Factors affecting the acquisition of motion constructions containing the verb 'đi' ('to go') in Vietnamese by Chinese students (written in Vietnamese)

Within the domain of directional motion constructions, both Chinese and Vietnamese classify as satellite-framed languages. Through a survey of 90 Chinese learners at levels ranging from elementary to advanced, this pilot study investigates factors influencing their acquisition of motion structures built around the Vietnamese verb đi “go.” Preliminary findings suggest that (i) non-linguistic variables—such as exposure time, learning environment, and overall proficiency—exert a clear influence on learners’ performance; (ii) non-directional constructions are generally acquired with fewer errors than those containing explicit directional elements; and (iii) within directional constructions, there appears to be a tentative hierarchy of acquisition difficulty, with Goal-path constructions learned more easily than Path-through, which in turn are easier than Source-path. Despite sharing a satellite-framed typology, Chinese learners still encounter specific challenges when acquiring Vietnamese directional motion structures.