A Study on the Acquisition Errors and Pedagogical Strategies of the Near-Synonyms "Consistently" and "Continuously" in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language------A Case Study of Central Asian International Students

Abstract

The acquisition of near-synonymous vocabulary represents a significant challenge in the field of teaching Chinese as a second language, particularly for learners attempting to master nuanced temporal expressions. This paper focuses specifically on the Chinese near-synonymous time adverbs "Consistently" and "Continuously," which frequently cause comprehension and application difficulties. Based on a comprehensive questionnaire survey administered to 51 intermediate-level Central Asian international students, this study systematically examines the learners' acquisition processes and outcomes from three critical linguistic dimensions: semantic interpretation, syntactic structure, and pragmatic application. The quantitative and qualitative survey data indicates a widespread and general confusion between the two target words among the participant demographic. Detailed analysis reveals that the primary error types consist predominantly of contextual misuse and stylistic misplacement within sentence structures. Furthermore, the investigation demonstrates that these specific acquisition errors are significantly influenced by first language (L1) negative transfer, alongside other cognitive and instructional factors. Utilizing established error analysis theory as a foundational framework, this paper systematically categorizes these linguistic deviations and subsequently proposes targeted, evidence-based pedagogical strategies. These recommended instructional approaches include enhanced cognitive construction techniques, systematic semantic gradient training, and rigorous contrastive training exercises designed to clarify subtle lexical boundaries. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a robust theoretical and practical reference for educators, thereby improving the efficacy of teaching Chinese near-synonyms to Central Asian international students and advancing second language acquisition methodologies.