Just kidding, language doesn’t really attack! But our mother tongue can cause us some problems when we’re learning new languages by sneaking into our second language speech without us knowing! This is called transference (because we’re basically transferring some of our first language into our second one) and it’s very common! So let’s learn more about it, and what we can do about it. 🙂
What is transference?
In language learning, transference happens when the learner assumes that the way something is expressed in their first language applies equally in the new language that they’re learning. It could be a grammar rule, a phrase or saying, a way of pronouncing certain letters or syllables, or the way a certain verb is used. For example, to express whether you’re warm or cold in Spanish, we should use the verb ‘tener‘: the equivalent of the English verb ‘to have’. In English, however, we use the verb ‘to be‘. So the correct translation is as follows:
E.g. I am cold – Tengo frio [I have cold]
But transference makes English speakers use the ‘to be‘ verb, which is ‘estar‘ in Spanish. And what English-speaking learners of Spanish say (incorrectly) is: ‘Estoy frio’, which will make Spanish people laugh!
So you can see that the direct translation from Spanish to English of the sentence ‘I am cold’ would be wrong. When an English speaker uses the Spanish ‘be’ verb to talk about the room temperature, they are transferring their knowledge of English incorrectly to the Spanish language. This is an easy mistake to make, and this type of mistake happens regularly to second language learners. So if you find yourself saying things in your second language that make complete sense to you, but confuse your listeners, maybe you can blame transference!
The solution
There are so many ways that second language speakers allow their first language to invade their second language that it is best to not worry about it too much, just keep on learning and listening to native speakers. It’s natural to expect other languages to be similar to our own, and there are usually many aspects of the second language that are similar, and these help us learn faster. But be aware that transference is part of language learning and you’ll be ready to deal with it when it comes up.
One thing that you can do to see fast improvements with transference mistakes is to look for the mistakes that are most common for speakers of your mother tongue to make in a second language. You can find these mistakes listed online in language related websites. Just do a web search for ‘transference mistakes first language speakers in target language’ (e.g. transference mistakes Spanish speakers in English). You will find websites like the one below that helps native Spanish speakers with transference mistakes they make when speaking English as a second language:
Spanish Speakers’ Transference Mistakes in English
Apart from seeking out common transference mistakes directly, you can also overcome them by listening to advanced speakers of your target language. The more you listen, the easier it will be for you to recognize and produce the right ways of speaking, and you will get a feel for when your are making mistakes. So listen as often as you can! But keep it fun so that your motivation stays high.
Fun ways to listen to your target language include watching movies with the subtitles to help you understand, watching YouTube videos about subjects that interest you, or listening to podcasts by your favorite content creators. Over time you will naturally pick up the ways that native speakers express themselves and you will gradually filter out the transference mistakes that you make.
What can teachers do to help students?
Teachers usually spend a lot of time with students from one particular background, and with this experience they usually get to know the most common transference mistakes that their students make, and can bring them to the attention of the students at the appropriate stage of learning. Remember that these mistakes come naturally to the students, that they can be difficult to change quickly, so can require patience and consistent monitoring and gentle correction.
Have Fun!
Make it a game! If you know the typical transference mistakes that second language learners make, you can often guess their nationality from the way they speak English. See if you can guess someone’s country from their speaking mistakes, but do try to keep things friendly, fun and lighthearted!
Get involved!
What transference mistakes are common for speakers of your language when you’re speaking English? Share in the comments below and help other students!