ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to ascertain how verbs are formed in the
two Languages. In-contact, namely; English and Languages were extensively
compared and contrasted. Verb formation processes create teaching and learning
problems for second Language Learners and this may be attributed to various
factors. According to Anyadiegwu “a language learner may have the intralingual
or interlingual problems in learning a second language and this could lead to
errors”. In this study the researcher reviewed related literature on the topic.
The researcher collected data from a population sample mainly secondary school
teachers of the two languages. They were issued subjective. The researcher
observed that word-formation processes in English and Igbo languages involve
affixation, inflection, and derivation. However, the English language system of
verb formation involves verbal ablaut and inflection. Verb of English language
were analyzed pointing out their various formation processes which were
contrasted with those of Igbo language. The Igbo verb formation processes like
those of English language were also analyzed. The two languages whose verb
formations were studied showed that there are similarities and differences
existing in the formation of their verbs. The English and Igbo verb formation
processes are similar only in the area ablaut (morpheme transformation) and
shift in stress do not exist in Igbo Language. Several affixations and tonal
patterns which characterize the Igbo verb formation process do exist in English
language. Verb extension which is the additional of a letter in-between two or
more root words does not as well apply to the English Language. The use of
contrastive Analysis in this study has proved that there are divergences which
create problems to teachers and learners of the two languages.
Chapter One
1.0 Introduction/Background of the Study
The importance of language in
human society has attracted great scholarly attention. Various studies have
been carried out with a view to determining the structure of language. Language
is dynamic, this dynamic nature calls for constant and persistent research on
the nature of every human language, especially the development processes
involved in particular language.
However, there are many
ramifications in these changes in language especially English Language which a
learner of any language must master. For instance auditory habituation could
handicap the effect of a second language learner, especially when the structure
of the mother tongue (MT) has been internalized for a long period before
learning the second languages.
Based on this assumption, it
is necessary to analyze the similarities and differences between the learner’s mother
tongue (MT) and the target language (TL) with a view to alleviating the
problems in second language learning (SLL).
Research has shown that there
are difficulties associated with learning a second language, because the
inbuilt structure of the mother tongue influences learning of the second
language. The structure of the first language, in many cases is at variance
with the structure of the second language. This variance makes the learner
transliterate this target language after the structure of the first. He transfers
the accent of this first language (MT) to the pronunciation of the second
language (TSL). In so doing, communicative competence is hindered, as the
expected message not successful conveyed. Word-order pattern of the target
language is distorted.
The major concern of this
study is to make a” contrastive analysis of the word-formations of English and
Igbo Verbs”. With reference to Affixation, Derivational, Inflectional, Verbal Ablaut and verb Extension. centered on making
a “contrastive analysis of the word-formations of
English and Igbo Verbs”. In the areas of Affixation, Derivational, Inflectional, Verbal Ablaut and Verb Extension.
Verb is defined as “the heart and life of a sentence which
denotes action and deed” (Ifensor 22). Orji adds that
“verbs of the English language are words which fit into an
inflectional verbal paradigm (20).
He further buttresses
that:
English verbs are divided
into finite and non finite verbs. Finite verbs consist of lexical (main) verb
and auxiliary verb. Lexical verb is made up of transitive and intransitive
verbs. Auxiliary verb is divided into two, namely: primary and modal auxiliary.
The non-finite verb is made up of infinitive, gerund and participle (21).
Lexical verbs
are content words
which can be conjugated or made to undergo
morphological contrasts of tense, person, aspect, mood, and number. Verbs
conjugation or inflection reflect the aforementioned contrasts
as used in speech and writing. Verb inflection or conjugation delineate time
before now (past), time now (present), and time after now (future): it also
appears in two forms in relating with the personal pronouns. Verbs matched with
the persons take the bare infinitive form except the first person singular
where the verbs take an ‘S’.
Apart from the above, there
is the Igbo system of verb extension through interfix between two verbs. For
instance, the Igbo language admit letters like ‘m’, ‘a’, and ‘r’ etc. to form
verbal extension....
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Item Type: Project Material | Size: 89 pages | Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word | Delivery: Within 30Mins.
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