A Study Of English Lexical Attrition Among Non-english Major Sophomore Students

Vocabulary is a part of English and if the English skill is a mountain, then vocabulary is the stone of the mountain. It directly affects the level of English. If daily life leaves vocabulary, we will not express anything. However, vocabulary attrition is accompanied by vocabulary study. English lexical attrition affects learners’ English skills and reduces the efficiency of vocabulary learning. This paper discusses English lexical attrition among non-English major sophomore students under Chinese background in order to look into the situation of lexical attrition after finishing their English course and find out that the factors influence the lexical attrition.Based on “regression hypothesis”, this paper regards the sophomore students as the research subjects and explores their lexical attrition. This study mainly deals with three research questions: 1).What’s the order of English lexical attrition? 2). Concerning word length and part of speech, what types of lexical words are easier to attrition? 3).What factors influence English lexical attrition?This thesis puts to use quantitative research technique, 108 sophomore students who are from Changchun University as this study subjects. The author implements this study through lexical tests, questionnaire survey and interview questions to make a collection of related data. Firstly, through the same two lexical tests, it aims to find out that the lexical attrition exists in 108 subjects. The lexical factors which contain length of word and part of speech all influence the lexical attrition. Then it intends to find out the situation of English learning and investigate the main reasons of lexical attrition through questionnaire and interview questions. The collected data use Micro Excel 2007 to process and it proves that the regression theory apply to lexical attrition in Chinese environment.The results of this thesis are: 1) lexical attrition exists in 108 subjects after the interval of four months. 2) The attrition rate of first stage is the lowest and the attrition rate of third stage is the highest. Their degraded vocabulary presents regression, namely the words learn better, they will not easy to be attrited, the words learn last, they will be attrited first. 3) Word length has an effect on lexical attrition. Long words are easier to attrition than short words. 4) Noun and verb suffer more attrition than adjective and adverb. 5) There are a number of factors giving rise to students’ lexical attrition. The most important factors that lead to the lexical attrition are individual factors, including proficiency level prior to attrition, attitude to study, contact with English, motivation and the method of language learning. Teacher’s teaching method and language environment belong to external factors influencing lexical attrition.What’s more, combining with the language attrition hypothesis, this paper from two aspects of English learners and English teachers gives some practical recommendations, improves the awareness of maintaining vocabulary and reduces lexical attrition.