The Study of Syntactic Errors in English Writing on Fossilization Theory

Abstract

SLA researchers have long been baffled why native-like attainment is rare among adult L2 learners. They have been contributing to approaching the conundrum through the lens of fossilization (Selinker, 1972). Fossilization has aroused more and more attentions at home and abroad since proposed. This thesis consists of major five chapters. The Introduction section mainly introduces the origin and significance of study and outlines the fossilization research achievements at home and abroad from different facets, in which many foreign researchers provide their theoretical basis for the language fossilization, especially for the double effect on foreign language writing, whereas the domestic researchers make a lot of empirical studies that explore the correlation between language fossilization and instruction at different levels. Based on the foregoing analysis, the last chapter puts forward two objective proposals about teaching strategies and classroom activities for high school teachers. On one hand, the English writing teaching approach should be distinguished from the colloquial speech teaching approach because L2 writing pertains to a more formal language output, and the correct output of language forms should not be overlooked when concerning that of language meaning. Only on the basis of the correct language forms, language meaning will be naturally closer to the target language.