UNIT 4—TOPIC 1 Language transfer: Contrastive analysis

UNIT 4—TOPIC 1 Language transfer: Contrastive analysis

1. Transfer

   • The influence that the learner’s L1 exerts on the acquisition of an L2
   • Other terms:
     • •Transfer • Mother tongue influence (Corder, 1967) • Native language influence (Gass, 1996) • Cross linguistic influence (Kellerman and Sharwood Smith, 1986; Odlin , 1989) • Cross linguistic generalization ( Zobl, 1984)
   • Negative transfer
     • The impact of the native language causes problems in acquiring or using a target language.
   • Positive transfer
     • When the impact of the native language leads to a quick or instantaneous learning or usage of the target language.

2. Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH)

   • The comparison of the linguistic system of two or more languages, and it is based on the main difficulties in learning a new language that caused by interference from the first language.
   • Procedures of CAH
     • (1) to follow both languages, L1 and L2, and to write their formal descriptions, (2) to choose forms from contrast descriptions, (3) to contrast the chosen forms and (4) to forecast difficulties in comparison.
   • Strong CAH
     • the version that claims ability to predict difficulty through contrastive analysis. The assumption is that the two languages can be compared a priori.
   • Weak CAH
     • About explaining the basis of language learning failures in the post-explanatory way.
   • Modest CAH
     • The categorization, in accordance with its perceptive similitudes and differences, of abstract and concrete patterns as a foundation for learning; hence, where patterns are minimal in form or in sense, confusion may arise.