Language Transfer Chart

SturctureLanguage Transfer IssueLanguagesTransfer Errors in English
Articlesno indefinite articlesChinese
Hmong
Korean
Vietnamese 		He goes to one class on Wednesdays.
=He goes to a class on Wednesdays.
I bought one cake from bakery.
=I bought a cake from a bakery.
definite article can be omitted Hmong
Spanish 		Do you have book?
= Do you have the book?
Do you have a book?
indefinite article is not used before a profession Chinese
Haitian Creole
Korean
Spanish
Vietnamese 		He is teacher.
= He is a teacher.
My sister is famous doctor.
= My sister is a famous doctor.
definite article can be used with a profession Spanish The Professor Ruiz is helpful.
= Professor Ruiz is helpful.
Nouns no plural form for nouns (plurals can be expressed through an adjective quantifier) Chinese
Hmong
Korean
Vietnamese 		I have many good idea.
= I have many good ideas.
The paper has several problem.
= The paper has several problems.
no plural form after a number Chinese
Haitian Creole
Korean
Spanish
Vietnamese
There are three new student.
= There are three new students.
Vacation is four week.
= Vacation is four weeks.
In English, -es is added only after the consonants s, x, ch, sh, ss. Also, y is changed to I before adding -es.
In other languages, -es is added to nouns that end in y or any consonant to form the plural. 		Spanish walles
= walls
rayes
= rays
proper names can be listed last-name first
Chinese Example: Chan Fu Kwan is written last-name first without a comma.
Vietnamese Example: Tran My Bao is written last, middle, first. 		Chinese (always last-name
first)
Hmong (in Asia)
Korean
Vietnamese 		Teachers and students may confuse first and last
names.
possessive nouns are formed with an of phrase Spanish
Vietnamese 		This is the chair of Jaime.
= This is Jaime's chair.
Pronounsno distinction between subject and object pronouns Chinese
Haitian Creole
Hmong
Spanish
Vietnamese 		I gave the forms to she.
= I gave the forms to her.
Him helped I.
= He helped me.
can omit the pronoun it as a subject Chinese
Hmong
Korean
Vietnamese 		What time?
= What time is it?
Three o'clock already.
= It is three o'clock already.
definite articles can be used in place of some possessive pronouns Spanish (definite article
used for parts of the body) 		Cindy broke the leg.
= Cindy broke her leg.
Verbsno gerund form (-ing) and/or no distinction between gerunds and infinitives Chinese
Haitian Creole
Hmong
Korean
Spanish
Vietnamese 		She hates to read.
= She hates reading.
She kept to talk.
= She kept talking.
a that clause is used rather than an infinitive Hmong
Spanish 		I want that they try harder.
= I want them to try harder.
present tense can be used in place of future and present perfect tenses Haitian Creole
Hmong
Spanish 		I finish it tomorrow.
= I will finish it tomorrow.
the verb have is used to express states of being (such as age or hunger) Spanish She has ten years.
= She is ten years old.
I have hunger.
= I am hungry.
Adjectivesadjectives can reflect number and gender SpanishI have kinds parents.
= I have kind parents.
adjectives follow the nouns they modify Hmong
Spanish (the position of the
adjective can also indicate
meaning)
Vietnamese 		They have a house big.
= They have a big house.
We live in a village Laotian.
= We live in a Laotian village.
comparative adjectives do not change form Hmong
Korean
Spanish 		She is more pretty than you.
= She is prettier than you
Word Orderverb precedes subject SpanishArrived the teacher late.
= The teacher arrived late.
subject pronoun can be omitted when the subject is understood Chinese
Korean (can omit the
subject pronoun you)
Spanish 		IIs crowded
= It is crowded.
Am hungry.
= I am hungry.
Negativesdouble negatives are routinely used Haitian Creole
Spanish 		They don't like nothing.
= They don't like anything.
negative marker goes before the verb phrase Korean
Spanish 		Joey not has finished the homework.
= Joey has not finished the homework.
    -adapted from Hampton-Brown Avenues

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