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Output hypothesis 輸出假說 (输出假说)
shūchū jiǎshuō · from English
What is the output hypothesis?
The output hypothesis, proposed by Merrill Swain in 1985, holds that producing language helps learners notice gaps and test their knowledge.
Swain observed that French immersion students in Canada understood well but spoke inaccurately, suggesting input alone was not enough. Speaking and writing force you to make grammatical choices that listening lets you skip. Most modern approaches combine heavy input with meaningful output.
Examples
Writing a diary in the target language and getting corrections; shadowing; language exchange
Kungfucius says: You can understand a language for years and still crash the first time you open your mouth.