WARM-UP:

Weinreich- Language Contact (Interference and

Bilingualism)

Lado- Contrastive Analysis (Transfer)

Chomsky- Nativism (LAD, Universal Grammar,

Independent Grammars Assumption, Hypothesis
Testing Model, etc)

Nemser- Approximative Systems

Selinker- Interlanguage
Corder-
 ERROR ANALYSIS BY PIT CORDER

Errors as a feature of learner´s

Interlanguage.
They are
useful tools
for teachers
and students.

To identify errors,
we have to compare
Identifying the sentences
errors is not learners produce
easy. with correct
 How can we sure that those deviations are actually
mistakes and not a slip of the tongue?

Mistakes reflect
lapses in
Gaps in learner performance.
´s knowledge. They are
They occur
They occur evidence
because the
because the that learners learner is
learner does are in a unable to
not know what process of perform what
They can be classified They might be Some Errors have
into grammatical universal. errors different
categories: might sources
- Subject/verb Learners are
be shaping their
agreement. global
- Omission mental grammars
- Misinformation
- Misordering Learners are
They might be creating their
systematic and own rules.
predictable. Some
errors
They might be might
Overgeneralizatio connected to the be
n of rules. linguistic local
properties of the
Transfer
community.
L2 learner´s sentences They are incorrect if
are correct in terms of the learner is
their own assumed to be a
Interlanguage. defective speaker of
the L2

Sentences produced by learners

are underlying features of their
Interlanguage.
Stages in Error Analysis
2. Accounting for
1. Recognition of the learner´s
idiosyncrasy: idiosyncratic level: 3. Explanation:
The researcher looks at The researcher sees The researcher tries
the learner´s sentence how the learner´s to explain why the
to see if it conforms to interlanguage deviations from the
the L2 grammar in sentences can be grammar of the
terms of its use or described. The second language
meaning. This involves researcher needs to have arisen. The
reconstructing what the know the L1 of the main explanation
learner was trying to learner to be able to presented by Corder
say or by inferring the account for errors. is interference and
learner´s intention from hypothesis testing.
our interpretation of the
whole situation.
1.Recognition of idiosyncrasy:
Collection of a sample.
Identification of errors.

2. Accounting for the learner´s

idiosyncratic level:
Description of errors.

3. Explanation:
Explanation and Evaluation of
errors.
 Analysing errors
In small groups, analyse the samples
you were given. You must follow the
three stages presented by Corder.

A. “I am study Administration”
B. “I known the city of Cartagena and there the clime is
hot”
C. “I live in the country very beautiful of south America”
D. “That is the hat of my mother”