Study of Some Syntactic Problems in English Usage Among University Undergraduate Students
Chapter One
Preamble of the Study
he variation manifests in all levels of language (syntax, phonology semantics, and the lexicon). On the lexical level, there is the borrowing of words, formation of calques and code – switching which has been attributed to mental laziness. These concepts arise in a bid to make the English language do bid to make the English language do business in our indigenous societies. Consequently, words like ‘invites’, ‘squander mania’, ‘bush meat’, ‘head tie’, ‘chewing stick’, etc abound in English used in Nigeria. They therefore, feature in the English of undergraduate students.
On the semantic level, some lexical items have been invested with meanings which differ, albeit slightly, from their original connotations. They have either widened or narrow down in semantic fields. Some examples include ‘customer’ and ‘earth’. The word customer in the native speaker context is used by the seller to refer to the buyer, but in Nigeria, the term is mutual, referring to both seller and buyer. It has thus broadened in semantic field. “Earth” also is supposed to mean not only on the planet in which we live but also the “land surface of the world” or “soil” but in Nigerian usage, the word is seldom used to cover the second meaning. This is a limitation of semantic coverage.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND PREVIOUS STUDIES CHAPTER TWO
Literature Review and Previous Studies
Introduction
This Chapter consists of two parts. Part one is reviews literature relevant to the research topic such as contrastive analysis approach, Error analysis approach, and types of errors made by students. While part two focuses on previous studies related to the research topic. This includes theses and scientific papers.
Contrastive Analysis Approach
Contrastive analysis (henceforth, CA) is based on the behaviorists’ assumptions of language learning. According to these assumptions language learning is based on habit formation. They believe that language acquisition is the product of regular exposure to language and this acquisition was based on frequency, intensity, continuity etc, of stimulus-response which leads to habit formation.
They also assume that the first language (L1) interferes in learning second language (L2). This interference can be ‘negative’ and ‘positive.’ Whenever there is a difference between two structures, the transfer is (negative) and whenever there are some similarities; there would be a (positive) transfer. According to CA, negative transfer would result in errors, while positive transfer would result incorrect sentences. Concerning the issue of similarity and difference among languages, Odlin (1989) provided an example that Arab learners would omit the form of the verb “be” when they speak in English because it is unavailable in Nigerian pigin english. However, Spanish learners do not omit it because Spanish has similar grammatical structure.
Fries, (1945) comment on the material for second language teaching was the beginning for establishing contrastive analysis as an integral component of the methodology of target language teaching. He maintains that “ the most effective materials for second language teaching are based upon a scientific description of the language to be learned carefully compared with a parallel description of the native language of the learner” (Fries 1945:9). However it was Lado (1957:2) in his book linguistic across culture who paved the way for understanding contrastive studies .He indicate that foreign language learners tend to transfer the forms and meaning of their first language and the culture to the foreign language both productively and receptively when attempting to speak the language.
Considering the assumption that interference of the first language with the teaching of the foreign one often leads to errors , it is argued that such errors can be avoided if we were make a comparison of the learner’s mother tongue and the target language. In this connection, (Lado, 1957:7) states
“We can predict and describe the pattern that will cause difficulty in learning and those that will not cause difficulty, by comparing systematically the language and the culture to be learned with the native language and the culture of the student.”
However, CA proved to have some weaknesses. because, as Brown (1987) indicates, there are many errors in the L2 which are attributed to the negative transfer of the native language to the target language. However, CA as a theory was not successful in predicting difficulties (Hughes, 1980). It also lacks any satisfactory measure of differences. In the view of Wardhaugh (1970), the assumption of CA is quite unrealistic and unpredictable, and it is considered simplistic in terms of L2 acquisition. The claim of CA that the native language is the main factor affecting L2 learner’s errors is limited in argument. As a result of the criticisms, Wardhaugh (1970) proposed the “weak version” which recognizes the significance of interference across languages. Oller and Ziahosseiny (1970) however proposed a moderate version to fill the gap between the two earlier versions. The moderate version holds the view that interference is more likely to occur when there is similarity between the items to be learned and already known items (Brown, 2006). Despite these challenges, the idea of L1 interference continues to be applicable as part of Error Analysis in L2 acquisition.
