Abstract
The paper explores the underlying causes of adjective errors committed by Grade 10 English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners in a South African secondary school situated in the Vhembe East District. As learners progress academically, the ability to use adjectives accurately, particularly derivative forms, is fundamental for articulating complex ideas in both written and spoken English. Using a quantitative research approach, the study engaged 20 randomly selected learners through a standardised test focused on derivative adjective usage. The findings revealed frequent morphological errors, particularly involving the misuse, overuse and omission of affixes and degree markers. Although learners demonstrated competency in forming comparative and superlative adjectives, significant challenges were noted in the use of prefixes and suffixes. These challenges point to a lack of internalisation of morphological rules governing adjective construction. The study attributes these errors to both interlingual transfer stemming from differences between indigenous language structures and English and intralingual factors such as overgeneralisation. The paper argues that these linguistic errors reflect deeper issues of language processing in multilingual educational environments and highlights the importance of explicit grammar instruction and support for EFAL learners. This paper contributes to educational studies as a social science by situating language learning within broader cognitive, linguistic, and cultural frameworks. It opens space for dialogue on the ethics of language instruction, systemic support for multilingual learners, and the implications for equitable education in linguistically diverse societies.
Presenters
M. LambaniHead of Department (HOD), Department of English, Media Studies and Linguistics, University of Venda, Limpopo, South Africa
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
EFAL, LEXICAL ITEMS, DEGREE MARKERS, AFFIXES, INTER-LINGUAL, AND INTRA-LINGUAL TRANSFER
