ERIC Number: EJ1422880
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Nov
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1718-2298
EISSN: EISSN-2200-2014
Available Date: N/A
Wh-in-Situ in Cameroonian English (CamE): A Study from a Minimalist Perspective and Some Pedagogic Implications
Leonel Tadjo Fongang
Journal of English as an International Language, v11 n2 p56-76 2016
This study explores wh-in-situ in CamE within Chomsky's (1998) Theory of Attraction. The data, both written and spoken, come from different sources. Given that we are a speaker of the language, part of the data come from our intuitive knowledge and everyday conversations with friends, students and colleagues. The other part is from a scrutiny of previous and recent works on CamE. The analysis shows that the LF movement analysis applies to CamE, with the wh-element moving at LF to check the Q-features carried by COMP. We also argue that both the optional intonational particle "naah," which can be inserted in ex-situ and in-situ constructions, and the Q-features in COMP mark the interrogative nature of sentences in CamE, with the sole difference that "naah"-insertion is associated with the ideas of insistence or supplication. In cases of optional "naah"-insertion (Epoge, 2015), "naah" is assumed to have no grammatical impact on the sentence as it doesn't, in any way, influence attraction. In this vein, even in cases of "naah"-insertion, attract takes place and the wh-element is moved to the left periphery of the clause at LF. The overall conclusion is that CamE syntactic features have to be standardized and promoted within the Cameroonian context, so as to avoid teaching structures that can rarely be intuitively followed.
Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, English (Second Language), Language Variation, Foreign Countries, Interpersonal Communication, Linguistic Theory, Form Classes (Languages), Sentence Structure, Grammar, Phrase Structure, Intuition, Standard Spoken Usage, Questioning Techniques
English Language Education Publishing. Site Skills Training - Clark, Centennial Road, Clark Freeport Zone, Clark, Pampanga 2023, Philippines. e-mail: asianefl@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.elejournals.com/journal-of-english-as-an-international-language/; Web site: https://www.eilj.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Cameroon
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A