
Volume 4, Issue 1
  • ISSN 2213-8706
  • E-ISSN: 2213-8714
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Abstract

This study investigates the functions of the perfective marker and its acquisition by native speakers of American English from the perspective of the Aspect Hypothesis ( Andersen and Shirai, 1994 ). We set out to test the predicted order regarding four verb categories in terms of their frequencies of marking. Our results confirmed that was most frequently used with achievement verbs by learners, but revealed deviated patterns of distribution in other categories when they were compared with those of native speakers of Chinese. We discussed our data further from the perspective of prototypicality, and provide pedagogical implications to Chinese as a foreign language.

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2017-08-18
2024-09-09
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): acquisition of Chinese; aspect marker -le; the Aspect Hypothesis; verb category
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