Contrastive studies of languages By Khrystyna Petrushko

Contrastive Analysis:The Definition CA is SLA approach that compares features of L1 and L2 in order to determine the similarities and differences of L1 to L2

Continued… The idea of CA was popular back in the time when structural linguistics (structuralism) and behavioral psychology (behaviorism) were dominant (Yang, 1992). Well talk about this later on…

CA: The Transfer In Contrastive Analysis, when students of L1 learn L2, there are two kinds of transfer happening: Negative Transfer Positive Transfer

refers to the similarity found in both L1 in L2; be it in the grammatical structure, morphology, or pronunciation. These similarities are believed to ease the students in learning the L2

Negative Transfer refers to the differences of grammatical structure, morphology, and pronunciation of the L2 compared to the L1. The negative transfer is said to be the obstacle of the students in learning L2

When do these transfer occur? In the context of Indonesian students learning English, both positive transfer and negative transfer will occur in the process of learning such as in the learning of grammar, morphology, and pronunciation.

Positive Transfer Grammar Morphology Phonology Saya makan and I eat Pembunuh and Murderer Car [kar] (English), and /k/amu, /a/dik, and /r/api (Indonesian)

The NegativeTransfer Grammar Morphology Phonology There is no verb in base form, singular subject- present form, past participle form, and present participle form in Indonesian Tensed-sentence I ate can easily be translated as saya makan dopping or ignoring the tense information

However though those three aspects of language can experience both positive and negative transfer, the focus of CA is on the surface forms of both L1 and L2 systems. It also focuses on describing and comparing the languages one level at a time – generally by contrasting the phonology of L1 and L2 first, then morphology, then syntax, with the lexicon receiving relatively little attention, and discourse still less

Implication in ELT CA only provides WHAT to teach ALM provides HOW to teach

Why ALM? Structuralism CA Comparing L1 & L2 structures ALM Teaching the new It shares the same theories as the basis Its principles related to Contrastive Analysis Behaviorism CA Language acquisition essentially involves habit formation ALM Strengthen habit through drills

Related ALM principles with CA Language is speech, not writing Language is a set of habits Teach the language not about the language Languages are different

Pros and Cons in CA experience research theory

Pros argumentations in CA Klein (1986: 26) stated that the existence of various forms of transfer is too obvious to be ignored. Rivers and Temperley (1978: 152) also assume that CA is also still good to analyze the students problem Lehn and Slager (1959) compared the L1 and L2 in the process of transfering.

Table about the difficulties/problems Native Language Learner ProblemsExamples Arabic speakers learn English /b/Habit Arabic speakers learn English /v/have it Indonesian speakers learn English /g/ to /k/Leg Indonesian speakers learn English /d/ to /t/Bird Indonesian speakers learn English /b/ to /p/Cap Indonesian speakers learn English More than twoGirls

Cons argumentations in CA Hughes (1980) attributes the reasons for CA loss popularity to each lack of success in predicting difficulties. He also argues that CA has undervalued the contribution of the learners and also failed to recognize what has to be learnt.

Cons argumentations in CA Wardhaugh (1970: 125) believes that the strong version of CA was quite unrealistic and impracticable. Lances (1969) reports that one-third to two-third of his adult foreign students English errors were not traceable to the first language.

Cons argumentations in CA James (1985) also made some counter arguments that: Interference from the L1 is not the sole source of error in L2 learning. The predictions of students error in L2 made by CA are not reliable. CA is based on, and perpetuates, a naïve view of language structure. There is not establishing criteria fir comparability. CA only conceives of interference in one direction, from L1 to L2.

Thank You!