Error Recognition and Feedback with Lexical Functional Grammar

Abstract

This paper describes the error recognition module of an interactive ICALL system with a special focus on the underlying grammar theory. Using the system, language learners are invited to produce complete written sentences in small question-answer dialogs with the computer. This setting challenges learners to use language interactively in order to enhance the development of communicative competence. Emphasis is put on the possibility of giving adequate feedback to the learner if a syntactically ill formed sentence is encountered. It is argued that the theory of Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) is well suited to be used in the parsing and error recognition module of the system as well as to provide intelligent feedback to learners. The concepts and structures used in LFG closely resemble the descriptive knowledge of language learners about a language, and, therefore, the results of an automatic analysis can easily be translated from a computationally tractable form to language easily understood by the learner.