Error Analysis
In reaction to the weaknesses found with Contrastive Analysis, Error Analysis (EA) emerged in the 1960s to demonstrate that the errors L2 learners make are not always due to the learners’ native language but due to other complex factors. Error analysis is defined by Attia (1990:12) as “The study of students reoccurring mistakes ,their classification into categories, using them as basis for preparing lessons and materials designed to help students overcome such errors” Sharma (1981:21) defines EA as “ a process based on the analysis of learner’ errors with one clear objective: evolving suitable and effective teaching-learning strategy and remedial measures necessary in certain clearly marked out areas of the foreign language” Richards (1971:12) define the field of error analysis as dealing with the differences between the way people learning a language speak and the way adult native speakers of the language use the language .
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLGY
Introduction
This chapter outlines the methodology of the research: introduces the subjects, describes the materials used in eliciting the research findings, shows the procedure, and highlights the techniques of data scoring and analysis.
Population and Sampling of the study:
Population of the study:
The original population of this study was the students in LASU who study English language at all the Nigerian universities and schools.
Sample of the study
The sample of this study contained two parts; the first part was (60) of the students who were chosen to do the test, they were in their first semester of their academic year (2017- 2018).
CHAPTER FOUR
RESUITS AND DISCUSSIONS
Introduction
This chapter is devoted to the analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of the data collected through the questionnaire which was given to 30 respondents who represent the teachers’ community in Nigerian secondary schools
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLOSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Introduction:
This chapter includes summary of previous chapters, in addition to the findings and recommendations built on what has been achieved in this study.
Main findings of the study
After analyzing the data, study has revealed the following findings:
- Many 1styear students majoring in English tend to translate some ideas literally.
- 2- Many students neglect the order of words which should be followed in English sentence.
- Undergraduate students do not master the use of prepositions in their English writing and they often mix up Nigerian pigin english prepositions with English ones.
- University students are not able to distinguish between singular and plural forms.
- Undergraduate students face difficulties in using Subject- verb agreement.
- Nigerian pigin english transfer made by undergraduates can affect the process of writing in English as foreign language.
- Differences between Nigerian pigin english and English languages cause difficulties in the students’ writing performance.
Conclusions
This study aims to Investigating EFL 1st years under graduate students’ writing problems.
Chapter one includes a general description of the field of the study and outlines the purpose of the study and he objectives of the study.
To achieve these objectives the researcher determined three hypotheses which stated to be tested. In chapter two general review of literature in the field of contrastive analysis and Error analysis approach. Chapter three contains the methodology of the study with regard to population, sampling, instrument, validity, and reliability. In chapter four data obtained from test and questionnaire was analyzed through (SPSS) analysis and discussed.
Recommendations
Based on the finding of this study the following are some recommendations which may help teachers and students surmount student’s difficulties in writing English. The overt influences of Nigerian pigin english Language on the students’ writing of English indicate that language teachers need to be careful about the transfer and interference of the students’ mother tongue (Nigerian pigin english) in their written production, The study recommends English teachers to adopt, modify or even develop remedial procedures and techniques that can minimize the learner’s errors and elevate the students’ level. They should teach students how to think and to use a foreign language as its native users do, and to highlight the influences of the mother tongues on the students’ learning of English, collect these errors and ask the students to analyze them and if they could to correct them. Also, EFL learners must accumulate knowledge about word usage; only in this way can they free themselves from the negative transferor influence of their mother tongue (Nigerian pigin english). Also students need to improve their communication skills in English; this could be an essential tool for students to improve their writing skills.
References:
- Attia, Sabine Halfpap (1990): Error Analysis In The EFL Performance of Khartoum University Freshmen as A Basis for Remedial Teaching Recommendations. Unpublished M.A.thesis Faculty of Arts – University of Khartoum.
- Amani (2015). Analysis of syntactic errors in university students’ English writing. Unpublished M.A. thesis Collage of Languages, Nigeria University
- Brown, H. D. (1987). Principles of language learning and teaching (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
- Brown, H. D. (2006).Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (5th ed.). New York: Longman.
- Corder , S. P. (1967). The significance of Learners’ errors. Reprinted in J. C. Richards (Ed.) (1974, 1984) Error Analysis: Perspectives on Second language Acquisition. London: Longman.
- (1973) .Introducing Applied Linguistics. Baltimore: Penguin Education.
- Ellis, R. (1997). Second language Acquisition. Oxford University Press
- Elrayah Eltahir Adam Khatir (2015). Secondary School Writing Errors at White Nile State Nigeria: A Case Study of Assalaya Locality. Faculty of Education, University of Bakht -er – Ruda, Nigeria.
- Fries, C. C. (1945). Teaching and Learning English as a Second Language. Ann Arbor. University of Michigan Press.
- Gamar Al-Booni (2004) An Analysis of Syntactic Errors in Written and Oral Productions: A Case Study of students Studying English at The Faculty of Arts University of Khartoum.
