Which term describes errors in L2 that become internalized and resistant to change?

Which term describes errors in L2 that become internalized and resistant to change?

• A. Fossilized
• B. Fossilization
• C. Phonological fossilization
• D. Semantic fossilization

Answer: (A)

Fossilized errors are mistakes in an L2 that have become fixed in a learner’s interlanguage and resist correction over time. The best way to describe these mistakes is with the term fossilized, because it captures that the error has hardened into a stable, long-lasting pattern. Fossilization refers to the process by which some aspects of language use stabilize and stop changing despite continued exposure and feedback, but when we label the errors themselves as fossilized, we’re describing their persistent state. The other terms are more specific or refer to the process rather than the outcome: phonological fossilization targets pronunciation, semantic fossilization would involve meaning-related patterns, and fossilization (without the -ed) refers to the overall process rather than the specific errors. For example, a learner might consistently say “I have 20 years” instead of “I am 20 years old,” a pattern that often persists even with instruction, illustrating fossilized errors.

Fossilized errors are mistakes in an L2 that have become fixed in a learner’s interlanguage and resist correction over time. The best way to describe these mistakes is with the term fossilized, because it captures that the error has hardened into a stable, long-lasting pattern. Fossilization refers to the process by which some aspects of language use stabilize and stop changing despite continued exposure and feedback, but when we label the errors themselves as fossilized, we’re describing their persistent state. The other terms are more specific or refer to the process rather than the outcome: phonological fossilization targets pronunciation, semantic fossilization would involve meaning-related patterns, and fossilization (without the -ed) refers to the overall process rather than the specific errors. For example, a learner might consistently say “I have 20 years” instead of “I am 20 years old,” a pattern that often persists even with instruction, illustrating fossilized errors.