Second Language Acquisition Theoretical Description

16 2 Identification of Errors After gathering the data, the researcher tries to identify the errors of the sample data. It becomes easier to identify if the researcher prepares the well- formed reconstruction of the sample data, which is produced by native speakers. 3 Description of Errors Description of errors is proceeded to specify the errors found. This stage has following steps: first, the researcher codes the errors to a set of descriptive categories; second, heshe records the frequency of the errors in each category. Errors are described by the system of categories in order to present description of errors Dulay, Burt, Krashen, 1982, p. 146. Also, it calculates the learner‟s error frequency. As setting out to define the errors, there are several kinds of taxonomies to classify the errors. One of them is Surface Strategy Taxonomy. It points out four principles to define learner‟s errors: omission, addition, misinformation, and misordering according to Dulay et al. 1982, p. 150. Moreover, Corder 1981 also suggests that a linguistic operation becomes its categorization p. 36. It will present an acceptable description of errors. The categorization of linguistic level can contain some continuum of linguistic units which are involved in the samples of learner language. Norrish 1983 suggests using some approaches to categorising the linguistic level p. 80. One is „pre- selected category ‟ approach and the latter is „let the errors determine the categories‟. The „pre-selected category‟ approach is adopted by selecting category before indicating errors, while the „let the errors determine the categories‟ PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 17 approach is adopted by recording the errors and then, grouping it into several categories. 4 Explanation of Errors Explanation of errors is a stage to find the sources of the reason why the errors are established. It is the most essential stage in this method. However SLA researchers argue the error produced itself whether is an error or a mistake. Corder 1974 suggests distinguishing it as an error or a mistake as cited in Ellis Barkhuizen, 2005, p. 62. Errors occur when students have gaps in processing forms of target language. However if the errors happen consistently, those errors refer to the sense of ignorance. Otherwise, mistakes occur when students find a difficulty of processing forms because they have not fully mastered but they are capable of correcting it Ellis Barkhuizen, 2005, p. 62. However from pedagogic view, whether they are errors or mistakes, it is useful for teachers to know learners language and their second language acquisition. Based on surface strategy taxonomy Dulay, Burt, Krashen, 1982, p. 150, identifying errors is also identifying learners‟ cognitive process on how they reconstruct the new language. Errors produced do not remain as the result of laziness or carelessness, but those show the learners‟ interim principles on their new language production. In an attempt to discover why the errors are made, there are two errors which should be identified: interlingual errors and intralingual errors. Those errors are based on how the learners cite an utterance when they are failed to utter the target-language form. According to Ellis and Barkhuizen 2005 , “interlingual PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 18 errors are the result of mother tongue influences.” Besides, “intralingual errors reflect the operation of learning s trategies that are universal” p. 65. 5 Error Evaluation This is an additional and last stage in Error Analysis, but presents the results of conducting the research. According to Ellis and Barkhuizen 2005, this