Mistake Vs. Error - definition

[Stephen Jones]

Native speakers can obviously make spelling and punctuation errors.

Then there is the reverse, pronunciation errors, caused when a native speaker has frequently seen the written form but never heard the word pronounced. I sometimes do that.

Lexical errors, malapropisms and eggcorns are very common. It is also common for some native speakers to make errors of register, and many lack the appropiate skills with regard to discourse markers.

However I would say it is exceptionally rare for a native speaker to make a syntactic error. The syntatic errors other speakers are referring to are much more likely to be separate social or regional dialects or separate registers. I find it difficult to believe that a syntactic feature might belong in one idiolect and one alone.

[metal56]

However I would say it is exceptionally rare for a native speaker to make a syntactic error.

Rare maybe, but it happens, right?

Example:

Let me quote from President Bush's speech:

"Rarely is the question asked, 'Is our children learning'?" ___ Florence, S.C. Jan. 11, 2000

"The illiteracy level of our children are appalling." ___ Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

[Stephen Jones]

Errors or mistakes by Bush. Slipping into spurious proximal agreement may well be the result of tiredness, or of pausing while writing the speech so long the train of thought was taken up again at the wrong place.

[metal56]

Slipping into spurious proximal agreement may well be the result of tiredness, or of pausing while writing the speech so long the train of thought was taken up again at the wrong place.

Sounds like an excuse from one of my students.

[John Hall]

I've been reading H. Douglas Brown's Teaching by Principles, 2nd ed., and he uses the above/mentioned distinction between error and mistake, as well as the term "fossilization." Different experts use different terminology.

[metal56]

Different experts use different terminology.

I agree. Mine are: c^o^c^k-ups, balls-ups, etc.