Errors of Creativity An Analysis of Lexical Errors Committed by Chinese ESL Students

by Yang, Xiao-Ming; Xu, Huaxin

• ISBN13: 9780761820260
• ISBN10: 0761820264
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-10-23
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

Errors of Creativity presents an in-depth analysis of both the sources and characteristics of lexical errors committed by Chinese college students who major in English language. Using theories of the semantic field and componential analysis as the theoretical basis, Errors of Creativity gives new insight into the specific area of error analysis, as well as to the theory and practice of L2 acquisition.

Table of Contents

List of tables	vii
Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction	1	(8)
Background information on EFL students in China	3	(6)
Teaching of English prior to higher education	4	(1)
Teaching of English in colleges and universities	5	(2)
Teaching of English at foreign languages universities	7	(2)
Theories of error analysis	9	(22)
Theories of second language acquisition	9	(5)
The monitor model	10	(1)
Meaning-to-Grammar hypothesis	10	(1)
A concept-oriented approach	11	(1)
The environmental factor	12	(2)
Theories of error analysis	14	(17)
Acquisition/learning hypothesis	15	(1)
Error versus mistake	16	(1)
Contrastive analysis	17	(2)
Language transfer	19	(4)
Non-contrastive analysis	23	(1)
Interlanguage	24	(2)
Previous studies of error analysis	26	(1)
The study of lexical errors	27	(4)
Data processing	31	(18)
The description of writing courses	31	(1)
Data processing	32	(17)
Pilot study of the first set of data	32	(9)
Processing the second set of data	41	(8)
Analysis of lexical errors	49	(36)
Semantic field theory	49	(5)
Semantic field theory	49	(3)
Componential analysis	52	(1)
Collocation	53	(1)
Classification of lexical errors	54	(2)
Framework for analysis	56	(1)
General discussion of lexical errors	57	(28)
Selection of inappropriate items according to the intended meanings	57	(10)
Errors of transitivity/intransitivity	67	(7)
Errors of lexical collocation	74	(11)
Conclusion and general discussion of the findings	85	(22)
Summary of findings	85	(1)
Four different situations affecting the acquisition of lexis	86	(4)
Lexical errors versus grammatical errors in learner's interlanguage	90	(8)
Attitudes toward lexical errors	98	(9)
Appendix 1: Sample essays	107	(6)
Appendix 2: Lexical errors occurring in all sample essays	113	(8)
Bibliography	121	(8)
About the Authors	129