Reciprocal Interferences in Bilingual English-Igbo Speaking Society: The Implications in Language Pedagogy

Authors: Ugwu Elias Ikechukwu

Abstract:

Discussions on bilingualism have always dwelt on how the mother tongue interferes with the target language. This interference is considered a serious problem in second language learning. Usually, the interference has been phonological. But the objective of this research is to explore how the target language interferes with the mother tongue. In the case of the Igbo language, it interferes with English mostly at the phonological level while English interferes with Igbo at the realm of vocabulary. The result is a new language \"Engligbo\" which is a hybrid of English and Igbo. The Igbo language spoken by about 25 million people is one of the three most prominent languages in Nigeria. This paper discusses the phenomenal Engligbo, and other implications for Igbo learners of English. The method of analysis is descriptive. A number of recommendations were made that would help teachers handle problems arising from such mutual interferences.

Keywords: Bilingualism, Implications, Language Pedagogy, Reciprocal Interferences.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1089327

References:

[1] Adesiyan, O.F and Alabi, T.O "Languages Attitude and Motivation in Nigeria’’ in Osopoly Journal of Languages and Communication. Iree: Department of General Studies, Osun State Polytechnic, 2010 pp 93-98.
[2] The Nigeria Teacher’s Institute. ”English and the Nigerian Situation,” in NCE/DLS Course Book on English Language. Kaduna: Ramadan Press, 1990 p10.
[3] Wikipedia. Igbo Language. http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/Igbo Language P.5.
[4] S. Nitschke; E. Kidd; L. Serratrice. "First Language Transfer and long term Structural Priming in Comprehension.” In Language and cognitive Process 25 (1) pp 94-114, 2010.
[5] B.J Underwood. "Proactive inhibition as a function of time and degree of prior learning”. Journal of Experimental Psychology 39. pp24-34, 1949.
[6] Wikipedia. Language Transfer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/langauge Transfer. P.2.
[7] R. Ellis. Understanding Second Language Acquisition Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986 in http://marlindwinasiti.word Press.com/2013/ 04/02 language transfer.p.2.
[8] M. Dwinasiti. "Language Interference’’ in http//: Marlindwinasiti: word Press.com 2013/04/02/Language Transfer … p.2.
[9] R.U. Uzoezie. "The future status of the Igbo Language in the emerging Polyglossic speech Community; a speculation. "A paper presented at the 10th Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Modern Languages Association of Nigeria at the Nigerian French Language Village, Badagri, Lagos on 26-29 September, 2001. p.7.
[10] O. H. Ofomata. "for the love of Igbo Language” in The Guardian 6th April, 2013 in http://www.ngrguardian news. Com/ Saturday-magazine/life-a- style 11 p.1.
[11] A. Hassanpour. "The politics of A-political Linguistic’s: Linguists and Linguicide.” In Robert Phillipson (ed.) Rights to Language Equition, Power and Education. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Ass. Pub. 2000 p.33.
[12] J.R. Payne.” Language Universals and Language Types”. In Collinge, ed., An Encyclopedia of Language, 1990.
[13] C. Achebe. Things Fall Apart. 11. Essex: Pearson Education Limited, 2008 p.6. ISBN: 978-0-435913-50-2.