Comparative And Contrastive Analysis Essay

INTRODUCTION

Language is the system of symbols and rules that enables us to communicate with other people. Language acquisition is the process of adapting a native or second language to perceive and comprehend the language through exposure. Second language acquisition (SLA) is focused more on English as second language compared to other languages because Malaysian mostly used English as the second language. Learning on the other hand, is the term used referring to the conscious study of second language whether in formal or non-formal situation. In simpler term, second language acquisition is the subconscious or conscious processed by picking up other languages other than the mother tongue in natural or tutored situation. Competence of the language

A procedure called Contrastive Analysis is developed in order to identify the areas of difficulty by giving attention to the differences and similarities between the L1’s learners and L2’s learners. Contrastive Analysis is focused on the linguistic system and grammatical structures, can predict what problems the learners of second language will encounter. Contrastive Analysis helps to classify the errors, predict what are the errors will be made by the learners and finally avoid them. There are possibilities of L2 learners followed the universal ‘natural’ route where language is picked up in a fixed orders regardless of their native language and cultures thus, it challenges the Contrastive Analysis hypothesis. Basically, L2 learners acquire their second language pretty much the same with their first language. The hypothesis of L2 learners acquire language is as the same as L1 learners, is investigated by analysing the learners’ errors. Errors are crucial source of information about second language acquisition because they demonstrate that learners can reproduce the target language rules on their own accord without memorizing the target language rules. It is easier to analyse the existence of errors in language-learners language if they are systematic.

The linguistic faculty that enables the learners to operate the input data in order to understand the L2 rules is called as Universal Grammar. Universal Grammar is rules within one language and it needs to be triggered in order to get it work and once triggered, the learners can put things together. Universal grammar has certain similar elements shared by all languages and it is designated from minds. Interlanguage or language-learner language is permeable when it allows the rules of the language to go in and help the learners to revise or improve their interlanguage. Interlanguage also is dynamic because it is constantly changing and still under constructing. There are two types of variability in interlanguage. The first variability is systemic variability and the second one is non-systemic variability. Systemic variability is determined by the situational and linguistic contexts. Systemic variability shows the direction of learner language