A LEXICO-SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS OF ERRORS IN SELECTED YORUBA
FILM SUBTITLED IN ENGLISH
BANKOLA OLUWATOSIN C.
MATRIC NO: 07/15CD071
A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENGLISH, FACULTY OF ARTS, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN,
KWARA STATE, NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE BACHELOR OF
ARTS (HONOURS) ENGLISH
MAY, 2011
1
CERTIFICATION
This essay has been read and approved as meeting part of the requirements for
the Award of Bachelor Arts (Hons.) Degree in the Department of English,
faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, Ilorin.
……………………………..
……………………..
Dr. S.T. Babatunde
DATE
Project Supervisor
………………………
…………………….
Dr. S.T. Babatunde
DATE
Head of Department
………………………..
……………………….
External Examiner
DATE
2
DEDICATION
This project work is dedicated to almighty God whose grace brought me this
far…
And
To my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bankole
3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I owe my profound gratitude the ancient of days, the “I am that I am’, the
all sufficient – the Almighty God. For His guidance, protection and provision
through my academic career, Lord, I thank thee.
My greatest appreciation also extends to my supervisor, Dr. D.T.
Babatunde, for his patience and fatherly love and advice, who benevolently
provide me with all the necessary materials for my research. Dr., words can’t
express how much I appreciation you.
I can’t but thank my parents whose prayers and financial support I felt
throughout my stay on campus. You shall reap the fruits of your labour. My
profound gratitude goes to my siblings, Mrs. Kemi Abass, Mrs. Bukola Akinlua,
Mr. Christopher and Mr. Samson, you guys are rare, love you all.
To my best friend, Ogundiran Damilare, you are a darling!
To my roommates, Idayat, Winnie, Olayide, Aminah and Kikelomo,
you’ve all been wonderful. Also to my course mate with whom I have sailed this
boat you’ve all been wonderful.
My appreciation also goes to the Foursquare Students’ Fellowship
Family, thank you all.
4
ABSTRACT
Language is learned and shred, it is an arbitrary system of vocal symbols
through which human beings in the same speech community interact, thereby
communicate. Errors in communication can be inhibitions towards effective
communication and decoding of messages. This research sets out to carry out an
error analysis on some selected Yoruba films subtitled in English. Errors were
lifted from four Yoruba films subtitled in English and were numbered as
attested in each film. Error analysis was then carried out on them. i.e the errors
were identified, classified into their types, explain why such errors were made
and corrections were proffered where necessary. The research found out that
the major causes of these errors were inter-lingual and intra-lingual transfer.
The research also found out that errors can cause a break-down in
communication in Yoruba films to non-Yoruba viewers and in general. From
these findings, the research project submitted that some of the errors that occur
in Yoruba film subtitled in English are capable of causing inhibitions in the
proper understanding of the message embedded in these Yoruba films to nonYoruba
viewers.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
i
Certificate
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract
v
Table of content
vi
Chapter one: General introduction
1.1.
Background to the study
1
1.2.
Purpose of the study
3
1.3.
Scope of the study
4
1.4.
Justification
4
1.5.
Methodology
5
Chapter two: literature Review
2.0 Introduction
6
2.1 Lexis
6
2.2 Syntax
7
2.3 The two types of relationship in a sentence
9
2.4 Sentence and it types
10
2.5 Semantics
12
2.6 Errors
15
6
2.6.1 Error Analysis
16
2.6.2 Description of errors
19
2.6.3 Sources of errors
19
2.6.4 Inter-lingual errors
21
2.6.5 Intra-lingual errors
21
2.7 Types of errors
22
2.8 Yoruba films in Nigeria
24
Chapter Three: Data Presentation
3.0 Introduction
25
3.1 Types of Errors and examples of errors in film one
28
3.2 Types of errors and examples of errors in films two
38
Chapter four: summary, Findings and conclusions
4.1 Summary
57
4.2 Findings
58
4.3 Conclusion
59
References
7
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Syntax is a technical name of the branch of linguistics is concerned with the
ways which words can be combined together to form phrases and sentences. It deals
with the principles that determine the ways in which we can and cannot combine
words together to form phrases and sentences.
Lexicon is derived from the word “Lexicon” which means words. Lexiconsyntactic is a term that could be divided into Lexicon and Syntax. In other words,
Lexicon-Syntactic is a term that means words and how they (the words) come
together to form phrases and sentences.
1.2
ERRORS
Errors
are demonstrations of incompetence, people often take errors and
mistakes to mean the same phenomenon, but mistakes are different from errors.
Mistakes have to do with slips and other sights which the person making one can
correct on his/her own if looked at again.
1.3.
YORUBA FILMS
Yoruba films also known as Yoruba home videos have been in existence for
many decades in Nigeria. The Yoruba language, with over 25 million speakers, is one
of the three major languages in Nigeria. It is spoken in the Western part of Nigeria.
The language has different ethnicity in different Yoruba speaking communities.
8
Yoruba films serve and are indeed detaining to not just Yoruba speakers alone
but to others from different cultures in genera (i.e. Yoruba films not just entertain,
they also educate as a lot relating to our lives and the society at large in terms of socio
cultural, religion, economy, gender etc can be learnt form these Yoruba films. They
also portray the rich Yoruba culture which viewers can learn and benefit from.
Films according to advanced learners’ dictionary area series of moving
pictures, usually shown in a cinema or on television and often telling a story.
1.4
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The research intends to carry out an error analysis some of the Errors
made in some selected Yoruba films subtitled in English the research will do the
following.
1.5
i.
Identity the errors
ii.
Classify these errors into their types.
iii.
Explain why these errors are made.
iv.
Treat the errors i.e. proper the corrections to those errors.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This reproach work titled a Lexicon-syntactic Analysis aims at identifying,
classifying, explaining and then treating these errors identified. This research will
only be limited to the sentences only.
1.6
JUSTIFICATION
9
This research work is embarked on because of the researcher’s interest in
making corrections to some of these errors encountered while watching some of these
Yoruba films. These research work will also explain why some of these errors are
made thereby making viewers of these films understand why some of these errors are
made. The research will also serve an a guideline to students who endeavour to carry
out researches related to the topic in the future.
1.7
METHODOLOGY
In carrying out an error analysis for this project work, the data that will be
used are four selected Yoruba films subtitled in English. Sentences perceived to be
errors will be lifted while watching the films. Then, the erromous sentences lifted in
each film will be numbered, error analysis would be carried out on each of the
sentences, i.e. the errors would be identified, described into their types, explained or
explanation would be given for occurrence of such errors and the correct sentences
would be preferred.
The chapter has done a little introduction and background to the variables
constituting the research topic. It has also stated the purpose, scope, justification and
10
the methods of the research project. Next we move to the next chapter which is the
review of literature of the research work.
1.0
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
LEXIS
Lexeme from its Greek origin is lexis meaning speech. It also means “Lexical
item” or “Lexical unit”. In linguistics, it is a unit in the lexicon or vocabulary of a
11
language. Its form is governed by sound and writing or print, its content by meaning
and use. A lexeme is therefore the abstract unit which underscores some of the
variants we have concerning woods.
