| Narrative is one of the important components of discourse ability.It plays an important part on student’s English learning.In this study,macro-structure and microstructure narrative skills were investigated to explore the cross-linguistic influence of these two skills in dialect on English narratives.A total of 23 senior high school students with Minnan dialect as their first language and English as their foreign language took part in the study.Students responded to a language experience questionnaire on their use of Minnan dialect and English and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test IV for their vocabulary in both languages.Narratives generated from participants in retelling and telling wordless picture books were compared through macro-structure which focused on story grammar including character,setting,initiating event,internal responds,plan,action and consequence and micro-structure that contained phrase,modifier,nominal and verb.Non-parametric test,Spearman correlation analysis and regression analysis were conducted.The results show that:(1)There are similarities between Minnan dialect narratives and English narratives in macro-structure,but differences in micro-structure;(2)Minnan dialect narratives and English narratives have significant cross-linguistic relevance in both macro-structure and micro-structure;(3)Dialect vocabulary can predict English narratives in macro-structure and in addition to the length of exposure to English and English vocabulary,dialect vocabulary can also predict English micro-structure significantly.These findings suggest that dialect experience can play a positive role in the development of senior high students’ English narrative ability,that is,the macro-structure narrative skill that students have mastered in dialect narratives can help students to master the corresponding skill better in English narratives.In addition,the study confirms the importance of language exposure and vocabulary for the development of narrative ability. |
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