| Peer-Reviewed

Analyzing Linguistic Errors in Writing an English Letter: A Case Study of Indonesian Undergraduate Students

Received: 29 March 2017     Accepted: 4 April 2017     Published: 5 May 2017
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

This paper seeks to explore errors in Indonesian students’ writing in English. Seventy five students in their second year of study at the Department of English Literature, Faculty of Letters, Methodist University of Indonesia, Medan, were involved in this study. Despite the fact that they have studied grammar in the first semester at the University and several years in High School, students still face problems in writing in English. This study will elaborate on types of errors on students’ writing so as to make them aware of each type of errors before composing a text in English. In gathering the data needed, students were asked to write a letter with a maximum of 90 words to a property agent requesting for a specific home they wish to buy. Their writings afterwards were analyzed in terms of linguistic errors as proposed by Hubbard et al. (1996). These include grammatical, syntactic, substance, and lexical errors. This study revealed that students committed 42.4% of grammatical errors, 26.7% of syntactic errors, 17.9% of substance errors, 13% of lexical errors. Based on the discussion of the findings, it is concluded that Indonesian students in this study committed a great number of errors due to first language transfer.

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 5, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12
Page(s) 71-77
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Errors in Writing, EFL Students, Linguistic Errors, Error Analysis

References
[1] Alhaisoni, M. (2012). An Analysis of Article Errors among Saudi Female EFL Students: A Case Study, Asian Social Science-Canadian Center of Science and Education, 8(12), 55- 66.
[2] Alhaysony, M. (2012). An analysis of article errors among Saudi female EFL students: A case study Asian Social Science, 8(12), 55-66.
[3] Brown, H. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching. New York: Pearson Education Inc.
[4] Campanizzi, J. (2005). Effective Writing for the Quality Professional. Creating Useful Letters, Reports, and Procedures. ASQ Quality Press Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
[5] Catalan, R. (n. d). Terms and Definitions of Errors in SLA. Accessed from www.raco.cat/index.php/bells/article/viewFile/102789/163499
[6] Corder, S. P. (1967). The significance of learner's errors. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 5(4), 161-170.
[7] Dulay, H. C., et. al. (1982). Language Two. New York: Oxford University Ellis, R. (1985). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[8] Ellis, R. (1997). Second language acquisition. New York, Oxford University Press.
[9] Ellis, R. (2008). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
[10] Ellis, R., Barkhuizen, G. (2005). Analysing Learner Language. Oxford: Oxford University Ferris, D. (2002). Treatment of error in second language writing. Michigan, The University of Michigan Press.
[11] Gvarishvili, Z. (2012). Interference of L1 prepositional knowledge in acquiring of prepositional usage in English. Akdeniz Language Studies Conference. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences Volume 70. Antalya, Turkey 9 – 12 May.
[12] Hubbard, P., et. al. (1996). A Training Course for TEFL. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[13] Hyland, K. (2003). Second language writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Accessed from http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667251.
[14] James, C. (1988). Errors in language learning use: Exploring error analysis. Harlow, Essex: Addison Wesley Longman Limited.
[15] Kaweera, C. (2013). Writing error: A review of interlingual and intralingual interference in EFL context. English Language Teaching, 6, 9-18.
[16] Lalande, J. (1982). Reducing Composition errors: An experiment. Modern language Journal, 66, 140-49. Accessed from http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1982.tb06973.x.
[17] Olasehinde, M. O. (2002). Error analysis and remedial pedagogy. In Babatunde S. T. and D. S. Adeyanju (eds.). Language, meaning and society. Ilorin: Itaytee Press and Publishing Co., Nigeria Phuket, P. R. N, Othman, NB. O. (2015). Understanding EFL Students’ Errors in Writing. Journal of Education and Practice. Vol.6, No.32.
[18] Richards, J. C. (1971). A non-contrastive approach to Error Analysis. English Language Teaching Journal, 25, 204-219.
[19] Richards, J. C., and Schmidt, R. (2002). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. (4th ed.). London: Longman (Pearson Education).
[20] Ridha, N. (2012). The Effect of EFL Learners' Mother Tongue on their Writings in English: An Error Analysis Study. Journal of the College of Arts. University of Basrah, 60, 22-45.