A Lexical item is a neutral term which enables learners to capture the meaning
of words more precisely whether or not they consist of one or more words. A lexical
item could also be seen as a unit of meaning whether or not it refers to one word a
compound, phrasal verb or an idiom without any restriction to the number of words or
length on the page of a paper.
The lexical words are also known variously as “full words” or “content
words” because they carry higher information content than the grammatical words.
The lexical ones add to their membership and are open to change, diachronically,
whereas the grammatical ones hardly admit new members. A lexical item could be
classified into 3 distinct though intimately interconnected ways: First its form
(graphic, phonological), second, its grammatical function and third, this meaning.
2.2
SYNTAX
Van Valin and Lapolla (1997,1) say that the term Syntax is from the ancient
Greek syntaxis, a verbal noun which literally means “arrangement” or “setting out
together”. It refers to the branch of grammar dealing with the ways in which word
with or without appropriate inflections, are arranged to show connections of meaning
within the sentence the expression of a language involve a relationship between a
sequence of sounds and meaning and this relationship is mediated by grammar, a core
component of which is syntax
12
Radford (1999,1) says syntax is a technical name of the branch of linguistics
which is concerned with the ways in which words can be combined together to form
phrases and sentences. It has to do with the principles that determine the ways in
which we can and cannot combine words together to form phrases and sentences.
According to Carnie (2006,3) Syntax is an aspect of linguistics which deals
with how language works and how sentences are structured. It studies the level of
language that lies between words and meaning of utterances sentences. It is the level
that mediates between sounds that someone produces (organized into words) and
what they intended to say.
From the definitions of syntax given above, especially in the words of Van
Valin and Lapolla (1997) In English Language and many other languages, the
arrangement of words is a vital factor in determining the meaning of an utterance.
Radford (1999) and Carnie (2006) are also of this opinion, they both
say that syntax is simply how words come together to form larger units e.g.
phrase, clause and the sentence. Syntax therefore in our opinion is the
stringing together of words to form larger units
From the fore-going, discussion, it is clear that syntax is concerned
with the various relationships that exist among the words of a sentence. There
are generally two types of such relationships. These shall be discussed next.
13
2.3
THE TWO TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS IN A SENTENCE
SYNTGMATIC RELATIONS
The fact has been established that the focus of Syntax is the sentence.
The sentence may be represented as a particular arrangement of constituents
because it is made up of a string of smaller parts. This stringing together of
elements shows that a sentence has a linear structure, that is, the constituents
of every sentence are joined together in a particular order in a horizontal chain
to convey meaning. Thus, on horizontal axis an item is related to other items
in a particular sequence of words. Constituents which combine in this way to
form larger units are said to be in a syntagmatic relationship.
E.g. The cat chased the mouse
In this sentence, we can say ‘the cat’ constitutes a group or unit (NP)
noun phrase and it functions as a subject, we can also say that there are three
units in the sentence. So we say the words in the sentence have a syntagmatic
relationship with one another.
PARADIGMATIC RELATION
14
The term “paradigmatic” refers to relations along the vertical axis. Sets
of elements which can be substituted one for another in a given context are
said to be in paradigmatic relation. When items in a sentence can be
substituted by other items that have similar characteristics, such items and
their substitutes are said to be in a paradigmatic relationship.
EG, He came here.
‘He’ can be substituted by ‘She, it, they, we, you, and I’ as the subject
of the sentence. While the over all structure of the sentence remains unaltered. Thus, ‘he, she, it, they, we, you and I’ are said to belong to a
paradigon.
Next, the research examines the sentences and its types.
2.4
SENTENCE AND ITS TYPES
Sentence is a group of words which expresses a complete meaning. A
sentence also makes a complete sentence. A sentence may be classified
according to its function and its structure.
A sentence according to its function is divided into four; namely:
i.
The declarative sentence: This is the type of sentence that announces
clearly, firmly about a particular thing or situation. E.G. The sun shines.
ii.
The interrogative sentence: This kind of sentence ask questions. E.G.
Where are my children?
15
iii.
The Imperative sentence: This kind of sentence expresses a command,
wish a prayer or request. E.G. I pray it rains today.
iv.
The Exclamatory Sentence: This expresses strong feelings. E.G. What a
beautiful day!
A sentence according to its structure is also divided into four, namely:
i.
Simple sentence: A simple sentence contains only one main clause. E.G.
Amina Sings.
ii.
Complex sentence: A complex sentence contains one main clause and at
least one subordinate clause joined by a subordinating conjunction. E.G.
Amina sings while she cooks.
iii.
Compound sentence: This contains two or more main clauses joined by a
coordinating conjunction. E.G. Amina sings and she clauses. E.G. Amina
sings and she clauses while she is cooking.
In this research study, “A Lexicon-Syntax Analysis of Errors in selected Yoruba
Films” it is important we look at Semantics, which is hat we look at next.
2.5.
SEMANTICS
Semantics according to Katz (1992) is the study of linguistics
meaning. It is concerned with what – sentences and other linguistics object
express, not with the arrangement of their syntactic parts or with their
16
pronunciation. The semantic theory is a theory that draws one’s attention to
the numerous meanings of ‘meaning’. It could be said that Semantics is
majorly based on the meaning of words.
According to Leech (1997), where are given (7) types of meaning,
they are: Denotative, connotative, reflexive, affective, thematic, collocative
and stylistics meaning.
Denotative: Also referred to as cognitive meaning or conceptual, basis
or logical meaning. This type of meaning is the surface side a word or
expression turns to a hearer or reader. It is descriptive and objective in nature.
Denotative meaning is also referential in nature.
E.G. Tosin is a baby
Connotative Meaning: This derives the basis meaning of a word but
depends strictly on context and varies by history, culture or individual
experience. In nature, connotative is in elastic.
E.G. The Camel is the ship of the desert.
Ordinarily, a camel is not a ship. Also while a camel is found in a
desert, a ship is not. The metaphor forged by ‘ship’ makes the camel to
possess the ability of the ship to carry heavy luggage though rather slowly
across the desert. The sentence therefore means the camel is the sole means of
transportation in the desert.
17
STYLISTIC MEANING: This type of meaning relates to language a
it reflects social circumstances. What makes stylistic meaning peculiar is the
interlocutors’ geographical background and the hearer. The speaker is
constrained by his attitude to the hearer, and the subject matter and the
purpose of communication. He also selects his style based on constraints i.e.
Stiff/relaxed; Formal/informal, cold/warm, impersonal/friendly.
E.g.
Get out of here nigger.
The use of nigger has its style as it varies from one geographical
location to another.
AFFECTIVE MEANING: This is the type of meaning that emerges
from the emotional impression or attitude of the user of a language. In this
type of meaning, words are used to express love, affectionateness, annoyance,
hatred etc.
E.G. My heartthrob, my love, my sweetheart etc.
REFLECTED/REFLEXIVE MEANING: This type of meaning
arises in cases of multiple conceptual meaning in which one sense of a word
forms part of our response to another sense. Meaning is not usually direct, it is
reflected. Euphemisms are usually employed in reflected/reflexive meaning.
E.G. When sexual intercourse rather than social intercourse is meant,
intercourse echoes such sense as ejaculation.
