Wh-questions in Japanese: Challenges for Vietnamese L2 learners

Autor: Trang Phan, Giang Vu
Jazyk: English<br />Slovenian
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Acta Linguistica Asiatica, Vol 14, Iss 1 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2232-3317
DOI: 10.4312/ala.14.1.87-109
Popis: The study explored how Vietnamese learners of Japanese handle structural differences in wh-questions. Despite both being wh-in-situ languages, the divergent word order poses challenges for Vietnamese learners. The research involved 65 high school students with 2.5 to 13 years of Japanese learning. Survey results showed a positive correlation between Japanese proficiency and performance. Students were more accurate when Japanese wh-questions mirrored Vietnamese word order, especially in ‘why’ and ‘when’ questions. Difficulties arose when structures differed. Advanced learners could acquire L2 wh-questions with parametric values distinct from L1, but native-like interpretations in Japanese remained challenging. The study advocates for explicit classroom instruction on Japanese wh-question word order, particularly with scrambled sentences, to enhance accuracy and improve overall teaching effectiveness.
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