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English

Why high proficiency in Chinese can hinder English learning.

I have never been confident in my Chinese composition skills. Since primary school, even though I could appreciate the beauty of a text, I struggled to write fluidly.

Conversely, when I took #IELTS preparation classes in high school, I had an epiphany: ‘So, writing actually follows a structure!’ It finally clicked.

At the same time, I began to notice that for some of my IELTS classmates, having a powerful Chinese brain actually became an obstacle to their English learning.

From the perspectives of #Linguistics and #CognitivePsychology, we can identify a few core reasons for this:

1️⃣ Parataxis v. Hypotaxis (意合 v. 形合) This is the fundamental logical difference between the two languages.

Chinese is a ‘Paratactic’ language: It prioritises flow, context and reading between the lines, often omitting connectives, like a flowing river.

English is a ‘Hypotactic’ language: It relies on logical links, explicit connectives and rigorous structure, like building a house.

People with high Chinese proficiency are accustomed to sophisticated, implicit expression. Forcing this mindset into English’s rigorous structure (full of which, that, it, there) causes the brain to resist. They often perceive English expression as too blunt, clunky or lacking poetry, making it hard to adapt to authentic sentence structures.

Recently, a student preparing to major in Chinese literature kept missing the -s in third-person verbs and plural nouns during our writing sessions. She asked me in frustration, ‘Why does English always need to add an -s?’ It reminded me of when I teach Mandarin and get asked, ‘Why can I add le (了) here but not there?’

2️⃣ Negative Transfer (負遷移效應) The more deeply rooted your native language logic is, the stronger the interference with the second language.

Simply put, people with excellent Chinese tend to search for a precise translation in their head rather than directly picturing an image or concept. This internal translation process causes significant latency in comprehension and expression.

3️⃣ The Perfectionist Trap (完美主義的陷阱) This is psychological. High achievers often cannot tolerate the competence gap.

Compared to their effortless, sophisticated command of Chinese, they feel like they are using baby’s English. They may feel the English they produce is unrefined or overly simplistic, leading to a subconscious avoidance of the language.

‘Language learning is a process of reshaping how we perceive the world.’ — Amy Tsai, Corpus Learning Facilitator

Is your Chinese exceptional? That might actually be the first thing we need to address in your English learning plan. 😉

#CorpusLearntoLearn #AmyTsai #LearningFacilitator

#Linguistics #LanguageAcquisition #SLA #EnglishLearning #MindsetFacilitation #NLP #LearningScience #CognitiveScience

Traditional Chinese

為什麼中文造詣越高，學英文反而越吃力？
Wèishéme zhōngwén zàoyì yuè gāo, xué yīngwén fǎn’ér yuè chīlì?

Amy顧問從小就是對 #中文寫作特別沒有信心的人，我很能感受文字的美，也能賞析文本，國小的時候還去補國文作文，還是沒辦法行雲流水。反觀高中補習 #英文雅思的時候，才豁然開朗：原來寫作文是有結構可循的！
Amy gùwèn cóngxiǎo jiùshì duì #zhōngwén xiězuò tèbié méiyǒu xìnxīn de rén, wǒ hěn néng gǎnshòu wénzì dì měi, yě néng shǎngxī wénběn, guó xiǎo de shíhòu hái qù bǔ guówén zuòwén, háishì méi bànfǎ xíngyúnliúshuǐ. Fǎnguān gāozhōng bǔxí #yīngwén yǎsī de shíhòu, cái huòrán kāilǎng: Yuánlái xiě zuòwén shì yǒu jiégòu kě xún de!

同時我開始注意到，有些雅思課同學們的中文腦太過強大，竟然會影響他們的英語學習！
Tóngshí wǒ kāishǐ zhùyì dào, yǒuxiē yǎsī kè tóngxuémen de zhōngwén nǎo tàiguò qiángdà, jìngrán huì yǐngxiǎng tāmen de yīngyǔ xuéxí!

以 #語言學與 #認知心理學的角度來看，我們能找出幾個核心原因：
Yǐ #yǔyán xué yǔ #rènzhī xīnlǐ xué de jiǎodù lái kàn, wǒmen néng zhǎo chū jǐ gè héxīn yuányīn:

1️⃣ 意合 v. 形合 (parataxis/ hypotaxis) 是中英語言邏輯最本質的差異。中文是意合語言，講究意境流動、去連接詞，結構如流水；英文則是形合語言，講究邏輯扣合、結構嚴謹，像在蓋房子。
1️⃣ Yì hé v. Xíng hé (parataxis/ hypotaxis) shì zhōng yīngyǔyán luójí zuì běnzhí de chāyì. Zhōngwén shì yì hé yǔyán, jiǎngjiù yìjìng liúdòng, qù liánjiē cí, jiégòu rú liúshuǐ; yīngwén zé shì xíng hé yǔyán, jiǎngjiù luójí kòu hé, jiégòu yánjǐn, xiàng zài gài fángzǐ.

