A Study on Misuses of Chinese Language Noun Classifiers of Undergraduate Students

Abstract

This study aims to find out problems of misuses of Chinese language noun classifiers of RMUTR undergraduate students,to analyze the problems and the impacts of the misuses, and to develop appropriate instructional methods concerned with frequently uses of noun classifiers for the students in Chinese program of RMUT Rattanakosin campus. The research participants include 100 students from 1st to 4th year; 23% female and 77% male. The study uses qualitative research methodology. The researchers analyzed data gathered by (1) a questionnaire asking basic information about the students’ learning of Chinese language (2) a test of noun classifiers usage. The finding of this study composed of 2 parts. First, the result from the analysis of language context shows that the uses of noun classifiers are changed according to the language context and cannot separate from the context. Selection of noun classifiers must follow the language standard and the limitation of the syntax in using of noun classifier should be taken into consideration. Second, the result from the analysis of cultural context shows that the usage of noun classifiers depends on the students’ familiarity influenced by their mother tongue language. The study also found that the misuses of noun classifiers caused by using wrong syntax and the ignorance of language context. Suggestion for the development of the instructional methods includes teaching the students to understand the language syntaxes and how to select the right noun classifiers.