18
COLLOCATIVE MEANING: Meaning that concerns the coming
together of words through common usage. Collocations are either free or fixed
when it is rigid in structure and meaning.
E.G.
Dog barks, cat news, Heavy smoker, boys and girls ladies and
gentlemen etc.
THEMATIC MEANING: The theme of a sentence is the beginning
point of the expression while the theme is every other thing that comes after
the theme. The theme corresponds with the grammatical subject while the
rheme tallies with the predicate.
E.G. Tunde killed the cow (Actor thematized)
The cow was killed by Tunde (victim thematized)
Alex, is to look at Errors, error Analysis and types of Errors.
2.6
ERROR;
An error arises when there was no intention to commit one. One can
not spot so-called ‘celebrate errors’ because they do not exist when any sort of
deviance is intentionally incorporated into an instance of language, we do say
it is erroneous, but deviant, example being poetic language or an advertising
jingle.
Corder, (1967) as cited in James (1998, 78-79) upholds the
competence versus performance distinction, insisting that mistakes are of no
significance to the process of language learning, since they do not reflect a
19
defect in our knowledge i.e. are not caused by incompetence but traceable to
performance failure and can correct them with more or less compete
assurance. They can occur in L1 as well as L2 (L1 first language. L2: second
language) that is, native speakers as well as learners can make them
(mistakes). Errors on the other hand, one must assume, are everything that
mistakes are not; they are significance and only learners of an L2 make them.
Taylor, (1986) as cited in James, (1998,77) says that the only way we
can reasonably determine whether a mistake is a slip or a genuine error is by
reference to the writer’s semantic and structural intentions. We can now refine
the definition of Errors as instance of language that is unintentionally deviant
and is not self – corrigible by its author. Errors can also be seen as failures in
competence and mistakes as failures in competence and mistakes as failures
in performance.
2.6.1
ERROR ANALYSIS
Error analysis emerged in the late sixties as a reaction to the excess of
C.A (contrastive analysis). It also has an ideologically origin or explanation
which us as a result of a shift from the subject and teacher of the language.
Error analysis has been variously defined over the years but the common
issue/point/denomination in all of them is that error analysis is an attempt to
study the language of learners with a view to identifying the areas and
instances of deviation from the norms and to figure out the causes and
20
significance of such errors. There are two (2) main approaches to the analysis
of the learners’ errors.
(1) Contrastive approach (2) Non-Contrastive approach:
The Contrastive Approach: is synonymous to the inter-language approach, in that
it is based on a scientific description of the language to be learnt, carefully
compared with a parallel description of the native language of the learner. The
contrastive approach is also based on the principle of negative transfer, i.e
knowledge of one’s language (L1) is a hindrance to the learning of the target
language (TL)
The Non-Contrastive Approach:
is a more recent one i.e the hang-over of
contrastive approach. It has its basis in the study of errors related to the
development of the particular language being learnt i.e it dues not look at errors
from the perspective of the L1 of the learner the principle is that errors are
features of learners’ growth and development in the target language (TL) as such
is to be counter – productive to study the learners’ errors from the perspective of
another language
outside the one being studies. In other words, the non-
contrastive approach is also called the intralingua approach and the discovered
errors are called Intralingua errors.
The study of errors analysis permits the formulation of rules for learners
interlingua system of acquiring a new language. Charting the learner’s language
development through error analysis has psychological importance because, it
submits the transfer theory to critical observation and provides data on the nature
21
and significance of the obstacles that lie in the path towards the discovery of the
rules.
Theorical analysis of errors primarily concerns the process and strategies of
language and its similarities with first language acquisition. In other words, it tries
to investigate what is going on in the minds of language learners. Secondly, it
tries to decode the strategies of learners such as overgeneralization and
simplification, and thirdly to go to a conclusion that regards the universals of
language process whether there is an internal syllabus for learning a second
language.
Identification of Errors
Identifying an errors goes beyond explaining what an error is. However, as
linguistic pay attention to the distinction between an error and a mistake. The
definition of both phenomena are given again clearer explanation.
According to Dictionary of language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (1992)
a learner makes a mistake when writing or speaking because of lack of attention,
fatigue, carelessness, or some other aspects of performance. Mistakes can be self
– corrected when look at again. Whereas, an error is the use of linguistic item in a
way that a fluent or native speaker of the language regards it as showing faulty or
incomplete learning. In other words, it (error) occurs because the learner does not
know what is correct and thus can not correct him/herself.
To distinguish between error and mistake, Ellis as (1997) cited suggests two
ways. The first one is to check the consistency of learner’s performance. If he
22
sometimes uses the correct form and sometimes the wrong one, it is a mistake.
However, if he always use it incorrectly, it is then an error. The second way is to
ask the learner to try to correct his own deviant utterance. Where he is unable to,
the deviations are errors; where he is successful, they are mistakes.
Description of Errors
A number of different categories for describing errors have been
identified. Firstly, Corder (1973) as cited in Mersin University Journal of the
classifies the errors in terms of the differences between the learners’ utterance and
the reconstructed version. In this way, errors fall into four categories omission of
some required elements; addition of some unnecessary or incorrect elements;
selection of an incorrect element; and disordering of the elements; nevertheless,
terms of the differences between the learners’ utterance and the reconstruction
version. In this way, errors fall into four categories omission of some required
elements; addition of some unnecessary or incorrect elements; selection of an
incorrect element; and disordering of the elements. Nevertheless, Corder himself
adds that this classification is not enough to describe errors. That is why he
includes the linguistics level of errors under the sub-areas of morphology, syntax,
and Lexicon (Corder, 1973).
Ellis (1997) as cited in Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education
classifying errors in these ways can help us to diagnose learners’ learning
problems at any stage of their development and to plot how changes in error
patterns occur over time”
23
Sources of Errors
As there are many descriptions for different kinds of errors, it is inevitable to
move further to ask for the sources of errors. In the field of error analysis, it has
been understood that the nature of errors implicates the existence of other reasons
for errors to occur. Then, the sources of errors can be categorized within two
domains: (i) interlingua transfer, and (ii) Intralingua transfer.
(i)
Interlingua transfer is a significant source language learner. Dictionary of
Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (1992) defines interlingua
errors as being the result of language transfer, which is caused by the
learner’s first language. However, this should not be confused with
behaviouristic approach of language transfer. Error analysis does not
regard them as the persistence of old habits, but rather as signs that the
learner is internalizing and investigating the system of the new language.
(ii)
Interlingua Errors may occur at different levels such as transfer of
phonological, morphological, grammatical and lexica-semantic elements
of the native language into the target language. Thee different levels can
be explained with some possible errors of the Yoruba language.
At phonological level, the sounds that do occur in Yoruba cause some Yoruba
speaker to mispronounce some sounds. They attempts to pronounce ‘th’ of ‘thank
you’ ‘t’ of ‘tea’ or ‘th’ of ‘they’ as ‘d’ of ‘dean’.
24
At morphological level, Yoruba speakers tend to omit the plural suffix at the end
of the word as Yoruba does not put it in phrases indicating numbers as in the
following examples.
English
Yoruba

Three person
Eniyan meta

Two student is coming
awon ile meji n’bo
It is also possible that some Yoruba speakers transfer some lexical items to the
target language (English language).
