Summary
Unit 1 WHAT IS CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS
CA is:
- an inductive investigative approach based on distinctive elements in a language or
- the comparison of the linguistic systems of two languages, for example, the sound
system or the grammatical system of these two languages
- involves comparison of two (or more) languages or subsystems of languages (Cross-
linguistic CA)
- to determine both the differences and similarities between them
- It could also be done within one language (Intra-linguistic CA)
Intra-lingual:
- Analysis of contrastive phonemes, e.g. /p/ & /b/ in English
- Feature analysis of morphosyntactic categories
E.g. forms of verbals as Subject, Objects, Complement
- Analysis of morphemes having grammatical meaning, e.g. morphemes marking number,
tense …
- Analysis of word order, e.g. OSV, SVO …
- Componential analysis of lexemes, e.g.
Salary [+paid monthly] [+usu by cheque]
Wage [+paid weekly] [+in cash] [+usu for manual or clerical work]
- Analysis of lexical relations
E.g. synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy
Cross-linguistic CA
- Comparative analysis of contrastive phonemes between 2 languages
E.g. /p/ in English vs. Vietnamese
- Comparative analysis of morphosyntactic systems
E.g. Adjectives in English vs. Vietnamese
- Comparative analysis of lexical semantics
E.g. causative verbs in English vs. Vietnamese
- Analysis of translational equivalence
- Study of interference in foreign language learning
E.g. How OSV order in Vietnamese may influence transfers into English
Pedagogic view:
Structuralism:
- a finite structure of a given language that can be documented & compared with
another language
- structural linguists set about to identify the patterns of language
- structural linguistic patterns: the set of habits that characterized a given language
behaviourist theories:
- language learning: habit formation & reinforced or
impeded by existing habits
+ Errors: as result of interference in transfer L1 to L2
+ Habits of MT differed from those of TL (Target Language)
+ Structure of TL differs from that of MT (Mother Tongue)
Lado (1957): major objectives of CA are
1. Providing insights into similarities and differences between languages;
2. Explaining and predicting problems in second language learning; and
3. Developing course material for language teaching
Theoretical CA & Applied CA
CA is theoretical
- the establishment of linguistic universals, and
- increasing detailed knowledge of particular languages
- look for the realization of a universal category X in both A and B (bilateral CA)
- not investigate how a given category present in language A is presented in language B
(unilateral)
Applied CA attempted to
• select information pertinent for the purpose (teaching, studies on bilingualism,
translation, etc.)
• unidirectional, investigating how a (universal) category realised in L1 in one way is
rendered in L2
• identifying potential areas of difficulty due to interference.
• emphasizing value of pointing out similarities in language teaching
• preventing learner from attempting to construct forms which may ‘sound foreign’
(Fisiak 1981:3).
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