中文造詣高的人，習慣了意在言外的高級表達。要強迫這種思維進入英文充滿 which, that, it, and 的嚴謹結構，大腦會本能地抗拒，可能覺得英文的表達太直白、太笨重，難以適應道地的句構。
Zhōngwén zàoyì gāo de rén, xíguànle yìzàiyánwài de gāojí biǎodá. Yào qiǎngpò zhè zhǒng sīwéi jìnrù yīngwén chōngmǎn which, that, it, and de yánjǐn jiégòu, dànǎo huì běnnéng de kàngjù, kěnéng juédé yīngwén de biǎodá tài zhí bái, tài bènzhòng, nányǐ shìyìng dào dì de jù gòu.

前陣子有位準備上中文系的學員改英文作文時，全都是漏掉-s，還問我：「為什麼英文動不動就要加s？」就像Amy顧問也教外國人華語，也常被問：「為什麼這裡可以加 -了，那裡又不行？」
Qián zhènzǐ yǒu wèi zhǔnbèi shàng zhōngwén xì de xuéyuán gǎi yīngwén zuòwén shí, quándōu shì lòu diào -s, hái wèn wǒ:`Wèishéme yīngwén dòngbùdòng jiù yào jiā s?’Jiù xiàng Amy gùwèn yě jiào wàiguó rén huáyǔ, yě cháng bèi wèn:`Wèishéme zhèlǐ kěyǐ jiā -le, nàlǐ yòu bùxíng?’

2️⃣ 負遷移效應 (negative transfer) 母語邏輯越根深蒂固，對第二語言的干擾就越強。
2️⃣ Fù qiānyí xiàoyìng (negative transfer) mǔyǔ luójí yuè gēnshēndìgù, duì dì èr yǔyán de gānrǎo jiù yuè qiáng.

簡單說，就是中文好的人，大腦傾向找到精準的中文對應來翻譯，而不是直接產出一個意象或畫面(Picturing)。這個轉譯過程會嚴重延遲語言的理解與表達。
Jiǎndān shuō, jiùshì zhōngwén hǎo de rén, dànǎo qīngxiàng zhǎodào jīngzhǔn dì zhōngwén duìyìng lái fānyì, ér bùshì zhíjiē chǎn chū yīgè yìxiàng huò huàmiàn (Picturing). Zhège zhuǎnyì guòchéng huì yánzhòng yánchí yǔyán de lǐjiě yǔ biǎodá.

3️⃣ 完美主義的陷阱 (the perfectionist trap) 是心理層面，高成就者無法忍受能力落差(competence gap)。
3️⃣ Wánměi zhǔyì de xiànjǐng (the perfectionist trap) shì xīnlǐ céngmiàn, gāo chéngjiù zhě wúfǎ rěnshòu nénglì luòchā (competence gap).

對比中文的信手捻來，學英文的時候覺得自己在用baby’s English，覺得接觸到的英文又不美又過於精簡，自然能不用英文就不用。
Duìbǐ zhōngwén de xìnshǒu niǎn lái, xué yīngwén de shíhòu juédé zìjǐ zài yòng baby’s English, juédé jiēchù dào de yīngwén yòu bù měi yòu guòyú jīngjiǎn, zìrán néng bùyòng yīngwén jiù bùyòng.

「語言學習是一次重塑我們感知世界方式的過程。」 — Amy Tsai, Corpus Learning Facilitator
`Yǔ yán xuéxí shì yīcì chóng sù wǒmen gǎnzhī shìjiè fāngshì de guòchéng.’ — Amy Tsai, Corpus Learning Facilitator

你的中文好嗎？這可能會是我們規劃英語學習的第一步 😉
Nǐ de zhōngwén hǎo ma? Zhè kěnéng huì shì wǒmen guīhuà yīngyǔ xuéxí de dì yī bù 😉

#CorpusLearntoLearn #AmyTsai #LearningFacilitator

#Linguistics #LanguageAcquisition #SLA #英語學習 #思維引導 #NLP #LearningScience #CognitiveScience

Simplified Chinese

为什麽中文造诣越高，学英文反而越吃力？
Wèishéme zhōngwén zàoyì yuè gāo, xué yīngwén fǎn’ér yuè chīlì?

Amy顾问从小就是对 #中文写作特别没有信心的人，我很能感受文字的美，也能赏析文本，国小的时候还去补国文作文，还是没办法行云流水。反观高中补习 #英文雅思的时候，才豁然开朗：原来写作文是有结构可循的！
Amy gùwèn cóngxiǎo jiùshì duì #zhōngwén xiězuò tèbié méiyǒu xìnxīn de rén, wǒ hěn néng gǎnshòu wénzì dì měi, yě néng shǎngxī wénběn, guó xiǎo de shíhòu hái qù bǔ guówén zuòwén, háishì méi bànfǎ xíngyúnliúshuǐ. Fǎnguān gāozhōng bǔxí #yīngwén yǎsī de shíhòu, cái huòrán kāilǎng: Yuánlái xiě zuòwén shì yǒu jiégòu kě xún de!

同时我开始注意到，有些雅思课同学们的中文脑太过强大，竟然会影响他们的英语学习！
Tóngshí wǒ kāishǐ zhùyì dào, yǒuxiē yǎsī kè tóngxuémen de zhōngwén nǎo tàiguò qiángdà, jìngrán huì yǐngxiǎng tāmen de yīngyǔ xuéxí!