E.g. the verb ‘mu siga’ in Yoruba can be expressed in English as smoke
cigarettes. That is why some Yoruba speakers tend to say “drink cigarettes”
Intralingua Transfer
Inferences from the learners’ own language is not the only reason for
committing errors. As Ellis (1997) as cited in Mersin University Journal of the
Faculty of Education, state, some errors seem to be universal, reflecting learners’
attempts to make the task of learning and using the target language simpler. Use of
past tense suffix ‘ed’ for all verbs is an example of simplification and
overgeneralization. These errors are common in the speech of second language
learners, irrespective of their mother tongue.
Intralingua errors result from faulty or partial learning of the target language
rather than language transfer. They may be caused by the influence of one target
language item upon another. For example, learners attempt to use two tense markers
25
at the same time in one sentence since they have not mastered the language yet when
they say: “He is comes here”, it is because the singularity of the third person requires
“is’ in present continuous and “s” at the end of a verb in simple present tense. In
shoot, intralingua errors occur as a result of learners’ attempt to build up concepts and
these about the target language from their limited experience with it learners’ commit
errors due to this reason in many ways as in the following examples.

He made me to sing

I want Learning English

The meat smells freshly

I don’t know why did he go.
2.6.2 TYPES OF ERRORS
Error of Omission: This is the leaving out of an item that is required for an
utterances to be considered grammatical. E.G. I went to bank yesterday. The author of
this error has omitted the definite article ‘the’ from the utterance.
Error of Misordering: This is the putting of words in an utterance in the
wrong order. E.G. Speaker one: who said that?
Speaker two: It was John
Speaker three: It not was John
26
Speaker three has made an error of disordering by bringing ‘not’ before ‘was’
in utterance.
Errors of Misinformation: This is the using of one grammatical form in
place of another grammatical form. E.G. I have two bags. The big one is full of
shoes. In this utterance, the authors has made an error of misinformation by saying
“the big one” instead of saying “the bigger one”
Overgeneralization: This is Cohen learner of a second language form rules
they find easy to learn and process.
E.G. I eated a plate of price and beans. Instead of “I ate a plate of rice and
beans’. This is an example of overgeneralization.
Transfer Errors: These are both errors of omission and overgeneralization
which are common in the speech of all L2 learners, irrespective of their L2. Other
errors, however, reflect learners’ attempts to make use of their L2 knowledge and
these are called transfer errors.
Types of error
2.7
-
Concord errors: Wrong combination of subject and verb.
-
Tense Errors: Wrong use of the verb tense.
YORUBA FILMS IN NIGERIA
Yoruba films also known as Yoruba home videos have been in
existence for many decades in Nigeria. The Yoruba language, with over 25
27
million speakers, is one of the three major languages in Nigeria. It is spoken in
the Western part of Nigeria. The language has different dialects which are
spoken in different ethnicity in different Yoruba speaking communities
Yoruba films serve and are indeed detaining to not just Yoruba
speakers alone but to others from different cultures in general i.e. Yoruba
films do not just entertain, they also educate as a lot relating to our lives and
the society at large in terms of socio cultural, religion, economy, gender etc.
can be learnt from Yoruba films. They also portray the rich Yoruba culture
which viewers can learn and benefit from.
Films according to advanced Learners’ dictionary are series of moving
pictures, usually shown in a cinema or on television and often telling a story.
CHAPTER THREE: DATA PRESENTATION
ERRORS
Sentence No - MOVIE ONE: ONIKO, O’DOLA
1. That is the reason why I’m sad.
2. Kolade, if you’ve thought the way I do.
3. According to what I hear from my parents everyday.
4. Women have no heaven.
5. You really surprise me.
6. You made me realize that anyone that loves are foolish
28
7. Should I tell Kolade hat’s going on and be disgrace at once.
8. I that was love and cherish by Rogba.
9. Your disturbances are much.
10. You have just been use as a camouflage by Morenikeji.
11. It seem you don’t know you are ….
12. No visitor will stays forever.
13. What do you want to discuss, that can’t be discuss at home?
14. If not for the wife you married, you wouldn’t have be a father.
15. They are the ones that doesn’t want you to have children.
16. There wouldn’t have been all this problems.
17. I have s strong belief in this Holy Bible.
Sentence No – MOVIE TWO: TEMI O NI GBE
1. The son of our landlady would arrive soon.
2. I know it’s a mirror that must not drop down.
3. I am fed up with my life.
4. By the time you’re reading this letter, I would in England.
5. Now have you see that the world is a farm.
6. Let me go finish what I am doing before you came in.
7. Please, for God sake, overlook her mistakes.
Sentence No – MOVIE THREE: AKITAN
1. Please for God sake
29
2. The issue is even given me unrest mind.
3. I was small then.
4. This is more than a mere love covenant.
5. What is Covenant?
6. Just an agreement between two person.
7. The same thing I use to tell you.
8. But the Yorubas still respects their…..
9. Your husband will not escape us.
10. Ho dare you refused to make that sacrifice.
Sentence No – MOVIE FOUR: ESU AWELE
1. So it is now that I got pregnant that you know your wife can’t accept?
2. Kid sister.
3. You will be issue a receipt.
4. If that’s how people embezzles money.
5. I think I’m know who is doing me now.
6. Please, for God sake.
7. Tell my husband to establish her too.
8. I have thought a lot of things.
9. If you say I’m guilty, I agreed.
10. I met a prophet, who made me realized that I was wrong
TYPES OF ERRORS: FILM ONE – ONI ‘KO, O’DOLA
30
Sent Erro Error
Error
Err
Overgene
Tra
Con
Te
Err
Tot
ence r of of
of
or
ralization
nsfe
cor
ns
or
al
No
of
r
d
e
of
no
Err
erro
err Add
ors
rs
ors ition Err
Omi
Disor
misinfo
ssio
derin
rmation Mis
n
g
-
of
sele
ors
ctio
in
n
sent
enc
e
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
1
5
1
6
1
7
1
8
1
9
1
10
1
11
1
12
1
13
1
31
14
1
15
1
16
1
17
1
Tot
1
2
1
6
7
al
Sent
MOVI
TW
TEMI O GB
ence
E
O:
NI
E
1
2
2
1
3
1
4
1
5
2
6
2
7
2
Tot
3
1
3
3
Er
Sp
Plur
To
al
TYPES OF ERRORS: FILM THREE – AKITAN
Se
Err Erro Error
Er
Overge
Tr
nte
or
ror
neraliz
ans nco en
ror
elli
aliza
tal
ation
fer
of
ng
tion
no
nce of
r of of
Diso
misinf of
32
Co
rd
T
se
No
Om rder
ormat
Mi
Er
err
er
Ad
of
issi
ion
s-
ror
ors
ro
diti
Er
sel
s
rs
on
ror
ing
on
ecti
s in
on
sen
ten
ce
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
2
5
2
6
1
7
1
8
1
9
1
10
1
Tot 2
3
1
al
MO
FOU
ES
AWEL
VIE
R
U
E
1
33
2
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Tot 2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
al
TYPES OF ERRORS AND EXAMPLES THE ERRORS IN
FILM ONE
Definition
and
Error Identification of errors
Correct Sentences
Classification
(1) Over generalization
coming of rules that
(1) That is the reason That is the reason I’m
why I’m sad
are found easy to
sad OR that is why I’m
sad
34
learn.
