Coding grammatical errors in language samples

[Beverly Flanigan]

These are increasingly common usages in American English, and not simply in
"nonstandard" vernaculars.  We sociolinguists consider these to be evolving
toward general acceptance.  The only form you cite that's perhaps still
limited to Midland or Appalachian dialects is zero -ly on adverbs, but it's
likely spreading also.  These are vernacular "errors," then, but I'd
quibble with the use of the term "error."  If by "genuine" you mean
developmental, I wouldn't put them into that category.

Beverly Olson Flanigan
Associate Professor of Linguistics
Ohio University
Athens, OH  45701

At 10:32 AM 9/4/2002 -0400, you wrote:

>We are currently coding language samples and are interested in the
>presence of grammatical errors.  One concern is how to distinguish between
>'vernacular use' and genuine errors.  Here are examples that we don't know
>what to do with:  - regarding the use of "there are"- I am finding many
>subjects using it as a contraction in the singular when the plural form is
>called for- i.e. "there's more people here then expected" or "there's 100
>people attending the service Also using "good" instead of "well"- "He ran
>really good at the race"? The other issue was dropping "ly" from adverbs-
>"he drew nice" or various combinations of both "she plays real good"
>
>
>
>Any ideas on this?  rules to follow?
>
>thanks in advance for advice,
>
>Helen Tager-Flusberg
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