学生写作中的错误分析

Abstract：　Second　Language　learners　progress　in　constantly　error-making　and　error-correcting.　Thus，　how　the　errors　occur　and　what　causes　these　errors　are　worth　studying.　Based　upon　such　understanding，　this　paper　first　makes　differences　between　errors　and　mistakes，　and　then　probes　into　the　roots　that　causes　theses　error.　Apart　from　the　interlingual　and　intralingual　interferences，　other　factors　like　teacher　and　teaching　methods　are　also　included.　is　a　very　important　factor　that　influences　the　second　language　acquisition.　This　paper　tries　to　present　language　transfer　phenomenon　via　analysis　of　students’　compositions　and　offer　suggestions　on　improving　the　teaching　of　writing.

Key　words：　error　analysis，　composition，　teaching　of　writing

Introduction

Error　analysis　is　an　important　component　of　study　of　second　language　acquisition.　The　research　involves　two　aspects：　pedagogical　and　theoretical.　The　former　is　to　classify　errors　and　come　up　with　strategies　to　correct　errors，　while　the　latter　is　to　find　the　nature and　profound　reasons　of　error　.

The　traditional　error　analysis　before　1970s　is　confined　to　collect　common　errors　and　classify　them　linguistically　，　which　helps　to　determine　the　sequence　of　teaching　and　content　of　teaching　points，　evaluate　learners’　level.　The　appearance　of　Corder’s　The　significance　of　Learners’　Errors　in　1967　marked　the　beginning　of　modern　error　analysis.　The　attitude　towards　error　has　greatly　changed.　Errors　are　unavoidable　during　second　language　acquisition　and　even　necessary.　Error　making　reflects　supposition　of　target　language.　Error　analysis　is　not　only　to　improve　teaching，　but　to　explore　psychological process　of　language　learning.　The　flourishing　of　research　on　error　analysis　during　1970s　holds　the　view.

Much　study　on　error　analysis　is　followed，　thus　produce　many　terms　such　as　interlanguage，　fossilization　etc.　Different　ideas　on　methods　of　error　analysis　and　classification　of　error　are　put　forward.

Error-making　is　unavoidable　in　second　language　acquisition.　First，　the　difference　between　error　and　mistake　should　be　made　clear.　Errors　refer　to　ones　resulting　from　inadequacy　of　target　language.　Mistakes　are　ones　caused　by　other　factors，　such　as　anxiety，　inattention，　carelessness. This　paper　focuses　upon　errors　committed　by　students　in　compositions..

Writing　competence　has　been　considered　as　important　in　second　language　acquisition.　The　author　analyzes　students’　compositions　，　identifies　error　types　and　offer　error　commission　frequency，　which　can　be　references　for　teaching　of　writing.

Previous　study　on　error

Based　upon　the　characteristics　of　interlanguage，　Corder　categorizes　errors　into　pre-systematic　errors，　systematic　errors　and　post-systematic　errors.　In　broad　sense，　errors　can　be　divided　into　competence　errors　and　performance　errors.　Learners　usually　can　correct　by　themselves　performance　errors　instead　of　competence　errors.

However　error　is　dealt　with，　the　purpose　is　to　grasp　the　target　language　well.　Error　is　part　of　feedback　as　well　as　results　of　test，　which　promotes　us　to　discover　problems　and　improve　quality　of　teaching　.　The　procedures　of　error　analysis　is　as　follows：　select　corpus；　identify　errors；　classify　errors；　explain　reasons　of　error　making；　evaluate　for　the　sake　of　teaching.

These　figures　are　far　from　full　mark　15.This　demonstrates　writing　competence　needs　badly　improvement　and　shows　students’　disability　in　writing.　The　teaching　of　writing　is　worth　approaching.　Writing　level　reflects　to　some　degree　the　command　of　English.　Many　people　attempt　to　analyze　writing　and　approach　teaching　via　error　analysis　theory.