(2) You
disturbances Your
are much
(2)
Error
or
is
much.
of (1) I have a string belief in I have a strong believe
Misinformation Using of their Holy Bible
appropriate
disturbance
in this Holy Bible.
wrong
vocabulary.
(3) Concord
Errors.
(1) According to what I According to what I
Wrong combination
hear from my parent hear from my parent’s
of subject and verb
everyday.
everyday.
(2) You made me realize You made me realize
that
anyone
loves are foolish.
that that anyone that loves is
foolish.
(3) It seem you don’t It
know you.
seems
you
don’t
know you.
(4) No visitor will stays No visitor will stay
forever.
forever.
(5) They are the ones They are the ones that
that doesn’t want you don’t want you to have
to have children.
children.
(6) The wouldn’t have The wouldn’t have been
been
problems.
35
all
this all these problems.
(4) Tense errors: Wrong
use of the verb tense
(1) Kolade,
if
you’ve Kolade,
though way I do.
if
you’ve
though way I did.
(2) You really surprise
me.
You
really
surprised
(3) Should I tell Kolade me.
what’s going on and Should I tell Kolade
be disgrace at once.
what’s going on and be
(4) I that was love and disgraced at once
cherish by Rogba.
I that was loved and
(5) You have just been cherish by Rogba.
use as a camouflage
by Morenikeji.
You have just been used
(6) What do you want to as a camouflage by
discuss that can’t be Morenikeji.
discuss at home.
What do you want to
(7) If not for the wife discuss that can’t be
you
married,
you discussed at home.
wouldn’t have be a If not for the wife you
father
married, you wouldn’t
have been a father
(5) Transfer errors: at Women have no heaven
tempts
of
L1
Woman can’t make it to
heaven.
knowledge use in
36
the
2nd
language
(TL)
TYPES OF ERRORS AND EXAMPLES THE ERRORS IN FILM TWO
Definition
and
Error Identification of errors
Correct Sentences
Classification
(1) Error of Omission:
(1) By the tune you’re By
the
tune
you’re
Leaving out of items
reading this letter, I reading this letter, I
required
for
an
would in England.
utterance
to
be
would be in England.
(2) Now have you see Now have you seen that
considered
that the world is a the world is a farm
grammatical
farm
(3) Please,
Please, for God’s sake,
for
God overlook her mistakes
sake, overlook her
mistakes.
(2) Overgeneralization.
(1) I know it’s a mirror that I know it’s a mirror that
must not drop down
(3)
Tense
Inappropriate
of verb tense
must not drop down
error: (1) The son of our landlady The son of our landlady
construction would arrived soon
would arrive soon.
(2) Now have you see that Now have you seen that
the world is a farm.
the world is a farm.
(3)Let me go finish what I Let me go finish what I
37
am doing before you came was doing before you
in.
(4) Error
of addition:
came in.
(1) The
son
of
adding of items not
landlady
required to make a
arrived soon.
sentence
our The son of our landlady
would would arrive soon.
I know it’s a mirror that
(2) I know it’s a mirror must not drop.
grammatical
that must not drop
down.
I am fed up with my
(3) I am feed up with life.
my life.
TYPES OF ERRORS AND EXAMPLES OF THE ERRORS IN FILM THREE
Definition
and
Error Identification of errors
Correct Sentences
Classification
(1) Error of Omission:
leaving out of item
required to make an
utterance
(1) Please,
for
God Please, for God’s sake.
sake.
Your husband will not
(2) Your husband will escape from us.
not escape us.
grammatical.
(2)
Overgeneralization:
forming of rules found easy
to learn.
(1) I was small then.
I was little then.
(2) This is more than a This is more than a mere
mere love covenant.
38
love covenant.
(3) What is covenant?
What is Covenant.
(3) Concord Errors: Wrong (1) But the Yorubas still But the Yorubas still
combination of subject and respects their.
respects.
verb.
(4) Tense errors: Wrong (1) The issue is even given The issue is even giving
construction of verb tense.
me unrest mind.
me unrest mind.
(2) The same thing I use to
tell you.
The same thing I used to
tell you.
(5)
Error
of
Addition: (1) How dare you refused How dare you refuse to
adding of item not required to make that sacrifice
to
make
a
make that sacrifice
sentence
grammatical
(6) Spelling:
(1) This is more than a This is more than a mere
mere love covenant.
love covenant.
(2) What is covenant.
What is covenant.
(7) Pluralization
(1)
Just
an
agreement Just
between two person.
an
agreement
between two persons.
TYPES OF ERRORS AND EXAMPLES THE ERRORS IN FILM FOUR
39
Definition
and
Error Identification of errors
Correct Sentences
Classification
(1) Error of Omission:
leaving out of items
required to make an
utterance
(1) Please,
for
God Please, for God’s sake.
sake.
I have thought a lot of
(2) I have thought a lot things.
of things.
grammatical.
(2) Error of Misordering:
(1) So it is now that I
So it is now that I got
Putting of words in an
got pregnant that pregnant that you know
utterance
you know your wife your wife can’t accept?
in
the
wrong
order.
can’t accept?
(3) Error of misinformation (1) Tell my husband to Tell my husband to set
using of the wrong or in establish her too.
up a business for her too.
appropriate vocabulary.
(4) Errors of Mis-selection: (1) Kid sister
wrong
selection
Younger sister.
of
vocabulary.
(5)
Overgeneralization: (1) Kid sister
Younger sister.
forming of rules found easy
to learn.
(6)
Transfer
errors: (1) I think I’m know who is I think I’m know who is
Attempts of L1 knowledge doing me now.
behind my predicament
use in the 2nd language (TL)
now.
40
(2) Tell my husband to Tell my husband to set
establish her too.
up a business for her too.
I have thought a lot of
(3) I have thought a lot of things too.
things too.
(7) Concord Errors: Wrong (1) If that’s how people If that’s how people
combination of subject and embezzles money.
embezzle money.
verb.
(8)
Tense
errors:
In (1) So this now that I got So this now that I am
appropriate construction of pregnant that you know pregnant that you know
verb tense
your wife can’t accept?
your wife can’t accept?
(2) You will be issue a You will be issued a
receipt.
receipt.
(3) If you say I’m guilty, I If you say I’m guilty, I
agreed.
agree.
(4) I met a prophet who I met a prophet who
made me realized that I made me realize that I
was wrong.
(9)
error
Addition
of
of
was wrong.
addition: (1) I think I’m know who is I think I know who is
items
not doing me now.
required to make a sentence
grammatical
41
doing me now.
DATA ANALYSIS
FILM ONE: ONI ‘KO, ODOLA
Strategies accounting for the types of error attested in film one.
1. Overgeneralization: a careful analysis of the date has shown that the error
(overgeneralization) occurs twice in this film. This type of error occurs when
a learner of a second language form rules they find easy to learn and process.
