The Limitation and Scope of the Problems

James 1998 differentiates between errors and mistakes. He defines errors as a systematic mistakes due to lack of language competence while mistakes refers to performance errors because of a random guess or slip. While errors cannot be self-corrected, mistakes can be self-corrected if the deviation is pointed out to the speaker. 4 Meanwhile, Edge 1989 offers simpler definitions that are especially important for classroom teachers to keep in mind. He states that a slip or mistake is what a learner van self-correct. 5 Furthermore, Corder 1967 defines mistakes as a random performance caused by fatigue, excitement, etc; therefore, it can readily be self-corrected. Errors are systematic deviation made by learners who have not yet mastered the rules of the target language. Consequently, learners cannot self- correct an error because it is a product reflective of the learner’s stage of target language development, or underlying competence. 6 To sum up, mistakes are failure to use language because of slip of the tongue, or spelling. The learner easily corrects this failure since they conceptually understand the language system. On the other hand, errors are mistakes that the students make due to lack of competence. They are not able to do self-correction because they do not know the concept.

2. The Causes of Errors

Errors occur for many reasons. One obvious cause is interference from the native language. The learners may make errors because they assume that the target language and their native language are similar. While in fact they are different, they generalize the similarity between the target language and their mother tongue known usually as ‘overgeneralization’. Another obvious cause is simply an incomplete knowledge of the target language. The students are asked to produce words or sentences that they have not yet learnt in grammar; therefore they often might made several mistakes. For 4 Douglas Brown, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching 4 th Edition., New York: Longman, 2000, p. 217. 5 Douglas Brown, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching 4 th Edition., ......p. 217. 6 Diane-Larsen Freeman, and Michael H. Long, An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research, New York: Longman. 1991, pp. 59 –60.