Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Exploring Cross-linguistic Influence in Chinese and American Contexts: A Literature Review of Language Transfer and Reverse Transfer in Second Language Acquisition

Yitong Wu*
Xi'an International University

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Language transfer is a central and enduring research issue in second language acquisition. Existing domestic studies predominantly focus on unidirectional Chinese-to-English forward transfer in classroom settings, while neglecting the reverse reshaping influence of English on the native language among bilinguals in immersive overseas contexts. Against this research gap, the present review adopts Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis and Interlanguage Theory to construct a comparative framework of bidirectional cross-linguistic influence between Chinese and English. By comparing Chinese EFL learners in domestic monolingual environments and Chinese American heritage speakers in English-dominant contexts, this study contrasts lexical and syntactic features of forward and reverse transfer and further explores their underlying cognitive mechanisms and social contextual drivers. The results reveal distinct transfer patterns: forward transfer is low-threshold, context-dependent, and prone to fossilization due to insufficient authentic input, whereas reverse transfer derives from long-term L2 dominance and leads to irreversible native language attrition. This paper contributes a unified comparative perspective on bidirectional language transfer and provides theoretical and practical support for both college English teaching and heritage Chinese language education.

Keywords: Language transfer; Reverse transfer; second language acquisition; cross-linguistic influence; Sino-American acquisition contexts
Published: October 20, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.37996
Volume: CHR Vol.124
pp. 43-49
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