This instance may also occur when learners make use of their implicit
knowledge i.e their covert knowledge of a particular language. Examples in
the data follows:
Sentence 7: “That is the reason why I’m sach”
Here, the maker of this error overgeneralizes by using ‘reason’ and ‘why’
together. In this context, ‘reason’ and ‘why’ have the same function. The
speaker is to either say; ‘That is why I’m sad’ or “that is the reason I’m sad”
Sentence 9: “Your disturbances are much”
Here, the speaker pluralizes ‘disturbance’. Disturbance’ is a non-count noun
and so it is uncountable. It renders the sentence erroneous by adding the letter
‘s’ and using the plural auxiliary verb ‘are’
together with it. The speaker is to say “your disturbance is much”. It is
assumed that the error may occur due to interlingual transfer.
42
2. Error of Misinformation: This may be as a result of lack of appropriate
vocabulary. The maker of these error used the word “belief” instead of
“believe”. The noun form is used instead of the verb form. Error of
misinformation are likely to be caused by confusion on the part of the user of
the language. An example in the data is:
Sentence 17: I have a strong believe in this Holy Bible.
3.
Transfer Errors: Here, after analyzing the date, transfer error occurs just
once in film one. This may therefore be viewed as a mistake because it occurs
only once but it should be noted that this is a typical example of an interlingua
transfer error which is as a result of language transfer and this is caused by
learner’s first language. It is as result of the learner’s internalization and
investigation of the system of the new language. An example in the data is
sentence
4: “Women have no heaven”
It is a common saying in Yoruba that is often said to promiscuous women. It
is said thus: “Obirin o Lorun”. This is what the maker of the error transfers
into the English language and this does not exist in the English language. It is
so because it is not possible in English language for anyone to ‘have’ heaven.
‘Have’ is a modal auxiliary verb which could mean ‘own’.
The speaker is to say “Women won’t make heaven’ or “Women wont get to
heaven”.
43
Transfer errors occur as a result of the mother tongue influence caused
by the maker of the errors’ first language (Yoruba).
4. Concord errors: the manner at which this error is committed here is when the
maker of this error fails to use a word class in the right place or position,
hereby flouting the rules of concord. Words are not just placed together in just
any manner, they have to agree in terms of tense, number, gender pronoun etc.
In a situation here one fails to apply these rules appropriately, one is bound to
make concord errors. Concord error occurs here, in the using of a plural noun
together with a singular verb. Examples in the data are:
Sentence 3:
According to what I hears from my parents everyday
Sentence 6:
You made me realize that anyone that loves are foolish.
Sentence 11: It seem you don’t know you are….
Sentence 12: No visitor will stays forever.
Sentence 15: They are the ones that does not want you to have children.
Sentence 16: there wouldn’t have been all this problems.
In sentence 3, ‘I’ requires a plural verb ‘hear’ and not the singular verb
‘hears’ that was used. Thus, the sentence should go thus: “According to what I
hear from …. Also, in sentence 6, ‘an ‘lover’ requires the primary auxiliary
sing verb is and not primary plural verb are that was used. Thus, the sentence
should be “You made me realize that anyone that lover is foolish. Same goes
for sentence 11, ‘It’ in the sentence requires a singular verb ‘seems’ and not
44
the plural verb ‘seem’ that was used which renders the sentence an error. “It
seems you don’t know ….” Is the correct sentence.
Concord error may occur as a result of lack of mastery of the rules
guiding the use of English language. It may also be caused by intralingua
transfer.
5. Tense errors: A careful analysis of the data shows that there is excessive use
of the present tense form of a verb by dropping the regular ‘ed’ morpheme in
situations where the context demands past tense. In other words, the dropping
of the ‘ed’ morpheme cuts down the complexity of task involved in sentence
production which resulted in errors. Examples in the data are:
Sentence 5: Kolade, you really surprise me
Sentence 7: Should I tell Kolade what’s going on and be disgrace at once
Sentence 8: I that was love and cherish by Rogba.
Sentence 10: You have just been use as a camouflage…
Sentence 2:
Kolade, if you’ve thought the way I do.
Sentence 13: What do you want to discuss that can’t be discuss at home?
Sentence 14: If not for the wife you married, you wouldn’t have be a father.
Here, the maker of these errors continuously dropped the ‘ed’ morpheme in
past tense situations, thereby resulting in tense errors. The sentence should go
thus:
“Kolade, you really surprised me”
“Should I tell Kolade what’s going on and be disgraced at once”
45
“I that was loved and cherished by Rogba”
“You have just been used as a camouflage…”
Tense errors may occurs as a result of lack of mastery of the English
language, it could also be as a result of lack of enough knowledge of the
English language. Tense errors are also assumed to be as a result of the maker
of this error not being aware of the different rules of tense application. It is
also assumed to be intralingua transfer.
FILM 2:
TEMI O NI GBE
Strategies accounting for the types of errors attested in film two (2).
(1) Error of Omission: In the analysis of the data, error of omission occurs 3
times. In this case, an item or items required for an utterance to be
considered grammatical is or are being left out example are found in the
data in:
Sentence 4: By the time you’re reading this letter, I would in England
Sentence 5: Now, have you see that the world is a farm.
Sentence 7: Please, for God sake, overlook her mistakes.
Here, in sentence 9, ‘be’ has been omitted, also in sentence 5, ‘n’ has
been omitted and so also has ‘s’ been omitted
Sentence 7 should go thus: “Please for God’s sake….”, sentence 5 should
also be “Now, have you seen that the …”
Sentence 4 should also be “By the time you’re reading this letter, I would
be in England”.
46
Error of omission could be as a result of slips and oversights.
(2) Overgeneralization: After a careful analysis, this occurs once in the data
for film two (2). Overgeneralization occurs when a learner of a second
language form rules they find easy to learn and process an Example found
in the data is:
Sentence 2: I know it is a mirror that must not drop down. Here, ‘drop’
and ‘down’ that the maker of this error used together makes the sentence
erroneous. ‘Drop’ means to fall or allow something to fall. Since when
something drops, it is going down, there is no point using ‘down’ again
because it is obvious that whatever is falling is going down.
Overgeneralization may occur as a result of the makers of the error
forming his/her own rules or as a result of limited knowledge of the
English language.
Correction: I know it is a mirror that must not drop.
(3) Tense errors: In the analysis here, tense error occurs when the maker of
this error uses the modal auxiliary verb ‘would’ and goes a head to add the
‘ed’ morpheme to the verb ‘arrive’, thereby saying ‘would arrived’.
‘Would’ is used as a future present tense and does not require the verb that
follows to be in the past form. Also, in the analysis, it is observed that the
speaker uses present tense ‘see’ instead of the past participle ‘seen’. Also,
present tense ‘am’ is used instead of the past tense ‘was’. Examples are:
Sentence 1: the son of our landlady would arrived soon.
47
Sentence 5: Now, have you see that the world is a fam.
Sentence 6: let me go finish what I am doing before you …
The sentences would have been correct if said thus: “the son of our
landlady would arrive soon”. Now, have you seen that the …, “Let me go
finish what I was doing before…”
Tense errors are usually and in this data as a result of either lack of mastery of
the rules guiding the
English language use or as a result of language transfer
which is caused by the mother tongue (Yoruba)
(4)
Error of Addition: in the process of analysis’, this type of error occurs
twice in the data in film two. It is the addition of items that are not
required to make a sentence grammatical instead, they render the sentence
erroneous. This can occur morphological syntactically and in lexicon.
