5-Step Involved In Error Analysis

Collection of a sample
of learner language

explanation of error

. description of error

Evaluation of errors

Identification of errors

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 3 types of samples based on the sample size

i. Massive sample- large sample consisting several samples of

language use for comprehensive lists of errors

ii. Specific sample- one language sample from limited number of

students

iii.Incidental sample- one language sample by one single learner

 Consideration for which part of language

 Manner of sample collection- natural, spontaneous, elicitation

 Cross-sectionally or longitudinally

 Not easy

 Compare learners’ sentences with the normal or correct sentences

in the TL – sometimes straightforward, sometimes not

Umar and Imran was watching Transformers

 Sometimes, learners’ sentences are not preferred ones

Zaid jumped in the pool

 Sometimes, it’s difficult to reconstruct the sentence because we

are not sure what learners really mean to say

The thick of them belongs to Imran

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 A number of different categories to describe errors:

a) Addition, omission, substitution and ordering (like standardMath)

e.g. Does can he sing? (a do auxiliary is added), I went to movie (a

definite article omitted), I lost my road (an item substituted), I to the

store went (a word order confused)

b) Phonology or orthography, lexicon, grammar and discourse.

e.g. a word with a faulty pronunciation might hide a syntactic or

lexical error; they are, their there are

c) Global or local (Burt & Kiparsky, 1972)

Global errors = prevent comprehension in some parts of message

thus hinder communication e.g. I go up lift table

Local error = do not prevent understanding because there is only a

minor violation e.g. a scissors

d) Domain or extent (Lennon, 1991)

Domain= the rank of linguistic unit (from phoneme to discourse) that

must be taken as context in order for the error to become apparent

Extent= the rank of linguistic unit that would have to be deleted,

replaced, supplied, or reordered in order to repair sentences e.g. in

“a scissors

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Many experts have attempted to explain the source of errors:

1) Taylor(1986)

  • Psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic, epistemic and discourse

structure

2) Richards(1971)

  • Interference errors, intralingual errors, developmental

errors

3) Lott (1983)

  • Overextension of analogy, transfer of structure, interlingual/

intralingual errors

4) Dulay and Burt (1974)

  • Developmental, interference, unique

 As discussed earlier, not all errors are due to L1 interference =

transfer.

 Errors that reflect learner’s understanding of the L2 system itself =

developmental errors

 Errors caused by trying to use a rule in a context where it does not

belong e.g. a regular –ed ending on an irregular verb =

overgeneralization

 Errors where elements of a sentence are left out e.g. where all

verbs have the same form regardless of person, number or tense =

simplification

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Involves a consideration of the effect that errors have on the

person addressed, specifically the decisions on who the addressees

will be, what errors they will be asked to judge, and how they will

be asked to judge them.

 Deals with 3 main research questions:

i. Are some errors judged to be more problematic than others?

ii. Are there differences in the evaluation made by NS and NNs?

iii. What criteria do judges use in evaluating learners’ errors?

 Limitation of evaluation of errors in EA – criteria for ‘seriousness’,

‘intelligibility’ or ‘acceptability’ of an error