Impact of L1 Salar and L2 Mandarin Transfer on L3 English Grammar Acquisition Among Trilingual Salar Students

In China's multilingual context, third language (L3) acquisition among ethnic minority groups remains underexplored. This study examines the impact of language transfer on English grammar acquisition among Salar students, whose first language (L1) is Salar, second language (L2) is Mandarin, and third language (L3) is English. Drawing on the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis and Trilingual Acquisition Theory, the study investigates the transfer effects of L1 Salar and L2 Mandarin on L3 English grammar learning. The sample consisted of 50 students whose L1 is Salar and 50 students whose L1 is Mandarin, with data analyzed using SPSS. Results reveal significant differences between the two groups in English grammar acquisition, with L1 Salar students exhibiting a higher error rate in sentence writing. Further analysis reveals that, contrary to Hypothesis 2, L2 Mandarin exerts a stronger negative influence on the English writing of Salar L1 students, although L1 Salar also contributes to transfer effects. This study highlights the significant role of language transfer in the language acquisition of ethnic minority students, with a particular focus on the English learning of Salar students. The findings provide empirical evidence for understanding the impact of language transfer on English grammar acquisition and offer important implications for future language research.