Steps to error analysis

Explanation of errors

Establishing the source of error

Error source (taylor 1986)

Psycholinguistic ( nature of L2 knowledge system, and difficulties to use it in the production)

Sociolinguistic ( ability to adjust the language in accordance to social context)

Epistemic (lack of world knowledge)

Discourse structure ( problems in the organization of information into a coherent text)

•      Psycholinguistic sources of errors :

Errors

•      Competence (errors)

Transfer

Intralingual

Transitional competence

Unique (e.g. induced)

•      Performance ( mistakes)

Processing problems

Communication strategies

Richards (1971 b) causes of competence errors

1.      Interference errors occur as a result of the use of elements from one language while speaking another.

2.      Intralingual errors reflect the general characteristics of rule learning such as faulty generalization. Incomplete applicaton of rules and and failure to learn conditions under which rules apply

3.      Developmental errors occur when the learner attempts to build up hypotheses about the target language on on the basis of limited experience.

Richards (1971 b) causes of competence errors

1.      Interference errors occur as a result of the use of elements from one language while speaking another.

2.      Intralingual errors reflect the general characteristics of rule learning such as faulty generalization. Incomplete applicaton of rules and and failure to learn conditions under which rules apply

3.      Developmental errors occur when the learner attempts to build up hypotheses about the target language on on the basis of limited experience.

Lott (1983) transfer errors :

1.      Overextension of anlysis : learner missuses an item because it shares features with an iem in the L1 (ex. Italian learners use “process” to mean “trial”)

2.      Transfer of structure: learner utilize some L1 feature (phonological, lexical, grammatical, or pragmatic )rather than that of the target language

3.      Interlingual/intralingual errors : a particular distinction does not exist in the L1 (ex. The use of “make” instead of “do” by italian learners because “make/do” distinction is non-existent in italian)

Richards (1971) intralingual errors :

1.      Overgeneralization errors: learner creates a deviant structurebon the basis of other structure in the target language. (ex. He can sings)

2.      Ignorance of rule restrictions :application of rules to context where they do not apply (ex. He made me to rest. He asked/wanted/invited me. To go)

3.      Incomplete application of rules : involves failure to fully develop a structure (ex. You like to sing?)

4.      False concepts hypothesized: the learner falls to comprehend fully a distinction in the target language (one day it was happened)

Burt (1974)

Classified errors by :

1.      Developmental (i.e those errors similar to L1 acquistion)

2.      Inteference (i.e those errors that reflect the structure of L1)

3.      Unique (i.e those errors that are neither developmental nor interference

Psycholinguistic sources of errors:

Approaches :

§  Behaviourist account

Errors were viewed as the result of the negative transfer of L1 habits

§  mentalist account

errors  were predicted to be similar to those found in L1 acquistion because learners activately construc the grammar of an L2 as they progress