A Review of Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis with a Phonological and Syntactical view: A Cross-linguistic Study

Abstract

Although contrastive analysis has often been questioned for its inadequacy to predict the transfer errors that learners will make in actual learning contexts it cannot be easily denied that “such interference does exist and can explain difficulties” (Brown, 1994, p. 200), especially in the phonological aspects of second/foreign language learning. In this line, the present research is trying to shed light on the concept of contrastive analysis hypothesis by focusing on the background and origins of the concept, then the procedures and its different versions. In addition, the current study will discuss the differences and similarities in the phonology and syntax of two languages, namely Persian and English in order to be able to find the areas of possible difficulty for L2 learners of English.