Download - Language Comparison
Spanish and English, A ComparisonBy Julie
Data Analysis Journal Poster• Information about person:• Name: Luigi• Location: Dominican Republic, North Coast• Age: 27 years old• Sex: male• Status: student at a university studying hotel business
administration• English Training:
• Five years ago he took one English class for one year• Is taking English classes again• Speaks English regularly with the people around him. (Many are
missionaries and tourists.)
Data Analysis Journal Poster
Data Analysis Journal Poster
Subject Verb Agreement Errors
What Luigi wrote Correct Form Error
God know everything God knows everything.
Incorrect use - plural verb
was used with a singular
proper noun
He work everyday for usHe works every day for
us.
Incorrect use - plural verb
was used with a singular
noun
my classes was four hour
everyday in the week
My classes were four
hours every day of the
week.
Incorrect use - singular
verb used for a plural
noun
my classes was four hour
everyday in the week
My classes were four
hours every day of the
week.
Incorrect use - singular
verb used for a plural
noun
Data Analysis Journal
Spelling Errors
Verb Tense ErrorsWhat Luigi wrote Correct Form Error
I finished on Dicember
2009
I finished in December
2009.
Incorrect spelling of
December.
What Luigi wrote Correct Form Error
I drop out the English
classes on 2007.
I dropped out of the
English classes in 2007.
The verb drop should be
written in past tense
I spend like nine month
for to learn English here
I spent about nine
months in order to learn
English here.
The past tense should be
used for the word spend
Data Analysis Journal
Sentence Structure Errors
What Luigi wrote Correct Form Error
here is ok It is okay here.The sentence is missing
the pronoun it.
is a pleasure to talk with
you Julie
It is a pleasure to talk
with you, Julie.
The sentence is missing
the pronoun it.
Im glad to hear about if I
want help you, I say yes!
I’m glad to hear you need
help. Yes, I will help you.
Incorrect sentence
structure
is a pleasure to help you,It is a pleasure to help
you.
The sentence is missing
the pronoun it.
sorry so much about
your Church Julie
I’m very sorry about your
church Julie.Missing the subject I
sorry so much about
your Church Julie
Julie, I’m very sorry about
your church.Missing the verb am
Data Analysis Journal
Sample of Punctuation Errors
What Luigi wrote Correct Form Error
im fine thank and you? I’m fine, thanks. And you?First letter is not
capitalized
im fine thank and you? I’m fine, thanks. And you?Missing an apostrophe to
form the contraction I’m
im fine thank and you? I’m fine, thanks. And you? Missing a comma
Data Analysis JournalImproper Use of Words
Im glad to hear that
everything is doing well
with you
I’m glad to hear that
everything is going well
with you
Used the verb doing in
place of the correct verb
going
sorry so much about
your Church Julie
Julie, I’m very sorry about
your church.
The adverb much should
be replaced by the
correct adverb very
I drop out the English
classes on 2007.
I dropped out of the
English classes in 2007.Incorrect preposition
I drop out the English
classes on 2007.
I dropped out of the
English classes in 2007.
The preposition of is
missing from the
sentence.
I spend like nine month
for to learn English here
I spent about nine
months in order to learn
English here.
“For” should be replaced
with “in order to”
Data Analysis Journal• Summary• Each section of errors had its own repetitive pattern, but all
errors relate back to differences between the L1 and the TL.
Language Comparison• Key Features of Spanish• Emphasis on phonology• Uses Roman Alphabet• Syllable structure dominated by Consonant (C) Vowel (V)
approach.• Other syllable structures:
• V, CVC, VC, and CCV• Stress and intonation pronounced in spoken language and shown
in written language
Language Comparison• Key features of Spanish• Verb agrees with the subject only• Verbs are conjugated• All nouns have gender• Definitive articles, indefinite articles and adjectives agree in
gender and number with the nouns they modify. • Spanish Syntax
• Flexible word order• Normally follows Subject-Verb-Object
Language Comparison• Key Features of Spanish• Lack of auxiliaries in questions• Double negatives are used to show negation• Modifiers: noun followed by an adjective
Language ComparisonDifferences
English• More sounds• 26 consonants phonemes• 13 vowel phonemes• Words end with a
consonant• Syllable structure• Consonant Clusters
English does not include the phonemes /rr/ or the /ɲ/ that Spanish includes.
Spanish• Emphasis on phonology• 18 consonants phonemes• 5 vowels phonemes• Words end with a vowel• Syllable structure• Consonant Vowel dominated
“Spanish lacks the glottal /’/, the voiced affricate /ʤ/, the voiced
/ð/ and unvoiced /ɵ/, the voiced /ž/ and unvoiced /ʃ/, the
/z/, the /ŋ/, and the flap /ɾ/” (Bilinguistics, 2007).
