The Effects of Semantic Radical Family Size and Character Frequency on L2 Chinese Learners’ Recognition of Chinese Characters: A Mixed-Methods Study

An important yet controversial topic about reading Chinese as a second language (L2) is how learners’ recognition of Chinese characters is modulated by effects at the character- and the sub-character levels simultaneously. This study aimed to explore this research problem by quantitatively investigating the effect of semantic radical family size (SRFS) (sub-character level) and that of character frequency (character level) on L2 Chinese learners’ recognition of semantic-phonetic compound characters and qualitatively exploring their learning experiences and awareness of character radicals. Quantitative analysis of reaction time and accuracy data yielded from 18 L2 Chinese learners using a computerized character decision task suggested no significant main effect of SRFS; however, its interaction with learners’ L1 backgrounds was significant. Further analysis suggested that non-Korean/Japanese speakers were more influenced by the SRFS effect, which was inhibitory. Qualitative data collected using a survey suggested four key themes, including limited knowledge of radicals, fewer learning experiences, frequent use of semantic radicals (SRs), and insufficient awareness of SRs. Theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications were discussed.