Predictive power of contrastive analysis : Syrians' learning of the English DP
I This thesis is an investigation of the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis. This hypothesis is founded on the assumption that second language learners tend to transfer their native language structures when learnIng a, second language. In its strong version, this hypothesis claims that by contrasting two or more languages, it is possible to predict probable areas of difficulty and hence errors on part of the foreign language learner. Contrastive analysis yields two types of prediction: (i) second language learners will transfer their isomorphic Ll structures into the second language and thus produce correct target constructions, and (ii) they will transfer the anisomorphic structures of their mother tongue thus producing erroneous structures which reflect those of their mother tongue. The second hypothesis which I seek to verify in the present work claims that the more advanced the second language learner is, the more successfully he/she will perform in the second language. Long exposure to the new language will enable the learner to improve his/her linguistic competence in this language and as a result, he/she will utilise more positive transfer and less negative transfer than the less advanced learner. The
Aws, Wafa Mustafa
Second language learning
Predictive power of contrastive analysis : Syrians' learning of the English DP. I This thesis is an investigation of the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis. This hypothesis is founded on the assumption that second language learners tend to transfer their native language structures when learnIng a, second language. In its strong version, this hypothesis claims that by contrasting two or more languages, it is possible to predict probable areas of difficulty and hence errors on part of the foreign language learner. Contrastive analysis yields two types of prediction: (i) second language learners will transfer their isomorphic Ll structures into the second language and thus produce correct target constructions, and (ii) they will transfer the anisomorphic structures of their mother tongue thus producing erroneous structures which reflect those of their mother tongue. The second hypothesis which I seek to verify in the present work claims that the more advanced the second language learner is, the more successfully he/she will perform in the second language. Long exposure to the new language will enable the learner to improve his/her linguistic competence in this language and as a result, he/she will utilise more positive transfer and less negative transfer than the less advanced learner. The
predictive power contrastive_analysis learn_english investigation contrastive analysis hypothesis hypothesis found assumption second_language_learner tend transfer native_language structure learning second_language strong version hypothesis claim contrast two_language possible predict probable area difficulty hence error part foreign_language learner contrastive_analysis yield two_type prediction second_language_learner transfer structure second_language thus produce correct target construction transfer structure mother_tongue thus produce erroneous structure reflect mother_tongue second hypothesis seek verify present_work claim advance second_language_learner successfully she perform second_language long exposure new language enable learner improve his_her linguistic_competence language she utilise positive transfer less negative transfer less advanced learner