Authentic language or language errors? Lessons from a learner corpus

Abstract

In the area of language teaching, a large number of learner corpora investigations have tended to rely on empirical data to identify common types of errors which illustrate inauthentic usages in a target language. One consequence of this kind of investigations is that such studies rarely, if ever, consider the inextricable link between language and culture, and the growing role of English as a lingua franca. Using examples of Thai English, this article calls for a re-examination of the common notion of ‘authentic’ language use. It suggests that much of learner English use is actually ‘authentic’ as a result of the cultural influences of the local context. A consideration of the practices and beliefs of the local culture could provide a better understanding of why learners use a foreign language in the way they do; a comprehension that cannot be gained from SLA theory and empirical data alone.

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