Interlanguage Error Analysis Of English Writings By Non-English Majors At Independent Colleges

During the process of second language acquisition (SLA), learners may produce an independent language called interlanguage (IL), which is an in-between and inherently variable system between their native language (NL) or first language (L1) and the target language (TL) or second language (L2). With the improvement of learning, IL gradually approaches and eventually reaches TL. However, due to features of IL, errors are inevitable. The process of foreign language learning is a process of creating IL, developing IL and inherently correcting errors. IL-based error analysis (EA) requires teachers to analyze learners'IL errors and recognize these errors are dynamic and developing. Based on analysis, teachers should realize the statement of students'IL level and take measures to correct various errors on purpose.This paper reviews the previous studies on IL and EA. And then a data-based analysis of IL has been made. All the data came from compositions written by non-English majors from an independent college located in Taizhou, which was founded by a university in Nanjing. This English writing competition took place in June 2015. By the conduction of qualitative and quantitative analysis, IL errors from the perspectives of language knowledge, linguistic categories, and error sources have been studied to find the distribution and frequency of IL errors in order to gain some insights into English education so as to aid teachers to adopt appropriate teaching strategies and methods to promote their profession of teaching.Based on the result of IL error analysis, findings can be summarized as follows:1. Lexis learning is still the major point in students'English learning process.2. Semantic-oriented English learning is the significant feature of learners'IL development. Study shows that both intra-lingual and inter-lingual errors are closely related to semantics.3. MT interference should not be neglected in the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL).4. The non-English majors of the independent college involved in this paper are at the beginning stage of the IL continuum.At last, errors conducted by students in their English writings have been summarized. Meanwhile, the implications of error analysis to teaching in college English writing have also been discussed.