The Psychological Basis of CA

Niz, Evelyn Robles, Gisella Villa, Gabriela

Contrastive Analysis
Hybrid drawing between

Psychology
Learning processes Transfer approaches Behaviourism *S-R Theory

Linguistics
Formal properties of language

Cognitivism *Cross Association *Ignorance Hypothesis

Transfer Theory Ellis: The hypothesis that the learning of language 1 will affect the subsequent learning of language 2.

Interference Weinreich: Those instances of deviation from the norms of either language as a result of the speakers familiarity with more than one language.

Contrastive Analysis
Hybrid drawing between

Psychology
Learning processes Transfer approaches Behaviourism *S-R Theory

Linguistics
Formal properties of language

Cognitivism *Cross Association *Ignorance Hypothesis

Behaviourism
Associationism is the idea that mental processes operate by the association of one entity with another.

In the process of learning, the entities that are associated are a Stimulus and a Response.

The Stimulus-Response Theory is based in the reception of stimuli (linguistic/nonlinguistic/pre-linguistic), which leads to the production of responses, either natural or learnt (linguistics/non-linguistics).

Problems in defining S-R in language 2 learning

1) Learners dont have to learn the responses but their

associations with a particular Stimulus.

S: Yes/No questions R: Yes, I do / No, I dont 2) CA is more concerned with teaching rather than learning S: Emphasis R: It was JOHN who did it! S: Subordination expressing Condition R: Ill be mad if you dont come to the party with us.

3) *Jackobovits and Bloomfield

S Pre-linguistic definition: The environmental conditions that are antecedent to linguistic utterances.
S: Anger (Pre-linguistic) R: Why did you do that to me?! (Linguistic) S R: Im sorry (linguistic)

*Richterich S Communicative Need which is prior to the interaction

S: Happiness (Communicative Need) R: I passed my exam!! (Linguistic) S R: Congratulations! (linguistic)

4) CA is more interested in form rather than substance S: Where have you been? R: Pronoun + auxiliary + verb + preposition + (determiner) noun (I + have + been + at + home / I + have + been + in + the park / I + have + been + in + his house)

Contrastive Analysis
Hybrid drawing between

Psychology
Learning processes Transfer approaches Behaviourism *S-R Theory

Linguistics
Formal properties of language

Cognitivism *Cross Association *Ignorance Hypothesis

Cognitivism
Cross-Association H.V. George (1972) Cross-association implies what is usually meant by mothertongue interference. George REDUNDANCY: A type of interference which occurs when one term with different associations in L1 splits up in different terms in L2 producing errors in the transference. Meet: 1) to get to know for the first time Conocer 2) to come together by chance or arrangement Encontrarse con *Emma encontr a Peter en 1998.

Tocar: 1) Hacer sonar un instrumento To Play 2) Entrar en contacto con un objeto o una superficie To Touch *Lilly used to touch the guitar very well.

Querer: 1) Amar, tener cario a una persona o cosa To Love 2) Desear, anhelar algo To want *Sally wants her children very much.

Ignorance Hypothesis Newmark and Reibel (1968) The L2 learner may want to say something he doesnt yet know how to say in the L2 and uses whatever means at disposal. Selinker Ignorance as a precondition for learning as well as a precondition for Interference. IGNORANCE: The learner realizes he has no linguistic competence with regard to some aspect of L2. INTERFERENCE: It predicts that if a learner is called upon to produce some L2 form he hasnt yet learnt, he will tend to produce an erroneous form having its origin in L1. However, ignorance and interference refer to different phenomena and therefore, one doesnt necessarily imply the other.

*Ignorance without interference: Avoidance Strategy: Learners who have experienced difficulty in using some L2 structure will prefer to avoid it by using paraphrasing or some near equivalent. E.g. Tag questions, phrasal verbs, collocations *Interference without ignorance: Even though there is no longer ignorance about a certain structure, mistakes can still be made. E.g. People is, news are, Im looking forward to see you

Weaknesses associated with ignorance hypothesis

Kellerman (1977) *Ignorance by self evaluation implies a personal autoevaluation in which the learner finds out he lacks a certain L2 feature and therefore he feels incapable of producing it. * Different L1 learners may have the same ignorance of a L2 structure; however, it doesnt imply committing the same mistakes.
L2 (English) Structure: Where do you come from? / Where are you from?
L1 Russian Speaker: ? (Lit. Where you from?) L1 Spanish Speaker: De donde es usted? (Lit. From where are you?)

* Learners cannot be asked to perform specific L2 items before being given access and exposure to them. Krashen
distinction

Acquisition
learning process which takes place in a natural setting without tutored instruction.

Learning
implies teaching

Activities

It is the idea that mental processes operate by the association of one entity with another. (associationism) Process by which an erroneous transference is produced as a result of one term splitting up in more terms in the other language. (redundancy) The S-R Theory is dealt with within - - - - - - - - - - - -. (behaviourism) Name that Richterich gives to the stimulus. (communicative need) Cross-association and Ignorance Hypothesis are dealt with within - - - - - - - - - -. (cognitivism) Main concern of contrastive analysis in language behaviour. (form) Hypothesis that explains L2 errors. (ignorance hypothesis) It implies what is usually meant by Mother Tongue interference. (cross association)

Thank you all!!