ERROR AND MISTAKE IN EFL LEARNING

Abstract

As known, English in Indonesia is taught as foreign language rather than second language. Learning any language is actually closely dealt with language error and mistake, including in learning English as foreign language. Sometimes error and mistake are considered to be the same, whereas in fact they differ. This article aims to discuss the difference between error and mistake in language learning as well as explaining learning and acquisition in language. Learning happens in the level of consciousness and involves educational setting while acquisition happens in the level of sub-consciousness and involves natural setting. The term error is defined as the lack of language use which is consistently made and is not self corrigible by its user. While the term mistake refers to the learner’s inability in using the target language and is self corrigible. It means that language learner can fix the mistake without help from somebody else.