Analysis of Interlanguage in Algerian Brevet Papers in English: A Case Study of Learners in Tizi-Ouzou
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Date
2009
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university Mouloud Mammeri of Tizi-Ouzou
Abstract
This research is meant as a step in trying to understand how Algerian EFL learners
construct interlanguage, which can be defined as a linguistic bridge between the learners’
first language and the language they are learning. It aims at determining the types of errors
that are most recurrent, and their origins. Moreover, the purpose of the study is to classify
and then analyse the types of writing errors that Algerian middle school pupils still make
after the implementation of the third school reform undertaken in 2003. This work strives to
contribute to understanding the sources of errors that are involved in the mental processes
of EFL learners with Kabyle or Arabic L1s. 200 middle school pupils have participated in
this study. After four years of English learning in the middle school, their level is supposed
to be pre-intermediate. To conduct our research, we have sought our data from interviews
written by Algerian middle school pupils during the first Brevet Exam held in 2007. The
655 total errors analysed in this study are divided into two main categories: interlingual
errors and intralingual errors. Interlingual errors include spelling, auxiliaries, articles,
pronouns, lexical and semantic errors, prepositions, and adjectives. Intralingual errors
include wrong verb form, nouns, state verb concord, and subject-verb agreement. It is
assumed that the causes of these errors are the result of the following: Interference from
Kabyle or Arabic, interference from French, overgeneralisation, simplification, wrong
hypothesis making, pupils’ inadequate knowledge regarding certain structures, the
complexity of the English language, insufficient practice of grammatical rules, and the
overwhelming pressure of the exam. The findings of this study indicate that first language
interference still plays an important role in the learning process, since a major proportion of
the errors are due to mother tongue interference. Furthermore, it reveals that the most
important errors still made are those related to spelling, use of different auxiliaries and
modal verbs, and wrong verb form. Suggestions are provided as to how to eliminate these
errors in the second chapter.
Description
123p.:ill;30cm.(+cd)+appendix
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