Abstract
M.A.
Since the 1960s, teaching has become ever-more learner-centred, with the results that drastic
changes have been wrought to the theory of language learners' problems. In the present study,
- the emphasis falls on linguists' realisation that knowledge of the language-learner's native
language (L1) is vital. The principle aim of this study is, therefore, to launch an investigation
into the linguistic aspects of the difficulties against which the experimental group has come up.
The various schools of thought that have been developing on theoretical linguistics since the
1960s are directional for the approaches to language-learners' problems. In this way the
Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis has originated within the framework of Structuralism and is
based on the premise that the learner's LI has a strong influence on the target language. The
standpoint is that the most effective learning materials are those that are based on a scientific
description of the language to be acquired, carefully compared with a parallel description of the
native language of the learner. Language acquisition was, in line with the Structuralists'
Behaviorist view, considered to comprise the overcoming of the effects of L1, which interfere
with L2. The latter process of interference or negative transfer had to be unlearned by means of
pattern drills and memorisation. With the advent of the Chomskian view of the creative aspects
of the language user's competence, in terms of which language users are purported to dispose
of language rules for the generation of language utterances, strong criticism was, however,
levelled at the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis. Despite this, contrastive studies are still being
undertaken.
Thanks to the Error Analysis Theory, which has propounded in reaction to the Contrastive
Analysis Hypothesis, language learners' errors are viewed more positively. The Error Analysis
Theory, in turn, gave rise to the interlanguage theory, in terms of which errors constitute a
diagnostic tool that could be used to determine the interlanguage stage that the learner has
reached on his or her way to acquiring the target language. Learners construct their own set of
rules according to which they can try and restore order in the mass of stimuli with which they
are being bombarded in terms of this theory, L1 is also considered to be a handy tool in the
acquisition of the target language.
For the purposes of this study, a contrastive error analysis was performed on the interlanguage
used by Northern Sotho speaking teacher students who are going to teach Afrikaans. The data
was collected from their written work. Special attention was devoted to general syntactic,
morphological, semantic and lexical problems. Structural variances between Afrikaans and
Northern Sotho were indicated. Further it was shown that English, in its capacity as the other
secondary language, may also be exerting a measure of influence on the structures of the target
language, and that other difficulties may also crop up that could not be imputed to interference.