language, but also in their mother tongue, because error is a process of learning.
Error analysis is part of the methodology of psycholinguistic investigation of language learning.
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Thus, error analysis is significant in developing students’ competence. Moreover, Brown wrote: the fact that
learners do make error, and that these error can be observed, analyzed, and classified to reveal something of the system operation within the learner’s
error, called error analysis.
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Based on the definitions previously, it can be concluded that error analysis is an investigation methodology in language learning for analyzing,
observing, and classifying learner’s error to give us indication in learning process.
2. Cause of Error
Errors occur for many reasons. One obvious cause is interference from the native language. One of strategies to prevent students from making the
same error is by looking at the causes of error itself. Pit Corder claims that there are three major causes of error, which he
labels ‗transfer error’, ‗analogical error,’ and ‗teaching-induced errors’. While Hubbard proposed the same categories with different names, they are.
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a. Mother-tongue interference
Although young children appear to be able to learn a foreign language quite easily and to reproduce new sound very effectively, older learners
experiences considerable difficulty. The sound system phonology and the grammar of the first language impose themselves on the new language and
this lead to a “foreign” pronunciation, faulty grammatical patterns and, occasionally, to the wrong choice of vocabulary.
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S.p Corder, Error Analysis and Inter Language, New York: Oxford University Press, 1981, p. 45
4
Brown, principle of language learning and teaching New York: Prentice Hall, Inc, 1987., p.206
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Petter Hubbard, et al., A Training Course for TEFL, New York: Oxford University Press, 1983., pp. 140-143
b. Overgeneralization
The mentalist theory claims that errors are inevitable because they reflect various stages in the language development of the learner. It claims that
the learner processes new language data in his mind and produces rules for its production, based on the evidence. Where the data are inadequate, or
the evidence only partial, such rules may produce incorrect pattern. c.
Error encouraged by teaching material or method The teaching material or method can also contribute to the students errors.
Behaviorism says error is evidence of failure, or in effective teaching or lack of control. If material is well chosen, graded and presented with
meticulous case, there should never be any error. The similar idea comes from Douglas Brown, he distinguishes the
causes of error into four causes. He labels; inter lingual transfer, intra lingual transfer, context of learning and communication strategies.
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a. Inter lingual Transfer
Inter lingual transfer is a significant source of error for all learners. The beginning stages of learning a second language are especially vulnerable
to inter lingual transfer from the native language, or interference. In these early stages, before the system of second language is familiar, the native
language is the only previous linguistic system upon which the learner can draw.
b. Intra lingual Transfer
Intra lingual transfer within learning a second language is a major factor in second language learning. Researcher have found that early stages of
language learning are characterized by a predominance of interference Inter lingual transfer, but once learner have begun to acquire parts of the
new system, more and more intra lingual transfer. Generalization within the target language
– is manifested. As learners progress in the second language, their previous experience.
c. Context of learning
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H. Douglas Brown, Principles o f Language Learning …, p.21
In a classroom context, the teacher or textbook can lead the learner to make faulty hypothesis about the language. Students often make errors
because of misleading explanation of the teacher, faulty presentation of a structure or word in a textbook, or even because of a pattern that was
rottenly memorized in a drill but improperly contextualized. d.
Communication Strategies Communication strategies were defined are related to learning style.
Learners obviously use production strategies in order to enhance getting their message across, but at times these techniques can make themselves
become a source of error. Mean while, Richard distinguishes three causes of error as follows:
a. Interference errors as a result of the use of element from one language
while speaking another. b.
Intra lingual errors reflect the general characteristics of rule learning such as faulty generalization, in complete application of rule and failure to learn
condition under which rules apply. c.
Development errors occur when the learner attempts to build up hypotheses about the target language on the basis of limited experience.
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3. Distinction between Mistake and Error
