Differences Between CA and EA

Instructions:
Complete the table demonstrating you understand basic concepts related to contrastive analysis and error analysis.

Category Contrastive Analysis Error Analysis
Interest in errors 1. interested in errors resulting from interference from L1
2. interested in the totality of the errors of a L2 learner

Classification of errors 3. classifies only errors resulting from interference of L1
4. classifies all errors
Source of errors 5. errors are the result of negative transfer

6. errors are a learner’s hypotheses in relation to the new language and considered to be a natural part of L2 learning

Position on errors 7. errors are harmful and it seeks to correct them

8. takes no position on errors
When CA/EA began 8. begins with Fries and Lado

10. a type of study that has existed for a long time
Performance 9. interested in learner’s performance and correlates it to L1
10. interested in the learner’s performance and correlates it to L1 and the developing L2