Mind Your Language

By the Ajayi Coomber

1.1    INTRODUCTION

This study involves errors that can be found in some newspapers in Sierra Leone. The study was conducted between the 9^th and 13^th September, 2013.  These errors can be broadly categorized into lexical and grammatical errors. They are underlined and their correct forms are given in brackets.

1.2    LEXICAL ERRORS

The errors in this category are phonologically and learning induced.

1.2.1         PHONOLOGICALLY-INDUCED ERRORS

The errors in this subsection can be traced to two possibilities. In the first place, there are some English sounds, which are absent in the local languages of Sierra Leone. Also, English has some homophonous words, which users cannot distinguish contextually. These two possibilities can be seen in:

1. But I still feel more should be been (being) done.

(Global Times, 9^th September, 2013)

1. . . . non-access to funds, lack of facilities . . . lack of spear (spare) parts . . . .

(Awoko, 10^th September, 2013)

1. . . . ministry officials conducted an investigation to ascertain the courses (causes) of mass failures. (Premier News, 10^th September, 2013)
2. . . . to encourage men and women to walk (work) out their faith in their daily work.

(Awoko, 12^th September, 2013)

1. . . . the president declared, adding that the judiciary too had always complimented (complemented) the efforts of the legislative body.

(Independent Observer, 10^th September, 2013)

1. He said that during the cause (course) of investigation the accused . . . .

(Premier News, 12^th September, 2013)

1. . . . and many of the pupils disappear from school before launch (lunch) time.

(Premier News, 10^th September, 2013)

1.2.2        LEARNING-INDUCED ERRORS

Errors in this group stem from the writer’s ignorance of the lexico-semantic features of English. That is, the writers’ poor knowledge of the nuances of some English words and their collocations can sometimes lead to errors as seen in:

1. With the pronunciation (pronouncement) of this testimony . . . .

(Premier News, 13^th September, 2013)

1. The protection Officer . . . threw light on the basic asylum procedures . . . saying that NACSA has been given statutory statute (mandate).

(Satellite, 12^th September, 2013)

1. The more taxes we collect, the more development government will be able to do (bring).

(Awoko, 9^th September, 2013)

1. Towards achieving her objective, the foundation stone ceremony was recently laid (held) at the . . . .

(Awoko, 10^th September, 2013)

 

1.3    GRAMMATICAL ERRORS

The errors examined in this section relate to the use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, word class and syntax.

1.3.1        NOUN

This error type deals with pluralisation. That is, the writers insert the plural marker to nouns that do not need it. For example,

1. . . . never mind what our politicians would want us believe like this outlandish and bogus assertions (assertion) of fastest growing bla bla bla.

(Awoko, 12^th September, 2013)

1. Police Constable . . . said his function (functions) as an exhibit clerk is (are) to take custody of all police exhibits and register them . . . .

(Premier News, 12^th September, 2013)

1. Perhaps the style of leadership is what has precipitated the use of obscene languages (language).

(Satellite, 13^th September, 2013)

 

1.3.2        VERB

With regard to this error type, verbs that are supposed to be inflected are left uninflected, uninflected verbs are inflected and those that are inflected are given wrong inflections. Also, there appears to be non-congruity between the subject of a sentence and its verb in terms of agreement. This is shown in the following sentences:

1. Some will tell you I am press (pressed) for time.

(Awoko, 10^th September, 2013)

1. Why did the drafters of the document failed (fail) to . . .?

(Global Times, 9^th September, 2013)

1. The Agriculture minister wounded (wound) up his tour . . . .

(Premier News, 11^th September, 2013)

1. . . . while aspiring students struggles (struggle) to learn . . . .

(Global Times, 10^th September, 2013)

1. . . . but most times their failure to improve the lives of their people make (makes) them unpopular.

(Awoko, 12^th September, 2013)

1. . . . the appalling road networks in the interior hinders (hinder) ministry officials . . . .

(Premier News, 10^th September, 2013)

 

1.3.3        ADJECTIVE/DETERMINER

This subsection involves the use of a comparison without a comparative word and the inclusion and the omission of the indefinite article. The following sentences exemplify these phenomena.

 

1. That is why no association is θ (more) important than the other.

(Awoko, 11^th September, 2013)

1. . . . the school is θ (a) self-help project . . . .

(Awoko, 9^th September, 2013)

1. . . . you still have a place to lay your head in the party in the midst of an (θ) greener pastures to feed on.

(Global Times, 12^th September. 2013)

 

1.3.4        WORD CLASS

The errors in this subcategory show that the writers seem not to know how similar morphological forms can operate in different syntactic slots. This is illustrated in the following sentences:

1. Clearly more needs to be done if we seek to build a future of abundant (abundance) . . . .

(Global Times, 10^th September, 2013)

1. . . . committees to embark on serious monitoring and supervisory (supervision) of schools.

(Premier News, 11^th September, 2013)

1. Education in Sierra Leone has not seen any noticeably (noticeable) changes.

(Global Times, 10^th September, 2013)

1. . . . the contractor without hesitant (hesitance) assured the delegation . . . .

(Independent Observer, 11^th September, 2013)

 

1.3.5        SYNTAX

This subsection deals with the inclusion of pronouns where they are not required and loose structuring of sentences. For example,

1. Dr. Coker’s name . . . on the list that was published and even circulated it (θ) in the social media.

(Awoko, 9^th September. 2013)

1. There is (are) so many links between poverty and ill-health just as also is (there are between) ignorance and illiteracy.

(Awoko, 12^th September, 2013)

1. . . . a team of FSU investigators went to the office of the alleged perpetrator and was invited (invited him) for questioning at the . . . .

(Awoko, 13^th September, 2013.)

 

1.4    CONCLUSION

Experience has shown that the errors discussed above are prevalent in the country. That is, they can be noted in the English of university students, lecturers, lawyers, civil servants and so on. Will it therefore be necessary to investigate this English usage with a view to establishing a case for the codification of the English system in Sierra Leone?

This is a posthumously published work

© Politico 13/01/15