Emotions and Chinese Language Learning

Wen Chen and Guoqiang Liu

Abstract:This article reports a study which surveyed 156 foreign students for their Chinese language emotions at their beginning stage of Chinese language learning.A quantitative analysis shows that these students had a much higher level of Chinese language enjoyment than their anxiety;their Chinese language enjoyment and anxiety were two separate emotions independent of each other，and social factors in their Chinese language enjoyment were significantly correlated with their individual factors;the number of foreign languages these students had mastered was negatively correlated with their Chinese language anxiety;and there was no significant correlation between their learning outcome or academic results and their Chinese language enjoyment or Chinese language anxiety.Of these findings，the predictability of the relationship between language enjoyment and language anxiety for learning outcome or academic results was different from findings of previous studies in this respect.A subsequent qualitative analysis revealed that sources of Chinese language enjoyment included good and conducive interpersonal relationship，a sense of achievement brought by having made progress in language learning，use of language in real life situations，attractiveness of the Chinese language and culture，and attending Chinese lessons.These findings are discussed in the context of the Dynamic System Theory with propositions regarding teaching of Chinese to foreign students at the beginning stage of their language development.

Keywords:foreign language emotions;foreign language enjoyment;foreign language anxiety;foreign language emotions and learning outcome;sources of language enjoyment and anxiety