Abstract Besides the investigation of teaching and learning in language research, language attrition, as the concomitant product of language acquisition, is also known to produce significant influence on the language development. Exploring general language phenomena, linguistic factors and extra-linguistic ones are found to maximize the foreign language learning and teaching. 

However, the paper mainly aims to illustrate some extra-linguistic factors, such as age at the onset of language attrition, gender difference, learning motivation, learning aptitude, ethnic affiliation, through a though literature review of the convincing theories from some scholars on different ideas about foreign language attrition at home and abroad.54292

The goal of the paper is to offer some constructive suggestions for foreign language learners and thus they can improve their language proficiency and make their foreign language learning more effective and efficient. In addition, it also gives enlightenment to the foreign language teachers, indicating that they can help learners to learn English well by mastering the law of language learning.

Key words: foreign language attrition; extra-linguistic factors;      suggestions to teachers and learners 

摘要在语言的发展过程中，除了探究教与学的因素外，语言磨蚀，作为语言习得的伴生产物，对语言的发展也具有重要影响。而通过调查研究，我们发现语言因素和非语言因素都对语言教学有莫大影响。

本文旨在阐明非语言因素的影响，在对国内外研究进行综述基础之上，重在分析如年龄、性别、学习动机、学习能力和种族归属等多种因素。

本文的目的是为外语学习者提供一些建设性意见，希望帮助提高他们的外语能力，使他们的外语学习更有效。同时也希望为外语教师提供一些启示，通过对外语磨蚀规律的把握帮助他们学生的英语学习。

毕业论文关键词：外语磨蚀;非语言因素;对外语教与学的建议

Contents

1. Introduction1

1.1 Background of the Study.2

1.2 Significance of the Study2

1.3 Structure of the Thesis...3

2. Literature Review3

2.1 The Definition of Attrition3

2.2 Research on Extralinguistic Factors of Attrition3

3. Analysis of Extralinguistic Factors of Attrition 4

3.1 Age at the Onset of language Attrition4

3.2 Sex Difference ........5

3.3 Learning Motivation...6

3.4 Language Aptitude7

3.5 Ethnic Affiliation..8

4. Suggestions for Language teachers and Learners.9

4.1 Emphasis on the Critical Period..9

4.2 Different Learning Strategies to Different Sexes10

4.3 Making Good Use of Emotional Factors11

4.4 Improving the Language Ability Before Attrition12

4.5 Paying Attention to the Ethnic Effect12

5. Conclusion..12

Works Cited...14

1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

Compared with the research on the language acquisition, the investigation and research about attrition and loss of the language skills have been in the relatively recent development. The concept of the language attrition, referring to the inpidual’s language forgetting, was first brought into our mind in the 1980 conference at the University of Pennsylvania called Loss of language Skills. Since then, research about the language attrition has grew rapidly in different countries.

 But as the converse process of the language acquisition, language attrition, which has experienced great changes in the last half century, have achieved great success in the western countries. While the relevant study in our country has not been perfected and the systematic research has still been in the initial development stage, apart from some simple introduction by some scholars, such as Zhong Shuneng(2003:66-70) and Cai Hansong(2004:924-926). Therefore, it’s time for us to take more time and efforts to build the theoretical system and to make the foreign language attrition research more complete and comprehensive.源'自:吹冰`!论~文'网www.chuibin.com