Detection and correction of linguistic errors: results according to linguistic preferences and uses

Jordi Cicres Bosch

Spain

Universitat de Girona

Silvia Llach

Spain

Universitat de Girona

María Dolors de-Ribot

Spain

Universitat de Girona

Submitted: 2013-05-06

|

Accepted: 2014-04-30

|

Published: 2014-05-29

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/rlyla.2014.1507
Funding Data

Downloads

Keywords:

error detection, error correction, Catalan norm, linguistic interference, linguistic use

Supporting agencies:

This research was not funded

Abstract:

This paper examines the ability of 256 university students to detect and correct errors related to different linguistic aspects of Catalan, by means of a test including correct and incorrect sentences. The sentences included aspects of Catalan prescriptive grammar, errors caused by interference from Spanish, and discursive aspects (adequacy, coherence and cohesion). In addition to that, the ability of the students has also been linked to data from their language use and linguistic experience in the following areas: language spoken in the family, language spoken with friends, and formal and informal languages of preference. The results show that students whose preferred language is Spanish or either Spanish or Catalan are less competent than those using Catalan on a regular basis. Taking into account the type of error, students who use preferably Spanish or both languages show significantly worse results in the error detection task (in sentences containing grammar and interference errors) than those who prefer Catalan. In contrast, no significant differences are shown regarding discourse errors when the students' linguistic use is considered.
Show more Show less

References:

Amadeo, I. and Solé, J. (1996). Curs pràctic de redacció. Barcelona: Ed. Columna.

Arnau, J. (2004). "Sobre les competències en català i castellà dels escolars de Catalunya: una resposta a la polèmica sobre el decret d'hores de castellà", Llengua, Societat i Comunicació 1, 1-7.

Bereiter, C. and Scardamalia, M. (1987). The psychology of written composition. Hillsdale (N.J.): Erlbaum.

Cameron, C., Edmunds, G., Wigmore, B. Hunt, A. and Linton, M. (1997). "Children's revision of textual flaws", International Journal of Behavioral Development 20 (4), 667-680. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/016502597385117

Camps, A. (1992). "Algunas observaciones sobre la capacidad de revisión de los adolescentes", Infancia y Aprendizaje 58, 65-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02103702.1992.10822333

Chanquoy, L. (1997). "Thinking skills and composing: Examples of text revision", in J. H. M. Hamers and M. Overtoom (ed.) Inventory of European Programmes for teaching thinking, Utrecht: Sardes, 179-185.

Conrad, S. M. and Goldstein, L. M. (1999). "ESL student revision after teacher-written comments: text, contexts and individuals", Journal of second language writing, 8 (2), 147-179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80126-X

Ellis, R. (1994). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford Applied Linguistics.

Ellis, R. and Barkhuizen, G. (2005). Analysing Learner Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Emig, J. (1977). "Writing as a mode of learning", College Composition and Communication 28, 122-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/356095

Ferris, D. (2006). "Does error feedback help student writers? New evidence on the short- and long-term effects of written error correction", in K. Hyland and F. Hyland (ed.) Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 81-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524742.007

Flower, L. and Hayes, J. R. (1980). "The dynamics of composing: Making plans and juggling constraints", in L. W. Gregg and E. R. Steinberg (ed.), Cognitive processes in writing, Hillsdale: N.J. Erlbaum, 31-50.

García, J. N. and O. Arias-Gundín (2004). "Intervención en estrategias de revisión del mensaje escrito", Psicothema 16 (2), 194-202.

Goldstein, L. (2006). "Feedback and revision in second language writing: Contextual, teacher, and student variables", in K. Hyland and F. Hyland (ed.), Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 185-205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524742.012

Hacker, D., Plumb, C., Butterfield, E., Quathamer, D. and Heineken, E. (1994). "Text revision: Detection and correction of errors", Journal of Educational Psychology 86 (1), 65-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.86.1.65

Largy, P., Chanquoy, L. and Dédéyan, A. (2004). "Orthographic revision: the case of subject-verb agreement in french", in L. Allal, L. Chanquoy and P. Largy (ed.) Revision cognitive and instructional processes, New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 39-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1048-1_4

Largy,P., Dédéyan, A. and Hupet, M. (2004). "Ortographic revision: a developmental study of how revisers check verbal agreements in written texts", British Journal of Educational Psychology 74, 533-550. http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/0007099042376382

McCutchen, D., Francis, M. and Kerr, S. (1997). "Revising for meaning effects of knowledge and strategy", Journal of educational psychology 89 (4), 667-676. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.89.4.667

MEC (2010). PISA 2009. Programa para la evaluación internacional de los alumnos. OCDE. Informe espa-ol. Madrid: Instituto de Evaluación. Ministerio de Educación.

MEC (2007). PISA 2006. Programa para la evaluación internacional de los alumnos. OCDE. Informe espa-ol. Madrid: Instituto de Evaluación. Ministerio de Educación.

Mestres, J. M., Costa, J., Oliva, M. and Fité, R. (2007). Manual d'estil. La redacció i l'edició de textos. 3rd edition. Vic: Eumo.

Odlin, T. (1989). Language transfer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524537

Pérez, S. A. (2001). "Revising During Writing in a Second Grade Classroom", Educational Research Quarterly 25 (1), 27-32.

Sachs, R. and Polio, C. (2007). "Learners' uses of two types of written feedback on a L2 writing revision task", Studies in Second Language Acquisition 29, 67–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0272263107070039

Servei d'Ensenyament del Català – SEDEC (1998). Competència lingüística en català i castellà de l'alumnat de sisè de Primària, curs 1997-1998. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Ensenyament. Unpublished.

Van der Pool, E. (1996). "A text-analytical study of conceptual writing processes and their development", in G. Rijlaarsdam, H. van der Bergh and M. Couzijn (ed.) Theories, Models and Methodology in Writing Research, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 456-472.

Wallace, D., Hayes, J., Hatch, J., Miller, W., Moser, G. and Silk, C. (1996). "Better revision in eight minutes? Prompting first-year college writers to revise globally", Journal of Educational Psychology 88, 682-688. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.88.4.682

Show more Show less