What does the acronym CAH stand for?

What does the acronym CAH stand for?

• A. Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis
• B. Cultural Analysis Hypothesis
• C. Corpus Analysis Hypothesis
• D. Cross-Linguistic Assessment Hypothesis

Answer: (A)

Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis is what CAH stands for. It centers on comparing a learner’s native language with the target language to predict where learners are likely to struggle. By identifying differences in sounds, grammar, word order, and other structures, educators can anticipate transfer errors—where a learner applies features from their L1 to the L2—and design instruction that highlights those contrasts. This approach helps focus teaching on areas most likely to cause difficulty, rather than teaching the two languages in isolation. It’s also helpful to recognize its limits: not all errors come from L1 differences, and some arise from universal learning processes or random development. Still, the key idea captured by CAH is the systematic comparison of two languages to predict and address learner difficulties.