The Influence Of Kinilamba As A First Language In Learning Kiswahili As A Second Language

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the influence of Kinilamba as a first language in learning Kiswahili as a second language. The study area was Kinampanda and Ulemo wards in Iramba district in Singida region. In each ward two primary schools and one secondary school were involved in the study. The study aimed at observing whether Kinilamba as L1 influences the learning of Kiswahili as L2 in phonological, morpho-syntactic and lexical aspects. The study is based on Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) theory. The data were collected through wordlists, questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The study findings show Kinilamba as L1 has positive influence in the learning of Kiswahili as L2. The observation indicates that both languages, which are in the same group of Bantu languages, have similar features. These similarities are realized particularly in phonological, morphosyntactic, and lexical aspects. However, the study findings reveal that some phonemes such as /ʧ/, /f/ and /r/ which exist in Kiswahili are absent in Kinilamba phonemic inventory. As a result Kinilamba native speakers substitute those sounds by the nearest sounds such as /ʃ/, /p/, and /l/ from their language inventory. These problems lead Kinilamba native speakers into mispronunciation of Kiswahili words with those phonemes. Moreover, those problems are realized even in written aspects of these Kiswahili learners which cause to misspell Kiswahili words. Findings of this study show that the problem is not permanent because as learners enter into more advanced levels of their studies, gradually, pronunciation difficulties disappear. This is evident since the problem in primary schools was bigger than in secondary schools. Therefore, the researcher argues that L1 is a necessary foundation in L2 learning process. The nonexistence of sounds of L2 in L1 should be more emphasized in all four language skills during L2 learning process.