[21] Saville, M., Troike (2006). Introducing Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press Sawalmeh, M. H. M (2013). Error Analysis of Written English Essays: The case of Students of the Preparatory Year Program in Saudi Arabia. English for Specific Purposes World. Issue 40, vol. 14.
[22] Sermsook, K. et. al. (2017). An Analysis of Errors in Written English Sentences: A Case Study of Thai EFL Students. English Language Teaching; Vol. 10, No. 3.
[23] Wee, R., et. al. (2009). Verb-form errors in EAP writing. Educational Research and Review, 5, 016-023.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Sependi Napitupulu. (2017). Analyzing Linguistic Errors in Writing an English Letter: A Case Study of Indonesian Undergraduate Students. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 5(3), 71-77. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Sependi Napitupulu. Analyzing Linguistic Errors in Writing an English Letter: A Case Study of Indonesian Undergraduate Students. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2017, 5(3), 71-77. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Sependi Napitupulu. Analyzing Linguistic Errors in Writing an English Letter: A Case Study of Indonesian Undergraduate Students. Int J Lang Linguist. 2017;5(3):71-77. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12,
      author = {Sependi Napitupulu},
      title = {Analyzing Linguistic Errors in Writing an English Letter: A Case Study of Indonesian Undergraduate Students},
      journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
      volume = {5},
      number = {3},
      pages = {71-77},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20170503.12},
      abstract = {This paper seeks to explore errors in Indonesian students’ writing in English. Seventy five students in their second year of study at the Department of English Literature, Faculty of Letters, Methodist University of Indonesia, Medan, were involved in this study. Despite the fact that they have studied grammar in the first semester at the University and several years in High School, students still face problems in writing in English. This study will elaborate on types of errors on students’ writing so as to make them aware of each type of errors before composing a text in English. In gathering the data needed, students were asked to write a letter with a maximum of 90 words to a property agent requesting for a specific home they wish to buy. Their writings afterwards were analyzed in terms of linguistic errors as proposed by Hubbard et al. (1996). These include grammatical, syntactic, substance, and lexical errors. This study revealed that students committed 42.4% of grammatical errors, 26.7% of syntactic errors, 17.9% of substance errors, 13% of lexical errors. Based on the discussion of the findings, it is concluded that Indonesian students in this study committed a great number of errors due to first language transfer.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Analyzing Linguistic Errors in Writing an English Letter: A Case Study of Indonesian Undergraduate Students
    AU  - Sependi Napitupulu
    Y1  - 2017/05/05
    PY  - 2017
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12
    T2  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JF  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    JO  - International Journal of Language and Linguistics
    SP  - 71
    EP  - 77
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-0221
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20170503.12
    AB  - This paper seeks to explore errors in Indonesian students’ writing in English. Seventy five students in their second year of study at the Department of English Literature, Faculty of Letters, Methodist University of Indonesia, Medan, were involved in this study. Despite the fact that they have studied grammar in the first semester at the University and several years in High School, students still face problems in writing in English. This study will elaborate on types of errors on students’ writing so as to make them aware of each type of errors before composing a text in English. In gathering the data needed, students were asked to write a letter with a maximum of 90 words to a property agent requesting for a specific home they wish to buy. Their writings afterwards were analyzed in terms of linguistic errors as proposed by Hubbard et al. (1996). These include grammatical, syntactic, substance, and lexical errors. This study revealed that students committed 42.4% of grammatical errors, 26.7% of syntactic errors, 17.9% of substance errors, 13% of lexical errors. Based on the discussion of the findings, it is concluded that Indonesian students in this study committed a great number of errors due to first language transfer.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of English Literature, Faculty of Letters, Methodist University of Indonesia, Medan, Indonesia

  • Sections