MOTHER TONGUE INTERFERENCE IN ENGLISH NEWS CAST

1.1 Introduction

If the question “what is language?” is asked, it has many senses and can be variously defined. It can be language of a particular field like science, humanity just to mention few. It can also be the animal language, sign language and many other types of languages.

Human language especially spoken dominates them all. Human language is natural. According to Adebayo (1995), “Language (Human Language) is one of the chief means by which a person learns to organise his experiences and thoughts”

In Adebayo’s words above, human language is one out of many means by which a person’s experiences and thoughts can be organised. This supports the many senses that language has. And also, without language, (spoken) thoughts will never be born and experiences of life will be wasted because no one will be able to learn from them. Communication is the major bridge that links the whole world. Communication is a crucial factor in the society at large and there is pieces evidence that prove this. The global village and the internet prove this among others.

Language whether written, spoken, sign or through any means is a tool for communication and English language, out of many languages of the world has emerged the most used language all over the world. The global village use this language (English) and it stands to be the language of the net.

English language accords respect and pride to its speakers but some have been left with the effective use of this language especially in the countries where the language (English) is not the mother tongue or the first language one comes in contact with, for instance in countries like Nigeria, Ghana and many others.

The language teachers, the broadcasters and some few others have been left with the duty of speaking the correct version of English language in Nigeria. And if this proof is true, these categories of people should speak error free English. However, it is unfortunate that some of our broadcasters still goof on air and this distorts communication. In the light of the above, this research is out to work on the use of language in English newscast under the title “Mother Tongue Interference in English Newscast: a Case of a Recorded Kwara Television News”

1.2 Statement of Problems

This work knows that some issues that have become problems in our media houses have been handled by some scholars, for instance, Medubi (2007) and Okoye (2007). Both of them dwelt more on the problems confronting the press in Nigeria but not directly as this work will handle it. No one has really worked on how Mother Tongue Interference distorts communication in our media houses in Nigeria. This work will look into this problem and will try to proffer solutions.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of study is to scrutinize the Mother Tongue Interference in English News Cast using Kwara Television News as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To further enlighten the media on the importance of Standard English.
2. To also help the second language teachers. Since they are the foundation layers of all learners and when the foundation of a leaner is solid, anything built on it will stand erect.

Lastly, this research will be useful for the media and the second speakers of the English language on how to produce sounds of English that will be free from Mother Tongue Interference.

1.4 Research Question

In handling the research problem above, this research will focus its attention on this question:

• How much Mother Tongue Interference does distort to communications in our media houses in Nigeria?

1.5 Scope of the Study

This work will focus on “Mother Tongue Interference in English Newscast”. Different authors have dealt with his topic from different perspectives. Hoffmann (1991) identified four major types of mother tongue interference in English.

1. Interference at the phonological level
2. Interference at the grammatical level
3. Interference at the lexical level
4. Interference in spelling.

Alabi (2007) also identified three types of mother tongue interference in English which are: phonological interference, lexical interference and grammatical interference.

This research will concentrate on the phonological level of mother tongue interference because it deals mainly with speech (Day to day conversation).

1.6 Justification of Study

This research topic “Mother Tongue Interference in English Newscast” is important because the problem is obvious in almost all the media houses in Nigeria. Some authors have outlined the problems confronting our media houses in Nigeria but few have given us solutions. An author like Okoye (2007) outlined the problem of the press in Nigeria but did not give solutions to such problems.

This research is set to look into the problems and proffer solutions to them with top priority given to the phonological aspect.

1.7 Methodology

This research is to analyze the Kwara Television main News. This television station has two sections of news, basically, the news at five O’clock and the news at half past six in the evening. This research will analyze one of the main news which is usually broadcast by two people unlike the news at five which is shorter and taken by only one person.

More people also listen to the main news compared to the one at 5pm perhaps because it is fuller or later than the first or both. Some of the workers in the newsroom will be interviewed to know the philosophy, ideology and the brief history of the television station.

The data will be analysed using phonological rules because this is the most pervasive type of interference according Romaine (1989, p.52).

In the process, if questionnaire will be useful, it will also be composed and given to some selected people in the society to know their reactions to the media house and oral interviews can also be conducted. These are some of the methods that have been chosen for the success of this work.

1.8 Data Description

Kwara Television Authority UHF 35 (Socially responsible) was established in 1991 under the table leadership of Mall. Ishaq Maddibo Kawu. The establishment was promulgated into a decree in (1997) with six departments.

The departments are Administration, Accounts, Marketing, News, Programmes and Engineering, after the tenure of Mall. Maddibo, eight directors have managed the Television station and Barrister Mohammed Abdul Raheem who is the current General Manager was appointed on 16th June, 2010. And he is the General Manager till date.

This station covers up to five states which are Kwara, parts of Oyo-state, Kogi, Ekiti and Osun states.

This television station has the mind of becoming the best in all things especially in informing people and updating them in all useful and educating matters.

Most people complained of the time of the main news which is (6:30pm) half past six. Many said they will still be at work or not at home at the time of the news and few who listen to KWTV news commend that the news is fuller and it covers more of the local events which some other stations usually neglect.

1.9 Definition of Some Terms Mother Tongue/First language (L1)

Mother tongue also called the first language (L1) is the first language a child comes in contact with in his/her environment. Mother tongue is slightly different from the first language.

Mother tongue is the language of the parents especially the father while the first language is the language of the environment.

The child’s mother tongue can be his/her first language and it may not also be. In the case where a Yoruba child grows up in ‘Okene’ in Kogi-state where the language in such environment is “Ebira” the Yoruba child can or will conveniently speak, “Ebira” because of his/her environment.

Second Language (Target Language)

A second language (L2) is that which exists side by side with the indigenous language(s) in a bilingual or multilingual situation. It is usually an official language and as such enjoys a high status within the nation.

A second or the target language can be the fourth or the third language to be acquired but as long as someone has a language before learning another, it will be referred to as the second language or the target language

News

Danuta (1998, p. 4) says:

News is a late Middle English Word that means “tidings” New information of recent events. Even if we accept this definition as a useful description of what Newspaper delivers... A more useful definition might be information about recent events that are of interest to a sufficiently large group, or that may affect the lives of a sufficiently large group.

Phonology

Akmajian (2001, p.109) etal says “phonology is the subfield of linguistics that studies the structure and systematic patterning of sound of human language”.

In his words, phonology is used in two ways. The first one describes the sounds of a language and the rules governing the use of those sounds, while the second refers to that part of the general theory of human language that is concerned with the universal properties of natural language sound systems.

1.10 Conclusion

Since language and man are not the same and they cannot be separated, problems will always arise from the two angles. Solutions must also be provided to such problems in order to have effective communication in the society.

This chapter has introduced us to the work that will be done and the next chapter, chapter two will review some works of literature by some renowned scholars in the field of language and this will establish the place of this work by linking it to some works that have been read.