Method

The　qualitative　method　is　employed　in　the　research.　80　compositions　of　non-major　students　are　collected　for　research.　The　compositions　are　finished　under　natural　circumstances.　Students　are　not　told　beforehand　their　compositions　will　be　for　research　use.　In　this　way　can　some　tendency　be　avoided.　Their　language　output　through　composition　will　be　objectively　observed　and　described　.　Interview　of　10　students　are　arranged.

Overgeneralization　appears　due　to　incomprehensive　understanding　of　language　rules. When　students　master　some　rules，　they　will　apply　rules　to　every　similar　situations.　For　instance，　past　particle　is　one　of　the　typical　overgeneralizations　errors　committed　by　students.　Therefore，　these　errors　belong　to　intralingual　errors.

Most　students　tend　to　commit　errors　of　simplification　for　the　sake　of　carelessness　or　unconsciousness.　For　instance，　the　omission　of　the　plural　markers　following　the　noun　can　be　termed　redundancy　reduction　as　no　information　is　lost.

Wrong　analogy　is　interlingual　errors.　Some　terms　or　phenomena　are　not　universal　in　all　cultures.　For　the　lack　of　target　culture　or　linguistic　knowledge，　students　tend　to　borrow　similar　culture　phenomena　to　replace　that　of　target　culture.　Cultural　peculiarity　is　the　typical　reason　for　coming　up　with　wrong　analogy.

The　percentage　indicates　that　students　tend　to　commit　interlingual　errors　more than　intralingual　errors.

Interviews　with　students　indicates　they　often　commit　another　two　types　of　error：　communication-based　error　and　induced　errors.　The　former　emerge　for　students　incorrectly　labels　an　object　but　successfully　communicates　a　desired　concepts.　The　latter　happen　as　a　result　of　teachers’　misleading　some　similar　concepts　or　synonymy.

Reasons　of　error　making

Error　making　involves　several　factors：　linguistic　level，　pragmatic　competence，　psychological　state.　The　teaching　of　writing　should　take　these　factors　into　consideration.　Research　on　students’　psychology　is　needed.

Attitudes　towards　error

Larsen-freeman　stated　errors　should　be　avoided，　for　errors　lead　to　ill　habits.　Therefore，　teachers　should　deal　with　them　immediately　when　errors　occur.　However　，　this　attitudes　tend　to　make　students　anxious　and　nervous　for　fearing　error-making，　thus　not　beneficial　to　language　acquisition　.　Then　no　error　correcting　is　advocated.　Students　should　speak　or　write　fluently　without　being　disturbed　by　error-correcting.　It　is　believed　that　errors　will　disappear　during　the　process　of　acquisition.　On　the　contrary，　the　phenomenon　“fossilization”　emerge.　Students　will　not　progress　further　with　faulty　concepts　on　target　language.　Appropriate　ways　to　correct　errors　are　necessary　to　make　students　acquire　language　better.　People　advocate　error　correction，　but　error　correction　should　not　occur　at　any　time　or　anywhere.　It　depends　on　situations　or　people　or　necessity.

Conclusion

Writing　is　a　process　of　expressing　thoughts　and　views　and　process　of　error　correcting.　Error　presentation　acts　as　the　basis　of　judging　and　explaining　errors.　Therefore，　error　analysis　is　like　a　facilitator.　For　one　thing，　error　analysis　helps　us　to　understand　learners’　English　level，　error　types，　error　features　and　difficult　points　with　the　effective　teaching.　Second，　tolerance　towards　error　is　necessary.　Cultivation　of　interest　is　more　important　than　error　correcting.　Third，　error　analysis　make　us　observe and　understand　teaching　methods，　way　of　thinking　and　how　they　apply　language　supposition　rules　and　regulate　and　compare　these　rules，　factors　that　influence　writing.　Finally，　error　analysis　is　a　kind　of　test　of　language　supposition　rules　.　Error　appearance　indicates　that　learners　are　testing　actively　what　they　have　learned，　so　it　is　not　necessary　for　teachers　to　exaggerate　and　emphasize　errors　resulting　in　anxiety　and　nervousness　of　learners.　In　this　way　can　students　treat　writing　as　not　terrifying.　They　would　like　to　try　instead　of　avoiding　making　errors.　Error　is　interlanguage.　Continuous　error　making　and　correcting　make　them　approach　target　language　gradually.　Error　appearance　offer　students　chances　to　correct　and　comprehend　errors.

