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http://dx.doi.org/10.22925/APJCR.2021.2.1.23

Modal Auxiliary Verbs in Japanese EFL Learners' Conversation: A Corpus-based Study  

Nakayama, Shusaku (Meiji Gakuin University)
Publication Information
Asia Pacific Journal of Corpus Research / v.2, no.1, 2021 , pp. 23-34 More about this Journal
Abstract
This research examines Japanese non-native speakers' (JNNS) modal auxiliary verb use from two different perspectives: frequency of use and preferences for modalities. Additionally, error analysis is carried out to identify errors in modal use common among JNNSs. Their modal use is compared to that of English native speakers within a spoken dialogue corpus which is part of the International Corpus Network of Asian Learners' English. Research findings show at a statistically significant level that when compared to native speakers, JNNSs underuse past forms of modals and infrequently convey epistemic modality, indicating the possibility that JNNSs fail to express their opinions or thoughts indirectly when needed or to convey politeness appropriately. Error analysis identifies the following three types of common errors: (1) the use of incorrect tenses of modal verb phrases, (2) the use of inflected verb forms after modals, and (3) the non-use of main verbs after modals. The first type of error is largely because JNNSs do not master how to express past meanings of modals. The second and third types of errors seem to be due to first language transfer into second language acquisition and JNNSs' overgeneralization of the subject-verb agreement rules to modals respectively.
Keywords
Corpus-based Analysis; Error Analysis; ICNALE; Interlanguage Analysis; Japanese Learners of English; Modal Auxiliary Verbs;
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