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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter aims to discuss the fundamental theories underlying this study. There are two elements discussed in this chapter; theoretical description in
which relevant theories and research studies on the topic are outlined and theoretical framework which relates these theories to the present study.
A. Theoretical Description
This section is divided into four subsections: error and error analysis, basic noun phrases, a descriptive text and Indonesian grammar theories.
1. Error and Error analysis
This subsection explains the five main theories supporting this study: a errors, b error analysis, c types of errors, d possible causes of errors and e
suggestions to improve students’ understanding of basic noun phrases.
a. Error
Defining the term errors is not a simple task because it has often been used synonymously with the term mistakes. Some scholars have tried to distinguish
between those two terms. Ellis 1997 states that mistakes are derivations in usage that reflect the learners’ inability to use what they actually know of the target
language. In other words, mistakes are made by learners because they fail to show and perform what they have already understood. In contrast to mistakes, Ellis
describes errors as derivations in usage which result from gaps in learners’
10 knowledge of the target language. In other words, errors occur when learners do
not master a concept or even misunderstand it p. 17.
On the other hand, Dulay, Burt, Krashen 1982 use the term errors to refer to “any deviation from some selected norm of mature language performance,
no matter what the characteristics or causes of the deviation might be” p. 139. Radford 1997 has proposed another way of defining errors. He states that
misproductions and misinterpretations are performance errors. He defines competence as having tacit knowledge of the grammar of the language; while
performance, which is the reflection of the competence, is the actual use of language in concrete situations p. 2. Similarly, Brown 2000 defines
competence as one’s underlying knowledge of a system, event, or fact whereas performance is the realization of competence p. 30.
Considering that distinguishing errors and mistakes is not simple, this study does not differentiate those two terms. This study drew on the theories of
error proposed by Ellis 1997, Dulay et al. 1982 and Radford 1997. In other words, in this study the term errors refers to any of the students’ misproduction
which shows misunderstanding or failure to perform what the students have already understood about basic noun phrase formation.
b. Error Analysis
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