Frontiers in Educational Research, 2023, 6(24); doi: 10.25236/FER.2023.062422.
Haoyang Feng1, Yangchun Tao2
1Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China
2The University of Hong Kong HKG, Hong Kong, China
In this scholarly endeavor, we delve into the intriguing dynamics of multilingualism and its consequential effects on the journey of mastering English as an ancillary language. Multilingualism can be best delineated as the concurrent or sequential utilization of a repertoire of two or more languages–a trend that resonates deeply with our progressively interconnected world. By meticulously examining both the extant literature and empirical findings, this treatise aims to illuminate the myriad ways multilingualism molds the English learning trajectory, pinpointing the manifestation of both constructive and detrimental transfers. The findings from our comprehensive research underscore that while multilingualism potentially augments proficiency in English, it can occasionally be the harbinger of pitfalls like syntactical missteps and lexicon disarray. Concludingly, the discourse proffers pedagogical strategies to empower educators, ensuring they capitalize on the merits of multilingualism to smoothen the path of acquiring English as a non-native language.
Multilingualism, English as a Foreign Language, Positive Transfer, Negative Transfer, Language Acquisition, English language teaching
Haoyang Feng, Yangchun Tao. Exploration on Multilingualism and its Positive and Negative Transfer on English Language Acquisition. Frontiers in Educational Research (2023) Vol. 6, Issue 24: 135-141. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2023.062422.
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