Uses and Errors of Case Particles in Writings of Students with Hearing Impairments

—From the Standpoint of Deep Case—

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the features of uses and errors of case particles in writings of students with hearing impairments, from the standpoint of “deep case.” The participants were 50 junior high school students who were enrolled in public schools for the deaf. All uses and errors of the nine types of case particles found in compositions written by the participants were analyzed according to the deep case which each particle could represent. The main results were as follows. The number of correct uses of case particles differed depending on the deep case which each case particle could represent. In addition, many errors occurred with case particles having many kinds of deep case which they could represent. Moreover, substitution errors often occurred among case particles representing the same deep case. These results suggest that the deep case which a case particle represents has an influence on the uses and errors of case particles in writings of students with hearing impairments.