The influence of L1 (Twi) on English language usage transliteration a case study of the students in the Pokuase community basic school

Abstract

This research investigates the causes of transliteration errors among the pupils/students from Basic Four to Seven in the Pokuase Community of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It unravels why the Twi language has such a strong influence on the English language usage among the basic school children even in a cosmopolitan community. The research employed a mixed method approach which was executed through the use of questionnaire, interview, essay writing and picture description to arrive at a valid conclusion. The study unearthed a number of causative factors. These include overgeneralization; where learners tend to assume that all languages are similar in structure and have similar rules; the problem was also found to be partially teacher induced, the Ghana Education Service Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) which enjoins each teacher to teach more than one subject was equally to blame, since it has resulted in some square pegs in round holes. Other causative factors included the electronic media, lack of community and school libraries, the NALAP programme, social media among others. The data were analyzed using the Contrastive Analysis and the Error Analysis as the theoretical frameworks. The Contrastive Analysis theory was only used for analytical and not predictive purposes to enable the researcher identify areas of similarities and differences between the languages involved, whereas the Error analysis was employed to assist the researcher identify errors other than the error of transliteration. The research concludes with some corrective suggestions and recommendations to enable educators remedy the canker.