Error Warning In English-Chinese Learner's Dictionaries

In learning English everyone makes errors, and consequently an English-Chinese learner's dictionary should provide warnings against common errors. This thesis centers on the issue of treating error warning in ECLDs.The present study first gives an introduction of what has been researched on learner errors for the benefit of further study. What come next are the results of a related survey and examples of common errors by Chinese learners. Then it makes a contrastive analysis of error warning in three mainstream learner's dictionaries. This thesis shows that Chinese EFL learners often make three types of errors. They are Lexical Errors, Grammatical Errors and Pragmatic Errors. Among them, many lexical and pragmatic errors are unique to Chinese learners. However, current leading learner's dictionaries merely highlight the solution to Grammatical Errors, failing to fully satisfy the needs of Chinese learners. In treating error warning, this thesis also introduces some linguistic theories and SLA theories. Those theories include Three Levels of Error, Context Theory and Figure/ Ground Segregation. With the enlightenment from three mainstream learner's dictionaries, this thesis tries to seek out a better method for error warning. Samples based on the new method are also provided. The new method is listed below:1. In content, provide warnings against three types of common errors by Chinese learners. Those common errors are Lexical Errors, Grammatical Errors and Pragmatic Errors. Any type of the errors cannot be neglected.2. In form, make sure that the warning information is clear, prominent and concise.