A review of the development and interaction of research involving second language contrastive analysis, error analysis, and interlanguage demonstrates how different assumptions and theoretical preconceptions have affected the results of such research, and the degree to which the research areas have drawn on the other areas. (39 references) (CB)

Discusses the different theoretical perspectives concerning input data to second-language (L2) learners, and examines the learners contributions to input and the interactions between what learners take in themselves and what is given to them. (58 references) (GLR)

A model for assessing communicative ability is presented that is prompted by the fact that most error analysts in the past concentrated on morphemic and syntactic levels. It is suggested that emphasis must shift from acquisition of linguistic competence per se to communicative competence. (23 references) (LB)

Major approaches of describing or examining linguistic data from a potential target language (input) are analyzed for adequacy in addressing the concerns of second language learning theory. Suggestions are made for making the best of these varied concepts of input and for reformulation of a unified concept. (MSE)

Discusses the difficulties in learning the English verbs "do" and "make" by second-language learners, and compares the use of these verbs with the German "tun" and "machen" and the Dutch "doen" and "maken." It is suggested that to reach valid conclusions in contrastive linguistics, it is necessary to consider the diachronic dimension. (21…

Two concerns are addressed: the growing interest in process-oriented approaches to language learning, and the search for a nonparticulate linguistics of the type hinted at by Halliday and given some credibility by the findings of neuroscience. Focus is on somatic phenomena such as tone of voice, body language, and certain schemas. (15 references)…

Recent knowledge about the system of gender assignment in French is examined to suggest theoretical reasons why English speakers are so rarely successful in mastering the French gender assignment system for inanimate nouns. Morphological, phonetic, and semantic rules shed light on the system. (14 references) (Author/LB)

In analyzing the errors made in a French grammar test by intermediate level English-speaking learners of the language, it was found that not all mistakes could be accounted for by interference from the native language, but that other psychological factors were involved as well. (FB)

Examines three experimental studies deriving from contrastive analysis predictions and error analysis insights into deviances from expected target language forms. Each of these studies predate the Interlanguage hypothesis. (CB)

Most analyses of linguistic errors set up unidimensional categories of grammatical, lexical, and semantic deviations. A two-dimensional classification system is described that formed the basis of a study of phenomena of foreign-language interaction. Thirteen classes of linguistic deviation emerged in the study. (Contains 37 references.) (Author/LB)

Although critical of some of the claims made for contrastive analysis in the past, this article treats contrastive analysis as a useful pursuit which can contribute to language learning. (FB)

Explains the differences between constituency and dependency theories for structural linguistics. Reasons are provided for why the former has been indirectly responsible for the neglect of lexical acquisition in language acquisition research and for proposing a notation based on dependency theory for describing learners' segmentation of initially…

Examines the spatial deictic features of Spanish, the study focuses on the topic's pedagogical implications for second- language learning and an accurate description of the contrast between Spanish and English deixis. The article concludes that there is a need to view Spanish spatial deictics as elements "in use" and to see them as…

Examined how well first-year English majors at the University of Nijmegen, Netherlands, performed on a relative clause test, with students retested after receiving instruction in relative clauses. Results found that 78% of the students scored better on the second test. The results are discussed in relation to accessibility hierarchy and the…