Language ComparisonDifferences
English• Syllable timed language• Words are built from roots
that are free morphemes• English verbs use different
forms of a word to change tense
• Nouns do not have gender• Do not use double
negatives
Spanish• Stress timed language• Verbal roots are bound and
cannot stand alone• Spanish verbs are
conjugated to change tense
• Nouns have gender• Adjectives, demonstratives
and articles change according to gender
• Subject pronouns are only used for emphasis
• Use double negatives
Language Comparison• Causes of Errors during language development• Difficulties students will face include
• recognizing that phonemes represent different speech sounds• creating morphemes and sentences
• ELLs will have difficulty creating words “because the majority of complex words in English are built from roots that are free morphemes” (O’Grady et al, 2010, p.121).
• Creating sentences will be difficult because of a lack of verb conjugation.
Language Comparison• Causes of errors during language development• ELLs will need to specify who or what the subject is before the
verb instead of including it with the verb. • Interlanguage will also affect the pronunciation of the English
phoneme /h/ and cause difficulty in pronouncing clusters.
Language Comparison• Causes of errors during language development• Challenges ELLs will face in grammar include developing
sentences with single negative construction, correctly using English prepositions and pronouns, and adjusting to rigid word order.
• Interlanguage might also cause Spanish speakers to place the modifier after the noun in the English language and/or forget about the auxiliary, or drop articles.
Language Comparison• The errors Luigi made were due to the differences in language
structure of English and Spanish. He tried to apply Spanish syntax rules when creating English sentences.
Language Comparison
Instructional Implications
•Develop lessons where students learn, practice, and reinforce specific language concepts. •Design instruction to focus on the new and unfamiliar sounds; including certain vowels, consonants, diphthongs, and syllables” (Hagan, 2010). •Unfamiliar sounds, syllables, and consonant clusters will be a key area on which to focus.
Language Comparison
Instructional Implications
•Minimal pairs may help Spanish speakers distinguish between different vowel sounds and clusters. •Investigating spelling rules and showing students cognates will develop a better understanding of written English and pronunciation. •In order to help ELLs, they should be shown the similarities between their native language and the target language, ultimately building on what they already know (Hagan, 2010).
Language Comparison
Instructional Implications
•“The instructor should use words in context and provide extensive practice for English language learners to master the understanding and use of the new vocabulary words” (Hagan, 2010).•Explicitly instruct students in words with multiple meanings and then provide many opportunities to use these words in various contexts (Hagan, 2010). •Knowing the students’ needs will help the instructor provide opportunities to meet these needs by using a variety of strategies while creating a positive learning environment.
References• Bilinguistics. (2007). Basic Communication Processes:
Introductory [.pdf]. Bilinguistics Inc. Retrieved from http://www.pediastaff.com/resources-typical-development-of-speech-in -spanish-in-comparison-to-english
• Chamot, A., Mado, J., & Hollie, S. (2009) Longman keystone level B (Teacher’s Edition) White Plains, NY, USA: Pearson Longman.
• Colorín Colorado. (2007). Capitalizing on similarities and differences between Spanish and English. Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/background/capitalizing/
• Frankfurt International School. (2011). The differences between English and Spanish. Retrieved from http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/spanish.htm
• Gifted Speech. (2010). For teachers. Retrieved from http://www.giftedspeech.com/how-does-it-work/for-teachers/
References• Hagan, E. (2010). Response to intervention: implications for Spanish-speaking
English language learners. Perspectives on language and literacy, (Spring 2010), 36(2). Retrieved from http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/diversity/response-to-intervention-implications-for -spanish-speaking-english-language-learners
• Mackenzie, I. (1993). The transparency of Spanish orthography. Journal of the SimplifiedSpelling Society, 1993(2), 15-21. Retrieved from http://www.spellingsociety.org/journals/j15/spanish.php
• O’Grady, W., Archibald, J., Aronoff, M., and Rees-Miller, J. (2010). Contemporary Linguistics An Introduction (6th ed.). Boston, MA, USA: Bedford/St.Martin’s.
• Speech Pathology CEUs. (2011). Speech development in Spanish and English quick reference slides. Retrieved from http://speechpathologyceus.net/cld-resource-library/
• Speech Pathology CEUs. (2011). Common Semantic and Syntactic Errors in the English Language Learners Retrieved from http://speechpathologyceus.net/wp -content/uploads/2010/10/Common-Semantic-and-Syntactic-Errors.pdf
• Williams, E. (1987). The batnam new college Spanish and English Dictionary. New York, NY, USA: Batnam Books.