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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0       Background of Study

Error analysis is a type of linguistic analysis that focuses on the errors learners make. It consists of a commission between the errors made in the target language (TL) and that TL itself. Pit Corder is the father of Error Analysis. Systematically analyzing errors made by language learners makes it possible to determine areas that need reinforcement in teaching (Corder, 1974). EA received considerable attention and finally become a recognized part of applied linguistics in the 1970s. This is because the strong version of CA turned out not to be a productive pedagogical tool. James (2001:62) defined the notion of EA as “the study of linguistic ignorance, the investigation of what people do not know and how they attempt to cope with their ignorance”.

Richards (1971:.1) explained “the field of error analysis as dealing with the differences between the ways people learning a language speak or write and the way adult native speakers of the language use the language”. Norrish (1983) defines as a systematic deviation, when a learner has not learnt something and consistently gets it wrong, an error. The study of error analysis permits the formulation of rules for learner’s Interlingua system of acquiring a new language. Charting the learner’s language development through error analysis has psychological importance because it submits the transfer theory to critical observation. This provides data on the nature and significance of the obstacle that lie in the path towards the discovery of the rules.

Concord in English Grammar means agreement between subject of a sentence and its verb, between the subject and its complement, etc. When such agreement is not there in construction, it then becomes an error of concord. Quirk (2004) defines concord as a relationship between two grammatical elements such that one of them selects a singular verb while a plural subject selects a plural verb. The knowledge of the rules of concord in English grammar is necessary for speaking and writing good English. Ill formed sentences irritate the linguistic wary or corrupt the English language acquired by learners. A lucid and convincing piece of writing must be grammatical for complete acceptability. „To develop the needed competence and to ensure a high level of performance, one has to internalize the rules of concord to the point of automaticity‟. (Ubahakwe 1979: 46)

However, it is important to mention that not much has been done to improve upon how the concord is taught and learnt in our schools. In this regard, mention can be made of how issues surrounding the teaching of concord continue to pose challenges to teachers and students. Example when it comes to using the rules of concord. Long (2007:606) argues that for a sentence to make sense, subjects and verbs have to agree with each other. She goes on to assert that issues about subject-verb agreement are relevant basic skills which every student must strive to acquire. Concord errors can hinder effective communication and generate a feeling of disappointment in the effectiveness of our institutions. It seems, therefore, necessary to approach the teaching of English language skills by bringing out some of the concord errors produced by the students. And use strategies to reduce them which this study aimed at.

This study is locally inspired considering a Report for English from 1999 to 2011. The report reveals that performance of the higher institution students was extremely poor particularly in the areas of concord in all forms. At new entry level, it has been observed that the performance of students was averagely poor. “Their written essay was extremely poor” and suggested for more practical activities in the teaching of concord more especially subject-verb concord. This mirrors the poor concord teaching in all other language courses being offered in the Diploma section of the institution. The work is carried out in order to address this serious problem through the use of effective teaching strategies for analysis of concord use of students. It is obvious that to learn and pass Geography successfully, for example, like any other subjects, a specific level of competence in the concord in English is needed. This is because English is a language of instruction in schools right from JSS 2 up to the University level according to NPE.

Any violation of the rules of grammar can lead to concord errors which should be avoided. Kwofie (2011:23), citing Yankson (1994) argues that when second language learners commit concord errors, it reflect badly on their personality and that tells listeners something about their educational background and shows their inter- language as ‟‟developing grammar‟‟ that borders on illiteracy. This comment shows that one‟s poor knowledge of English grammar can embarrass one in the eyes of one’s audience. In this regard, care must be taken by ESL learner to escape the dangers posed by wrong use of concord in their verbal and written communications.

 

1.1       Need for the Study

The fact that even advanced learners of ESL get confused with some of the concord rules which govern the language supports the need for the study. The issue of concord errors in English has become an albatross hanging around the necks of both teachers and students in Nigeria and African countries. So endemic is the problem of concord errors that Owusu-Ansah in a book, English in Ghana (1997:30) citing Yankson (1989) opines ‟concord errors….are damaging to one’s reputation than the other errors”. This observation, with regard to the use of concord errors, is relevant to this study. This is because finding solution to concord errors in English has become aged long grammatical challenges. This needed to be reduced properly and efficiently by teachers and students of English of second language.

However, it is sad to mention that although issues about concord use continue to “torment” both teachers and students. Adequate measures have not been put in place. By teachers, students, educationists and other stakeholders to improve the way and manner this aspect of English grammar-concord should be taught. It can be seen in Nigerian colleges and even universities. Indeed, whenever it comes to issues on concord errors, teachers and students narrow their thoughts to mere subject-verb errors. But, getting that other important issues such as concord within tenses, notional concord, proximity concord, concord with relative pronouns-who, which, that, whose, amongst others, remain in surmountable to all stakeholders (Quagie 2010, 2011).

Errors in students’ oral and written production are usually ignored in a communicative classroom activity. Students’ success is determined by their fluency and not their accuracy. Therefore, errors are tolerated and seen as a natural outcome of the development of communication skills.

 

1.2       Statement of the Problem

Various writers, teachers and examiners have pondered over the rate of mass failure and poor performance of students at the Secondary School level in English Language.

Adeyanju (1984) states:

…however, many students at secondary and tertiary levels, as well as others in various professions have not mastered the English language structure usage, mechanics, and therefore communicate ineffectively.

The wrong application of concord in student essays is a common feature in the spoken and written English of many students. Concord errors affect the students’ overall ability to communicate and thereby, militate on their performance in public examinations. There is this general contention that the students’ failure to correctly use concord is due to insufficient knowledge of its functions. This implies that the students’ knowledge of this grammatical category is limited or it is not properly handled at this level. It might be based on the forms of their indigenous language and the Nigerian English. This affects the production of correct sentences as those produced in their local languages are not applicable to English. Therefore, the wrong use of concord leads to lack of fluency in their expressions in essays and causes distortion and wrong interpretation of messages in any written and spoken discourse. This study will dwell on the effects of concord errors in the essays of year one students in Akwa Ibom State University.

 

1.3       Basic Assumptions

This research makes the following basic assumptions:

1. Year one students of AKSU use sentences that lack agreement between subjects and verbs. Example;

The player score us two goals yesterday.

2. Year one students of AKSU produce sentences that lack concord between pronouns and their antecedents. Example:

The male students have much time for them class work.

3. Year one students of AKSU use sentences that lack concord in tenses. Example

I went to school library but I cannot find the book I am looking for.

 

1.4       Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to analyze the effects of concord errors in the essays of year one students in Akwa Ibom State University. The specific objectives of this study include:

1. To identify the effects of concord errors in the essays of year 1 students in Akwa Ibom State University.
2. To examine the possible causes of concord errors.
3. To show prevalence of concord errors among year 1 students of Akwa Ibom State University.
4. To highlight the implications of the findings of the study for the teaching of English in universities in particular and improve on the curriculum in general.

 

1.5       Scope and Delimitation of the Study

Time is very important while conducting a research, but it is pertinent to limit the scope of our study to a manageable proportion for better results. Hence, this work covers only concord errors and not all forms of grammatical errors; punctuations, spellings etc. in the essays of students.

The study is limited to selected departments in Akwa Ibom State University. The research is focused on grammatical concord errors in essays of students. In the course of the research, tests and assignments would be administered to the subjects which would bring out the problems of concord and proffer measures to tackle them. This research therefore, includes investigating, identifying, projecting, explaining and describing these concord errors.