Suggestions　on　teaching　of　writing

This　paper　tries to　explain　the　five　critical　principles　which　have　been　beneficial　to　my　own　approach　to　error　analysis　in　English　writing　and　to　convince that　preoccupation　with　error　is　unnecessary，　and　even　counterproductive：　first，　by　reviewing　typical　problems　of　English　writing　；　second，　by　suggesting　ways　to　make　error　analysis　both　more　manageable　for　teachers　and　more　beneficial　for　their　students.

understanding　the　student’s　intention

Before　marking　any　errors　in　a　students’　composition，　read　it　carefully　，try　to　understand　the　students’　intentions　in　writing　it，　and　respond　it　in　a　reasonable　way.　Many　students　are　so　preoccupied　with　error　that　they　begin　editing　almost　from　the　moment　they　begin　writing.　Afraid　of　making　mistakes　they　are　unable　to　make　meaning　and　develop　，shape，　and　structure　their　ideas.　They　are　hindered　so　that　they　can　not　write　and　arrange　logically.

setting　priority　for　analysis

Analysis　is　of　primary　importance.　When　teachers　set　priority　for　analysis，　be　sure　that　they　are　consistent　with　their　own　teaching.　Criticism　is　not　ultimate　goal.　Encouragement　is　of　importance　to　students.　Error　correcting　should　be　dealt　with　in　a　cautious　way　without　discouraging　students.

1.looking　for　patterns　of　error，　finding　the　root　or　reason　of　errors　is　followed.　Make　sure　any　possible　reason　are　taken　into　account　and　then　relatively　important　reasons　are　listed.　Talking　with　students　will　do　good　to　teaching.　We　may　comprehend　what　take　place　when　students　write.　This　effort　will　give　a　hint　to　our　teaching　of　writing.

2.Setting　reasonable　goals　for　improvement

This　principle　is　related　to　the　teacher’s　role　in　guiding　the　improvement　of　their　students’　writing.　Set　reasonable　goals　for　improvement，　and　frame　your　analysis　in　terms　that　will　encourage　your　students　to　set　their　own　goals　for　improvement.　Most　of　us　recognize　that　errors　are　a　necessary　part　of　learning　and　writing.

3.Helping　students　to　objectify　their　impression　of　writing.

The　teacher’s　responsibility　is　to　discriminate　errors　caused　by　the　physical　and　conceptual　demands　of　writing　itself　and　those　related　to　individual　linguistic　competence.

References：

[1]Larsen-Freeman，　D.　Techniques　and　Principles　in　LT　[M].Oxford：　Oxford　University　Press，　1986.

[2]James，　C.　Errors　in　language　learning　and　use-Exploring　error　analysis[M].　London：Longman，1998.

[3]Diane　Larsen-Freeman　Michael　H.　Long An　Introduction　to　Second　Language　Acquisition　Research[M].　Foreign　Language　Teaching　and　Research　Press，　2000.

[4]Corder，S.P.　The　significance　of　Learner’s　Errors　[J].International　Reviews　of　Applied　Linguistics，　9，1967：149，59.

[5]王初明.应用心理语言学[M].长沙：湖南教育出版社，1990.

[6]郝兴跃《论二语习得中的错误分析》山东外语教学，2003（1）

作者简介：

柯细香（1975～），副教授，硕士研究生，研究方向：　翻译与教学法