Abstract

The purpose of this long easy is to analyse the extent of pidgin/English interferences in the English of English language students in the University of Buea. Subjects were randomly selected from level 200 English Major Students. The results showed that even though students have a good mastery of Pidgin English, it has very little interference in their English.

The majority of students (89%) had a good mastery of English grammar despite their frequent use of Pidgin English. Generally speaking, the students in the department of English language performed very well in the test. Their responses in the questionnaire didn’t reflect their performances in the test.

This can be attributed to the fact that pidgin doesn’t interfere in their English and that most of the subjects know the difference between pidgin and English. The weak performance by the few students who performed poorly in the test can be ascribed to the fact that they were not able to differentiate between pidgin and English language. This study concludes that major curricular changes in the Department of English language could bring significant changes to students performances in English both in written and spoken forms

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Cameroonian Pidgin English also called Kamtok (Cameroon talk) is an English based Creole language. About 5% of Cameroonians are Native speakers of the language, while an estimated 50% of the population speaks it in some. Many Pidgin speakers are unaware that this language is different from English proper. It is a Variety of West African Englishes spoken along the Coast from Ghana to Cameroon.

It is a vehicular language that has been in active use in the country for over 200 years. It came into being in the slave trade years (1440 to early 1800s). It preceded English in Cameroon. The first Baptist missionaries who arrived Cameroon in 1845 and introduced formal education English had to learn Pidgin.

A few decades later during the German annexation period (1884-1914), Pidgin resisted a German ban. It took flight when it became a makeshift language used in German plantations an undertaking by forced laborers who were drawn from the hinterland and who spoke different indigenous languages. With time, it invaded the place and was adopted by Baptist missionaries as their language of evangelical crusades. For many years, it has been used on school playgrounds and campuses and in political campaigns, and today, and today it is forcing its way into the spoken media.

English language originated in England and is now widely spoken throughout the continents. It is the primary language of the United Kingdom, United States, Australia Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and various small island nations in the CaribbeanSea and Pacific Ocean. It is also an official language in many countries including Cameroon and Nigeria. It should be worthy of note that unlike Nigeria,

English language is not the sole official language of Cameroon. In Cameroon, French language is also an official language which makes Cameroon the only nation in the world that speaks both French and English as national language behind only Canada.

English language is the global language of technology, science, education, computer and aviation and at that a world language of importance. Therefore, efficient spoken/written knowledge of English language is of basic importance to the study of every other subject of Standard English command respect and prestige in the society. In spite of the importance of the correct use of English language, it is found that many students perform woefully in its usage both in examinations and daily life interactions.

A number of factors contribute to the situation one of which is the constant use of Pidgin English in the study and living situations including the primary, secondary and higher institutions.lt is of great importance that teachers, lecturers, and parents should encourage students both in and out of the classroom/lecture halls to speak English every time and anywhere with the availability of adequate instructional materials to aid the teaching and learning of English language.

Statement of the Problem

It is becoming increasingly difficult if a particular student really went to school or perhaps was well schooled in the rudiments of English. It is not an over statement if we say that most of the students cannot make simple, clear and error-free sentences in English language. This can be attributed to frequent use of pidgin by students either by way of code-switching or code-mixing in communication at home, school campus and their neighborhood.

English language remains the official language of communication alongside French language, though Pidgin English is becoming more and more important as a language. Therefore, Pidgin English, when it is first learnt by children, poses some problems in their later life. They will find it difficult to differentiate between Pidgin and Standard English both in their spoken and written forms.

Research Questions

1. What is the relationship between Pidgin English and English language in the University of Buea?
2. Flow often do students use Pidgin English more than English language on campus?
3. What are the major areas of pidgin/English interferences in the University of Buea?
4. How can the interference of pidgin in spoken English be optimized in the University of Buea?

Research Hypothesis

Students mastery of Pidgin English does not interfere in their spoken/written English.

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