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ESL forum >
Techniques and methods in Language Teaching > Error and mistake
Error and mistake
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senemingilizce
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Error and mistake
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Hi friends. what is the difference between error and mistake?
Which one we should correct ? How?
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9 Apr 2012
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mustaphaelbakri
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salam
to my knowledge, error is systematic and rule-governed, while mistake is not. that is, an error occurs repeatedly in some linguistic contexts like someone who always forgets the s in the third person singular of the present simple (she plays).
good luck
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9 Apr 2012
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judieguv
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Hi dear friend!
I am not an expert, but according to my knowledge, an error is when someone uses the language in inappropriate way but/and it is an unconscious process. For instances: She don �t like my house. (This person keeps on using/ saying this grammar error because he/she doesn �t know what is wrong)
A mistake is a conscious process. In this case the person knows he/she is wrong and can change it. For instances: Someone might say " She don �t like my house" (immediately) this person might change it stead of saying the correct one. "She doesn �t like my house".
I hope it can be useful and easy to understand.
Blessings from Costa Rica. Diego Guzm�n
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9 Apr 2012
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MoodyMoody
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Personally, as a speaker of American English, I see very little difference in the denotation (dictionary meaning) between error and mistake. In both cases, someone did something wrong. Error is a bit more formal, and has a little bit more accidental in its connotation, at least to me. Mistake is more casual, and includes things someone did that the person knew were wrong at the time. In general, though, they can be used interchangeably. |
9 Apr 2012
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moravc
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Interesting topic! IMHO it depends on the collocations. E.g.: computer error (not mistake), found mistakes in homework, that�s my fault I am sorry!, error analysis, doubts and errors ...
We have one word in Czech - chyba - translated as error or mistake.
This Czech expression "chyba" has so many English equivalents:
error, mistake, bug, fault, failure, flaw, defect, lapse, blunder, slip, failing, trouble, oversight, shortcoming, deficiency, blemish, sin, slip-up, vice, miss, malformation, abnormality, guilt, offset, objection, erratum, aberrance, inadequacy, muff, skew, taint, malady, demerit, stumble, bloomer, garbleIsn �t it amazing? It makes it quite difficult to choose. 
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9 Apr 2012
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james33
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"To err is human".So, �error � has that natural and instinctive aspect which is a sign of all human beings.All human beings are supposed to make errors.and errors then should not be severely punished.they should be forgiven, and people who make errors should not repeat them again and again.
But mistakes can �t be excused as they happen due to a lack of responsibility, and people are always aware of them.So, what students make are mistakes, may be because they didn �t revise well or they weren �t careful enough.They are responsible of them.
But in English the two words are near synonyms and are taken as having the same meaning.
Errors are related to God �s punishment
To drive fast and not to respect the speed limit is a mistake because there is man �s responsibility and awareness in it. But you didn �t visit a friend because you forgot, this is an error as there isn �t any responsibility in it, and because all people can forget.
THANKS
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9 Apr 2012
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MoodyMoody
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moravc, that is both a blessing and a curse of English: we have many words with similar meanings.
"Bug" as a mistake has a fascinating origin. It was an actual moth that had found its way into a computer and caused it to malfunction.
And james33, my guess is that you mean "sin" instead of "error" in relation to God �s punishment. A sin is when someone does something God says is wrong, or doesn �t do something God says needs to be done.
I �d also argue that you do have responsibility if you forget to visit a friend. Sure, all people can and do forget, but unless you have brain damage or mental illness, you still have a responsibility to remember. You can write the appointment down, put it on your calendar, program your cell phone or computer to prompt you, etc.
As far as students � work is concerned, I fix all mistakes I see, but I only "count" mistakes if we have worked on the material. For example, I don �t teach present perfect in my class, so I �m thrilled to see students make errors on the use of the present perfect. They are trying to do something they don �t know how to do. I always try to encourage students to extend themselves out of their comfort zone. I don �t worry about mistakes when they do. |
9 Apr 2012
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