Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School Students
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
A language transfer is the influence resulting from similarities and differences between the target language and any other language that has been previously (and perhaps imperfectly) acquired. Globalization has placed a growing importance on the study of the English language. Learners of English can be counted all over the world and so their errors.
Prior researches on error analysis show that errors are indispensable since the making of errors can be regarded as an evidence that the learner is learning. Candling (2001) observes that L2 learner‟s errors are potentially important for the understanding of the processes of language learning (p. 69).
Students in Oruk Anam do not escape this rule. The structural differences between the mother tongue (L1) language that exist in Oruk Anam has made it difficult for students learning English as their second language to use the language appropriately.
Lado (1957) claimed that “the student who comes in contact with a foreign language will find some features of it quite easy and others extremely difficult (p.2).
Those elements that are similar to his language will be simple for him, and those elements that are different will be difficult”. Similar elements in both languages may help the learner achieve a better knowledge while differences may hinder the learning process.
The aim of this study will be to examine the error analysis of written English of Bilinguals: A case study of selected secondary schools in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Several scholars have addressed the core problems of communicative competence in the use of English language as L2 and its use as the main language of instruction in Nigeria’s education delivery process.
It is unfortunate that most school leavers (apart from the products of elite private schools) do not possess the required competence in the four language skills for both cognitive and communicative functions.
It is therefore generally accepted that in teaching .and learning processes the mother tongue of the child is of utmost importance. For one thing, it categorizes a large part of the child’s environment, that is, it has names for most of the objects, actions, ideas, attributes and so on that are so important to him, as well as to any society.
In many developing countries today, this is either local language or the language of the previous colonizing power. The mother tongue (L1).
is the child’s environment and is the natural basis on which verbal skills can be built, children learn through communicating in a language, which they understood, hence the need for this study is to analyze the errors of written English of Bilinguals: a case study of selected secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study will be to analyze the errors of written English of Bilinguals: a case study of selected secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area. Specifically, the study will seek to:
- examine the error types in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area;
- ascertain the error with the highest percentage in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area;
- examine the causes of common errors in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area;
- proffer solution to the problem of common errors in in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions will be formulated to guide the study:
- What are the in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area?
- Which of the errors have the highest percentage in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area?
- What are the causes of common errors in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area?
- What are the solution to the problem of common errors in written English of Bilinguals in senior secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area?
1.5 Significance of the Study
It is expected that the result of this finding will be of great benefits to the students, teachers and government. For instance:
- It will enlighten the students on the negative influence that mother tongue (L1) has impacted on their written English.
- It will enable teachers of English language to create awareness among students on the effect of L1 while doing a formal write up.
- The findings will help applicants who write for employment, letter to friends or to the bank manager and technical manual.
- This study will also serves as a reference materials to researchers on the effect of mother tongue interference in narrative writings.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
The study will be delimited to analysis of the errors of written English of Bilinguals: a case study of selected secondary school students in Oruk Anam Local Government Area. The study will also be delimited to Senior secondary two (SS2) students in selected public secondary schools in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
1.7 Limitation of the Study
This research will be conducted in public secondary schools in Oruk Anam local government area only. Moreover, the research was limited to very few government secondary schools due to time constraints.
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms
The following operational terms will be defined and used for the study:
Errors
Bilinguals
Secondary school
Written English
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
Errors of Written English of Bilinguals a Case Study of Selected Secondary School