Here, in this data, it occurs in morphology. Examples are:
Sentence 1: The son of our landlady would arrived soon.
Sentence 2: It’s a mirror that must not drop down.
In sentence 1, the ‘ed’ morpheme is irrelevant and should not have been added
also ‘drop’ in sentence two (2). These have rendered the sentence erroneous.
The sentences would have been correct if said thus: “The son of our landlady
would arrive…” and “it’s a mirror that must not drop”
Error of addition could be as a result of the speaker being superfluous, it could
also be as a result of the speaker forming his/her own rules.
48
FILM 3: AKITAN
Strategies accounting for the types of errors attested in film three (3)
1. Error of Omission: This occurs twice here and in this case items required for
the sentence to be grammatical are let out. Examples are:
Sentence 1: Please for God sake
Sentence 9: Your husband will not escape us.
Here, ‘God’, should carry an apostrophe and an ‘s’ to show possession. This
lets us know that the person is talking of ‘God’s sake. Also, in sentence 9: there
should be the preposition ‘from’ after the word ‘escape’. The speaker has omitted a
preposition that requires the sentence to be correct and complete. The sentence would
have been correct if said thus: “please, for God’s sake” and your husband will not
escape from us”
Error of omission could be as a result of slips and over sights. It could also be
as a result of limited knowledge of the rules guiding the English language use.
2. Overgeneralization: This occurs three times in this film (film 3).
Overgeneralization occurs when a learner of a second language for rules they
find easy to learn and process. Examples are:
Sentence 3: I was small then
Sentence 4: This is more than a love covenant
Sentence5: what is covenant?
Here, the maker of these errors, overgeneralizes when he uses ‘small’ in
sentence three (1) small is not used to qualify a human being ‘little’ should be
49
used instead. Also, the maker of these errors mispelt ‘covenant’ twice in
sentence 4 and 5. It shows that the person forms the spelling because it is easy
for him or her.the sentences would have been correct if said thus: “I was little
then”, “what is covenant”. This may be assumed to be an interlingual transfer.
3. Concord Errors: The manner at which this error occurs is when the maker
of the error fails to to adhere to the concord rules of agreement in number. The
maker also flouts the rules of concord that says a singular noun agrees with a
singular verb and a plural noun agrees with a plural verb. This error is found
in the sentences below:
Sentence 6: just an agreement between two person
Sentence 8: but the Yorubas still respects their culture.
Here, the number ‘two’ suggests or requires the ‘person’ that follows to
carry an ‘s’ in sentence 6, since ‘two’ is not singular, the number is more than ‘one’
therefore ‘person’ person should be in the plural form too. So, also is sentence 8,
‘Yoruba’ is a plural noun which requires the plural verb ‘respect’ to be in the plural
form i.e. ‘respect’. The sentences would be correct if said thus: ‘just an agreement
between two persons’, ‘but the Yorubas still respect their….’
Concord error could are assumed to be case of intralingual transfer.
4. Tense errors: In this context, the past tense of ‘give’ is used instead of the
present continuous tense form i.e. ‘giving’. Another instance is the dropping
of the morpheme ‘d’ in the situation where it is required. Examples are found
in the data in:
Sentence 2: the issue is given me….
50
Sentence7: the same thing I use to tell you….
The sentences can be corrected in these form: “ the issue is giving me…” and “the
same thing I used to tell you”. This is because it is what used to happen in the past
which no longer happens.
Tense error could occur as a result of lack of mastery of the rules guiding English
language use.
5. Error of Addition : In the process of analysis, this type of error occurs once
in film 3. It is the addition of items not required to make a sentence
grammatical, instead they render the sentence erroneous. This can occur
morphologically, syntactically and in lexicon. Here, it occurs in morphology.
Examples :- sentence 10: “how dare you refused to make the sacrifice.”
Here, the morpheme ‘d’ added to the verb ‘refuse’ has rendered the sentence
erroneous because the action is happening presently and not in the past. Hence, the
speaker should have said : “How dare you refuse to make the sacrifice.”
6. Spelling : an error in spelling may occur as a result of mistakes or
typographical error i.e. a mistake occurring while typing.
7.
Pluralisation ; This error may occur because in the maker of this errors L1
(Yoruba) there is no pluralization i.e. ‘s’ is not added to a plural noun instead,. A
modifier comes before the noun.
e.g.
English
Yoruba
phone(s)
awon phone.
51
So this error may occur because the maker is not aware of this rule in the
English language. An example in the data is : sentence (6) Just an agreement between
two person.
FILM 4 : ESU AWELE.
Strategies accounting for the types of error attested in film four (4).
1. Error Of Omission : In the analysis of the data, error of omission occurance. In
this case, an item or items required for an utterance to be considered grammatical
is or are being left out. Examples in the data are: sentence 6 : please for God
sake.
Sentence 8 : I have thought a lot of things.
Here, in sentence 6, apostrophe and‘s’ have been omitted, apostrophe and‘s’ are
required in ‘God’ above to show possession. Also, in sentence 8, preposition ‘of’ has
been omitted which makes the sentence errornous. The sentences would be correct if
the sentences go thus: “please for God’s sake” and “I have thought of a lot of things”
Error of omission could be as a result of slips and oversights.
2. Error Of Misordering : This is the rendering of words in an utterance in the
wrong order. This occurs once in the film 4 and in the whole of the data. Error of
misordering may occur as having a limited knowledge of the English language or
as a result of lack of mastery of the rules guiding the English language Use.
Example:
Sentence 1: ‘so it is now that 1 got pregnant that you know your wife can’t accept?
52
Here, the speaker asks a question, and in asking a quotation ‘is’ is meant to come
before ‘it’ and not the way it is in sentence 1. Hence, the sentence becomes correct if
in this form: “so, is it now that I got pregnant…”
3. Error of Misinformation: This is the using of one grammatical form in place of
another grammatical form. In this instance, ‘establish’ is wrongly used in place of
“set up” which renders the sentence erroneous. An example is:
Sentence 7: tell my husband to establish means to discover or get proof of something.
This act ‘establish’ could only be carried out on a non-human not on humans as said
in the sentence when the maker of the error said “establish her”. ‘Her’ is a pronoun
used in place of a female human (woman or girl). It is impossible to establish a
woman or a girl. Its only possible to create a woman or a girl which is an act that
could be carried out by only God Almighty. The sentence could be said thus: “tell my
husband to set her up on a business too”
4. Error of Misselection: This is when a user of a language selects the wrong
word/words which now renders or render the sentence erroneous. Example of this
is sentence of the data in film four
Example: Sentence 2: Kid sister. Here, ‘kid’ is wrongly selected or used.
“kid” is a young goat which is not to be used to qualify or as a qualifier for
“sister” in the sentence. The sentence is correct if said thus: “Younger sister”
Error of misselection could result as overgeneralization.
