Department of English, Media Studies and Linguistics

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Browsing Department of English, Media Studies and Linguistics by Author "Bvuma, V. T."

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    Investigating past tense errors committed by Grade 10 English First Additional Language learners in Tshinane Circuit, Vhembe District
    (2023-10-05) Thivhafuni, Takalani Jane; Lambani, M. N.; Bvuma, V. T.
    This study was aimed at analysing the written past tense errors of irregular verbs committed by Grade 10 English First Additional Language (FAL) learners, in five selected schools in Tshinane Circuit, Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. Grade 10 serves as the basis for the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. These learners, hence, are expected to use the irregular verbs correctly since they have been learning English for ten years as a subject, as well as being exposed to it for seven years as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). Using selected Grade 10 English FAL learners in schools under Tshinane Circuit in Vhembe District, the study’s objectives were - to identify types of irregular simple past tense errors committed; explain the causes of these errors and discuss strategies for addressing them. The study was buttressed by Robert Lado's Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis theory and Pit Corder’s Error Analysis Approach. The study used mixed-method research approach and the quantitative data was analysed statistically and presented using graphs and tables while qualitative data was analysed according to themes. The target study population was Grade 10 English FAL learners of Tshinane Circuit in the Vhembe District. A purposive sampling technique was used to select schools, circuits and districts while a simple random procedure was employed to select participants. Data were collected from a questionnaire and essays written by the sampled participants. The study revealed that learners experienced challenges with the simple past verb forms which exhibited - zero-marking, terminal consonants phoneme changes, ablaut or vowel gradation, the suppletion principle as well as the regularisation of irregular verbs. The study concluded that the learners do experience serious challenges in the use of irregular verbs as established through their errors with the verb forms in the simple past tense. It is recommended that learners should be encouraged to frequently practise the use of irregular past tense verbs, in both spoken and written forms.
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    Misappropriation of adjectives by Grade 7 non-native English language learners: A case study of four independent rural primary schools in Manombe Circuit, Mopani District
    (2022-07-15) Ticharwa, Addmore; Lambani, M. N.; Bvuma, V. T.
    The study aimed to present an analysis of adjective errors committed by Grade 7 non-native English Home Language Learners, with a special focus on independent rural primary schools in Man’ombe Circuit, Mopani District. Grade 7 is the transitional grade from senior primary phase to high school which serves an important function of preparing learners for further education and training (FET) studies. A mixed research approach (qualitative and quantitative) was used. For the qualitative approach content analysis was employed to collect data, while for the quantitative approach, data was gathered using a standardised test. The population was eighty-one (81) Grade 7, non-native learners ofEnglish Home Language, both as a subject and as the medium of instruction, in four independent schools in Man’ombe Circuit. The participants were selected using systematicrandom sampling and they comprised 25% of the population (20 learners). Boththequantitative and qualitative data show that the errors committed by non-native English Home Language learners were predominantly morphology, comparative degree and adjective identification errors.The quantitative data showed that errors on the use of similar-sounding words (homonyms) (for example, further/ farther), syntactic errors, morphology errors as well as errors in the use of semantically-similar words (latter /last) recorded the highest number of errors, compared to errors on adjectives of quantity, possessive pronouns and adjectives of quality that recorded the least number of errors. The qualitative data showed that the errors made by the participants in this study were mostly morphological and errors on the formation of comparative degree adjectives. In this study, the errors were brought about by both inter-lingual and intra-lingual transfer. The study should be relevant for learners who should be advised to make brief summaries of grammatical rules governing the use of adjectives to improve their written and spoken English. It is also essentialfor learners to be conversant with grammatical rules governing the morphology of adjectives and encourage them to internalize and make use of them when they speak and write. Learners are also advised tofamiliarise themselves with adjective error they commit so that they can work towards the avoidance of such errors.