以 #语言学与 #认知心理学的角度来看，我们能找出几个核心原因：
Yǐ #yǔyán xué yǔ #rènzhī xīnlǐ xué de jiǎodù lái kàn, wǒmen néng zhǎo chū jǐ gè héxīn yuányīn:

1️⃣ 意合 v. 形合 (parataxis/ hypotaxis) 是中英语言逻辑最本质的差异。中文是意合语言，讲究意境流动、去连接词，结构如流水；英文则是形合语言，讲究逻辑扣合、结构严谨，像在盖房子。
1️⃣ Yì hé v. Xíng hé (parataxis/ hypotaxis) shì zhōng yīngyǔyán luójí zuì běnzhí de chāyì. Zhōngwén shì yì hé yǔyán, jiǎngjiù yìjìng liúdòng, qù liánjiē cí, jiégòu rú liúshuǐ; yīngwén zé shì xíng hé yǔyán, jiǎngjiù luójí kòu hé, jiégòu yánjǐn, xiàng zài gài fángzǐ.

中文造诣高的人，习惯了意在言外的高级表达。要强迫这种思维进入英文充满 which, that, it, and 的严谨结构，大脑会本能地抗拒，可能觉得英文的表达太直白、太笨重，难以适应道地的句构。
Zhōngwén zàoyì gāo de rén, xíguànle yìzàiyánwài de gāojí biǎodá. Yào qiǎngpò zhè zhǒng sīwéi jìnrù yīngwén chōngmǎn which, that, it, and de yánjǐn jiégòu, dànǎo huì běnnéng de kàngjù, kěnéng juédé yīngwén de biǎodá tài zhí bái, tài bènzhòng, nányǐ shìyìng dào dì de jù gòu.

前阵子有位准备上中文系的学员改英文作文时，全都是漏掉-s，还问我：「为什麽英文动不动就要加s？」就像Amy顾问也教外国人华语，也常被问：「为什麽这裡可以加 -了，那裡又不行？」
Qián zhènzǐ yǒu wèi zhǔnbèi shàng zhōngwén xì de xuéyuán gǎi yīngwén zuòwén shí, quándōu shì lòu diào -s, hái wèn wǒ:`Wèishéme yīngwén dòngbùdòng jiù yào jiā s?’Jiù xiàng Amy gùwèn yě jiào wàiguó rén huáyǔ, yě cháng bèi wèn:`Wèishéme zhèlǐ kěyǐ jiā -le, nàlǐ yòu bùxíng?’

2️⃣ 负迁移效应 (negative transfer) 母语逻辑越根深蒂固，对第二语言的干扰就越强。
2️⃣ Fù qiānyí xiàoyìng (negative transfer) mǔyǔ luójí yuè gēnshēndìgù, duì dì èr yǔyán de gānrǎo jiù yuè qiáng.

简单说，就是中文好的人，大脑倾向找到精准的中文对应来翻译，而不是直接产出一个意象或画面(Picturing)。这个转译过程会严重延迟语言的理解与表达。
Jiǎndān shuō, jiùshì zhōngwén hǎo de rén, dànǎo qīngxiàng zhǎodào jīngzhǔn dì zhōngwén duìyìng lái fānyì, ér bùshì zhíjiē chǎn chū yīgè yìxiàng huò huàmiàn (Picturing). Zhège zhuǎnyì guòchéng huì yánzhòng yánchí yǔyán de lǐjiě yǔ biǎodá.

3️⃣ 完美主义的陷阱 (the perfectionist trap) 是心理层面，高成就者无法忍受能力落差(competence gap)。
3️⃣ Wánměi zhǔyì de xiànjǐng (the perfectionist trap) shì xīnlǐ céngmiàn, gāo chéngjiù zhě wúfǎ rěnshòu nénglì luòchā (competence gap).

对比中文的信手捻来，学英文的时候觉得自己在用baby’s English，觉得接触到的英文又不美又过于精简，自然能不用英文就不用。
Duìbǐ zhōngwén de xìnshǒu niǎn lái, xué yīngwén de shíhòu juédé zìjǐ zài yòng baby’s English, juédé jiēchù dào de yīngwén yòu bù měi yòu guòyú jīngjiǎn, zìrán néng bùyòng yīngwén jiù bùyòng.

「语言学习是一次重塑我们感知世界方式的过程。」 — Amy Tsai, Corpus Learning Facilitator
`Yǔ yán xuéxí shì yīcì chóng sù wǒmen gǎnzhī shìjiè fāngshì de guòchéng.’ — Amy Tsai, Corpus Learning Facilitator

你的中文好吗？这可能会是我们规划英语学习的第一步 😉
Nǐ de zhōngwén hǎo ma? Zhè kěnéng huì shì wǒmen guīhuà yīngyǔ xuéxí de dì yī bù 😉

#CorpusLearntoLearn #AmyTsai #LearningFacilitator

#Linguistics #LanguageAcquisition #SLA #英语学习 #思维引导 #NLP #LearningScience #CognitiveScience