5. Overgeneralization: This occurs once in film four. It is as a result of a learner of
a language forming rules they find easy to process. Example – Sentence 2: Kid
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sister. Here, kid is wrongly used. ‘kid’ is a young goat which should not be a
qualifier for “sister”. The sentence is correct if said thus: “Younger sister”.
6. Transfer Errors: Here, transfer error occurs twice. It is a result of Interlingua
transfer error which is as a result of language transfer. Examples in the data are:
Sentence 8: I have thought a lot of things.
Sentence 7: Tell my husband to establish her too.
Sentence 5: I think I’m know who is doing me
Here, the maker of these errors, says the sentences exactly how it is
said in Yoruba language. The sentences could be correct if said this way: “I
have thought of a lot of things”
“Tell my husband to set-up a business for her too.
“I think I know who is after me
7. Concord Errors: This occurs once in film four, it is the flouting of the rules of
concord. An example is sentence 4.
Sentence 4: If that’s how people embezzles money. Here, the maker of
this error uses the plural verb “people’ together along with the singular verb:
embezzles”. This renders the sentence erroneous because the rule of concord
says a singular noun goes with a singular verb. Concord error could be as a
result of the non-mastery of the rules guiding English language use. The
sentence is better said: “if that: how people embezzle money”
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8.
Tense errors: this occurs four times in this film. Here, in some instances, the
morpheme ‘ed’ was added to some words where they are not required. Also, the
‘d’ morpheme was dropped where it is supposed to be added, thereby making or
renderings the sentences wrong. Examples:
Sentence 9: If you say I’m guilty, I agreed.
Sentence 10: I met a prophet who made me realized that I was wrong
Sentence 3: You will be issue a receipt
Sentence 1: So it is now that I got pregnant that you know your wife can’t
accept?
Here, in sentence 1; the speaker uses the wrong tense ‘got’ (past) instead of
the present form ‘am’. Also in sentence 3, morpheme ‘d’ has been removed from the
verb ‘issue’ whenever the modal auxiliary verb ‘will’ is used, the verb that follows
should be in the past tense form. The sentences would be correct if said thus;
“So it is now that I am pregnant that……
“You will be issued a receipt”.
“I met a prophet who made me realize that was wrong”
“If you say I’m guilty, I agree”.
Tense errors come may about as a result of limited knowledge of the rules guilty the
English language use.
9.
Error of Addition: In the process of analysis, this occurs once. It is the
addition of items that are not required to make a sentence grammatical, instead
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they render the sentence erroneous. This occurs morphologically in this instance.
Example:
Sentence 5: I think I’m know who is doing me.
Here, ‘in’ is being added where it is not required thereby rendering the
sentence erroneous. The sentence could be correct if said thus: “l think
I know who is doing me”
Error of addition may come about as a result of slips and over sights.
S/N TYPES OF ERROR
NUMBER OF PERCENTAGE
ERRORS
MEAN
%
1
Error of Omission
7
13
1.75
2
Error of Misordering
1
1.9
0.25
3
Error of Misinformation
2
3.7
0.5
4
Error of Misselection
1
1.9
0.25
5
Overgeneralization
7
13
1.75
6
Transfer Errors
4
7.4
1
7
Concord errors
8
14.8
2
8
Tense Errors
16
29.6
4
9
Error of Addition
5
9.3
1.25
10
Spelling
2
3.7
0.5
11
Pluralization
1
1.9
0.25
Total
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Taking the mean values of errors, the results show that the highest and
common errors that were made were Tense errors (4), then concord errors (2)
followed by Overgeneralization (1.75) then Error of Omission (1.75) then Error of
addition (1.25) and transfer errors (1).
The next noticeable errors were errors of misinformation (0.5), spelling errors
(0.5), while pluralization, error of misselection and Error of misordering were all,
(0.25) respectively.
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CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY, FINDING AND CONCLUSION
4.0 SUMMARY
The project work in chapter one has been able to give a general introduction and
background to the variables constituting the research work, it has stated the purpose,
scope, justification and the methods of the research work.
The project work in chapter two gave a literature review on the variables
constituting the research work which includes definitions of these variables i.e. Lexis,
Syntax, Emirs, Error analysis, types of errors and the Yoruba film in Nigeria.
The project work on chapter three presented the data for the project work which
are erroneous sentences lifted from four (4) different Yoruba films subtitled in
English while watching. Also, in chapter three, the researcher classified these errors
into their types, the researcher also explained what may have been the causes of these
errors and also proffered the sentence found to be correct to these erroneous
sentences.
4.1 FINDINGS
The researcher has classified the data i.e. erroneous sentences into their various
types and from these classification, the researcher found out in chapter three that the
error with the highest occurrence was tense errors with the mean value of 4, followed
by concord errors with the mean value of 2, then was overgeneralization with the
mean value of 1.75 then was error of omission also with the mean value of 1.75 then
error of addition with the mean value of 1.25.
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The researcher found out that also, that transfer errors, errors of misinformation,
spelling errors, pluralization, errors of misselection and error of misordering were the
least occurred errors with the mean values of 1, 0.5, 0.5, 0.25, 0.25, 0.25 respectively.
The researcher also found out that the sources of most of the errors that occurred
in Yoruba films may be interlingua transfer which is cause by the speaker’s first
language which in this case is Yoruba while some may be cases of interlingua
transfers, some may be due to non-mastery of the English language use while some
were just cases of lips and oversights.
The researcher also found out that it is possible for errors to create inhibitions to
the proper understanding of meaning embedded in Yoruba films to non-Yoruba
viewers. An instance cited in the data is; “Woman have no heaven” which in Yoruba
is “Obinrin o lorun”. This was subtitled in English in one of the films as “Women
have no heaven”. A non-Yoruba viewers watching this film would be lots and not
understand why someone would say “Women have no heaven”. He/she would not
understand that the speaker meant to say: “Women can’t make it to heaven or
“Woman won’t get to heaven”.
4.2
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, we could say that interlingua transfers are majorly the sources
of errors in Yoruba films subtitled in English.
Also, as language is for communication, errors found in languages may
impede proper communication which to some extent has been manifested in some of
the Yoruba films subtitled in English to non-Yoruba viewers.
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We have successfully carried out an error analysis on some selected Yoruba films
subtitled in English and also have been able to explain the causes and sources of
these errors. We have also been able to give or proper the sentence found to be the
correction to these erroneous sentences.
4.2 REFERENCES
Carnie, A. 2006. Syntax: A Generative Introductions. ADAGP, Paris and DACS,
London: Blackwell
Publishers.
James, C. 1998: errors in Language
Learning and uses exploring Error Analysis.
England: Addison Wesley Longman Limited.
Ellis, R. 1997. Second Language Acquisition. New York: Oxford University Press.
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Olujide, T.M. 2007. “A Diachronic Stusy Syntax”. Obafemi, O, Ajadi, G.A. Alabi,
V.A. (eds) Critical
Perspectives on English Language and Literature. The
Department of English, University of Ilorin, pp. 41-66
Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, Vol.1, Issue 2, December
2005, pp. 263-265.
Van Valin, R.O. Lapolla, R.J. 1997. Syntax: Structure, Meaning and Function. United
Kingdom: University Press www.cels.bham.ac.uk/resources/essays/farooq2.pdf) 23rd/
02/2011.
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