The Error Analysis and Interlanguage of Persian Learners of Chinese speakers based on Corder's Error Analysis Framework

Error analysis developed when contrastive analysis was abolished. After sometimes error analysis lost its popularity too. But in recent years error analysis and inter-language were considered again. The theoretical framework of this article is Corder’s classified error analysis (1976) and Selinker’s fossilization and inter-language framework (1972). In this article, the inter-language and error analysis of 4 Chinese learners at advanced level were analyzed. The aim of this research was to identify the inter-language features as a unique language in learning process. The research method was a field one and the students’ papers were collected during 4 progressive months. The written texts include different creative and repetitive subjects. The individual inter-language of each learner was analyzed. The results showed that the majority of fossilized errors which were the main part of inter-language rules of language learners were related to the grammatical part and selection module. Moreover, as the inter-language contains two kinds of special and general rules, errors were divided into two parts too: inter-language and intra-language. The main origin of inter-language errors was negative transfer from the source language which caused fossilization and penetration of its rules into inter-language of language learner. The results of this research may deeply affect the development of teachers’, students’, and instructional designers’ functions.

Extended Abstract:
After the extinction of contrastive analysis, the hypothesis of error analysis emerged and after a while, this hypothesis also lost its popularity. In recent years, the hypothesis of error analysis and interlanguage have become popular since it was concluded that the interlanguage comes out of the error analysis.  Different names were selected for it due to the novelty of its concept, but what most of the researchers are in total agreement about was the dynamism of the interlanguage and the definitions that had been presented did not seem to be much complete and comprehensive until Fuziati presented a rather complete and comprehensive definition of it: the attempt of learners to create a language system that gradually gets closer to the language system of the target language. Indeed, the interlanguage is a turning point in turning the behavioral strategy into subjectivism with Chomsky as its pioneer.  It is certain that the interlanguage of each language learner is distinct and unique and despite its autonomy it is very targeted. The theoretical basis of the study is the classification theory of Corder Corder error analysis (1967) and the fossilization and interlanguage theories of Selinker (1972). Corder divides errors into two general groups: interlanguage and intralanguage errors. Each of these errors are divided into three levels of spelling/vocative, grammatical and morphological. In the next stage, the language learner commits sub-errors that may apply to each of the triple errors at a large scale. These sub-errors are as follows: omission, insertion, selection and structural order. On the other hand, Selinker raises the discussion of the interlanguage and believes that the interlanguage is the same as 'hidden psychological structure'. Therefore, the importance of selecting the theory of Corder error analysis and following it, the claim of Selinker as to the existence of the interlanguage is revealed; since the background for creating the interlanguage is the language errors, specially the fossilized errors. In principle, the fossilization process occurs in the connective loop between the interlanguage and the errors.  In a way that if fossilization does not occur, interlanguage does not form either; although, there are opposite views in this regard. This study is required in that no independent study has ever been conducted on the interlanguage, specially among the Persian learners.  The present investigation seeks to study the errors and the interlanguage of four Chinese learning Persian language at advanced level. This study is of field type, because it lasted for four frequent months in a way that the written skill papers of the participants were collected as weekly assessments and then were analysed. Totally 54 written papers in different subjects such as description, comparison, memory writing, friendly letters, formal letters and if I ... . The nature of written skill is 'productive' and an attempt has been made to choose creative subjects ??? . The interlanguage of each language learner was studied separately and the error section of them and the sub-errors that have been applied in another stage, have been presented separately in the form of tables.  The Study results indicated that a large portion of the fossilized errors that was the main part of the interlanguage rules, was related to the grammar section and sub-errors of the selection. And the number of interlanguages was equal to the number of language learners and the interlanguage was completely unique. Negative transfer from the source language was the main source of intralanguage errors that lead to fossilization and its transfer to the interlanguage of the language learner. Another result of the present study was that using one method in education resulted in the emergence of that strategy features in the interlanguage. For example, the use of communicative strategy (method) caused more linguistic elements to emerge in the interlanguage. The results of this study can lead to improvement in the performance of the educational planners in that they focus on the combination of different methods in planning lesson materials also teachers and instructors may pay complete attention to the individual differences of the language learners and enter the classroom knowing that each student is an independent person. This study revealed            the importance of focusing on studying the learners' errors as a sign of progress and movement toward the target language.