The Second Language Learning Process ; Comparison Of Articles

This paper is based on two articles – The Significance of Learner’s Errors (1967) by Corder and An Error in Error Analysis (1974) by Schachter. The first article,The Significance of Learner’s Errors, reveals the problem of learners’ errors and their correction, where the application of linguistic and psychological theory to the study of language implemented a new method to the discussion of errors (Corder, p. 162). According to numerous points and thoughts, it becomes obvious that the learning of the mother-tongue is part of the whole maturational process of the child, whilst learning a second language starts only after the maturational process is complete (Corder, 1967). Schachter in his Error in Error Analysis shows how the learners react to new phenomena, regarding that contrastive analysis aposteriori hypothesis is impossible to support and it should be abandoned. He provides three main dimensions with regard to which language can vary in their RCF strategies, and only after the apriori predictions are identified, Schachter provides an error analysis. In his study, the total weight of evidence strongly supports the apriori approach. 

Comparing the main points of the articles, it becomes clear that the motivation for learning a first language varies from learning a second language. Corder examines several hypotheses and postulates concerning learners’ errors and shows that people cannot simply teach language, they can only create conditions in which it will develop spontaneously in the mind (Corder, 1967). According to his position, “the learner’s possession of his native language is facilitative, and errors are not to be regarded as signs of inhibition, but simply as evidence of his strategies of learning” (Corder, p. 168). Schachter provides an analysis in which he shows that the difficulties in the target language will prove the errors in production, and frequency of occurrence of specific errors will provide evidence of their relative difficulty (Schachter, 1974). He defines that only by a combination of approaches (CA apriori predictions, error analysis, comprehension testing) people will start to collect some reasonable facts on what the second language learning process suggests.     

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

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freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 19, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 19, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 19, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 19, 2024]
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