Abstract First language (L1) transfer is a common phenomenon in second language (L2) acquisition. However, it will be argued in this article that although there are indeed pervasive influences of learners’ L1 in L2 acquisition, L1 transfer is not everywhere and it can be directional. We compare data from Chang’s (2001b. Discourse effects on the second language acquisition of English and Chinese dative structures. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i at Manoa PhD dissertation, 2004. Discourse effects on EFL learners’ production of dative constructions. Journal of Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences 33. 145–169.) studies of Chinese-speaking learners of English with data of our study of English-speaking learners of Chinese to examine whether their L2 English discourse and L2 Chinese discourse are equally influenced by their L1 discourse rules. We focus on learners’ answers to wh-questions with a double object construction or a prepositional object construction. The results demonstrate that L1 transfer takes place in Chinese-speaking learners’ L2 English discourse but not in English-speaking learners’ L2 Chinese discourse. This directionality of L1 transfer is accounted for on the basis of computational complexity of linguistic structures involved and on an economical consideration.

中文翻译：

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二语习得中一语迁移的方向性和复杂性：来自二语汉语话语的证据

摘要 第一语言（L1）迁移是第二语言（L2）习得中的普遍现象。然而，本文将论证，尽管学习者的L1在L2习得中确实存在普遍影响，但L1迁移并非无处不在，而且是有方向性的。我们比较了 Chang's (2001b. Discourse effects on the second language gain of English and Chinese dativestructures.Honolulu: University of Hawai'i at Manoa PhD dissertation, 2004. Discourse effect on EFL learners'production of dative constructions. Journal of Kaohsiung应用科学大学 33. 145–169.) 汉语学习者的研究，利用我们对英语学习者的研究数据来检验他们的二语英语语篇和二语汉语语篇是否同样受到他们的一语语篇规则的影响. 我们专注于学习者对双宾语结构或介词宾语结构的 wh 问题的回答。结果表明，L1迁移发生在汉语学习者的L2英语语篇中，而不发生在英语学习者的L2汉语语篇中。L1 转移的这种方向性是根据所涉及的语言结构的计算复杂性和经济考虑来考虑的。