contrastive analysis and error analysis A general overview

contrastive analysis and error analysis A general overview

1. Error analysis

   • EA Focuses on the errors L2 — > learners produced while using L2 — > Interlanguage is the starting point of analysis
     • Investigating cross-linguistic influence, language transfer (from the point of view of errors) Errors in L2 are interesting because they reflect underlying linguistic rules.
       • Mistake: random slip in performance — > self-correction possible 6. Error: systematic deviation from the norm caused by underlying competence problem — > self-correction not possible
         • Mistakes were 'misfires', slips, that is, the type of random mistakes we all make.
           • Errors were systematic errors in the student performance reflecting incomplete mastery of some aspect of the language.

2. CA is based on the theoretical assumptions of behaviorism. If L2 acquisition is disturbed by the habits of your native language, it is reasonable to focus on the differences between native and target language.

   • It is to S.P. Corder that Error Analysis (EA) owes its place as a scientific method in linguistics. Rod Ellis
     • The weak version deals with learner errors and uses CA, when applicable, to explain them, apostriori, that is, after the fact.
       • Criticism of CA
         • The process of L2 acquisition is not sufficiently described by the characterization of errors 2. Errors in L2 acquisition do not only arise from interference 3. The structural differences between two languages are not sufficient to predict the occurrence of errors in L2 acquisition.

3. CA is the study and comparison of two languages, learners' Target Language (TL) and learners' Native Language (NL)

   • CA is the study and comparison of two languages, learners' Target Language (TL) and learners' Native Language (NL)
     • CA is founded on the assumption that second/foreign language (L2) learners tend to transfer into the target language features found in their native (LI) language.