The Uses of Adjectives in Grammar Materials - Essay Example

?Analyse the use of adjectives and adjective phrases in corpus based grammar materials used with L2 Arabic learners. Introduction Grammar, according to Quirk et al., (1985), is a comprehensively composite set of rules specifying combination of words into bigger units. Grammar as an organisation of language enters into the body of TEXTS, which forms the spoken and written discussion. This study of adjectives in corpus based grammar materials used with L2 Arabic learners, first of all, analyses the meaning of grammar, leading to the rules of grammar imbibed by the native speakers. It specifies the intricacies of English grammar relatively to other languages such as French language wherein the rules of grammar have been codified, signifying the higher degree of freedom in English grammar. Sample examination of L1 and L2 non-native students (NNSs) indicates that they use simple sentences formed with be-copula as the main verbs. This essay attempts an analysis of the reasons behind this tendency in non-native L2 students in general and Arabian students in particular by offering a comparison of the essay writings of both native learners and non-native learners. Problems of Arabic L1 and L2 students related to grammar are specifically discussed with possible causes and recommendations to avoid the errors of grammar. The Meaning of ‘grammar’ The grammar in English has various meanings; the prevalent meaning is inclusion of syntax and aspects of morphology in ‘grammar’. Morphology deals with internal mechanisms of words that covers Inflections such as ‘bought’, the past tense, is the Inflection of the verb ‘buy’ and when it is written in interrogative form of the sentence ‘He bought it’, changed to ‘Did he buy it?’ [Syntax], it becomes a part of grammar. In some English speaking countries, the word ‘grammar’ is used flexibly by considering spelling and lexicology a part of grammar (Quirk et al., 1985). Rules of grammar and the native speaker The native speaker of English language imbibes the rules of grammar without acknowledging them but finds it difficult to explain. The same is not true when a foreign language is learnt, as the learning process is based on complex rule sets, which are not ambiguous because the grammarians themselves have codified the rules as there is the Academy Grammar in French but nothing of that sort is available in English language, therefore, the level of freedom is high in the usage of English grammar (Quirk et al., 1985). Idea of a language is more important to convey in English grammar than the statement as it has its own sets of codes to follow. Hinkel (2003) examination of 1.083 L1 and L2 texts proves that higher non-native-English-speaking students in U.S. universities use extra-ordinarily simple syntactic and lexical sentences, like be-copula as the main verb; predicative adjectives; uncommon nouns; and public, private and expecting/tentative verbs with average frequency rates critically greater than given in basic texts by native English speakers. An evaluation of bulk corpus analyses accomplished in the last two decades shows that these expressions are common in talkative and informal discussions in stead of the written study texts. Causes for the practice of easy syntactic and lexical traits of text in L2 study essays are analysed besides introducing instructional techniques to manage the drawbacks in naturalistic and communicative L2 learning and instructional ways for L2 students pursuing studies. The L2 study essays written by non-native English speakers (NNSs) indicate the deterioration in the standard in comparison to the academic essays written by native speakers (NSs). The overall writing standard of non-native L1 and L2 students’ texts can be raised by finding the easy syntactical and lexical sentences. The findings indicate that be-copula as the leading verb of a sentence is randomly used along with predicative adjectives. The random usage of be-copula verb even in advanced L1 and L2 essay writing affects the frequency rates of nouns and verbs in increased frequency lexical classes such as obscure nouns (people, thing, way), public verbs (say, state, talk), private verbs (feel, learn, study) and expecting/tentative verbs (like, try, want) (Hinkel, 2003). In the essays of Korean speakers, the median frequency rates of be-copula as the leading clause verb were more random in relation to native students. Actually the average frequency rates of the usage were nearly double to the essays of the native English speakers. In the prose of Japanese and Indonesian speakers, the average usage rates were higher than those of English speakers by more than half the average rate. In a number of instances, L2 writers depended on be-copula, thus writing static details to further and back their arguments by totally ignoring other methods of essay writing. A significant finding about the seven mentions of be-copula is that five be-copula verbs use predicative adjectives (important, mature, incapable, contradictory and anxious) (Hinkel, 2003). Actually, predicative adjectives’ usage is critical in non-native students, using predicative more often than those of native English speakers. Particularly, in the writing of all non-native student writers, the average frequency rates of predicative adjectives were double than in native students’ essays or even greater. The scope data further indicates that in some NNS texts, predicative adjectives showed at least 10% of the total number of words and in prose of Korean speakers, it added 20% more of all words (Hinkel, 2003). The non-native essayist in the sample survey develops her belief that enjoyable classes are better than serious classes by placing two details that revolve on be + predicative adjective constructions. By comparing the two statements, the text is developed beside the lines of x is good and y is worse without stating why this is so. On the contrary, native student essays included critically lower average frequency rates of be-copula as the primary-clause along with diminished rates of predicative adjectives. In many writing samples, NSs used a larger range of constructions, including activity and causative verbs. In Example 3 of NS, the essayist makes a point but uses a distinct strategy for proving her points, stressing on the advantages of serious and entertaining jobs (Hinkel, 2003). 3. Writing about serious topics... While working with serious topics can increase one's maturity, entertainment can bring out the creativity in the person. I find writing about something I enjoy makes the paper a lot more pleasing to the reader than a serious assignment. Discussing the things I like and enjoy helps me express myself and show who I really am (native English speaker) (Hinkel, 2003). It is to be noted that the words in Example 3 are both comparatively easy and use selected variances of grammar and vocabulary constructions. Nevertheless, the NS writer of Example 3 depends on a larger number of verbs (bring out, create, form, educate, increase, express, show) and lesser static descriptions. In L2 guidance, it would be difficult to reason that the verbs used in Example 3 are so sophisticated that they would be hard to teach (Hinkel, 2003). Syntactic structures with existential there are randomly placed with be-copula in written study texts. The benefits of existential there are relatively easy and are more often in discussions. The frequency rates of there constructions indicate that at the minimum half the English, Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian speakers did not use them in their writings (M = 0.00), on the other hand, speakers of Arabic employed them critically more randomly. For example, texts in Examples 4 and 5 contain many uses of existential there in debates on how to select a major. Both describe two contrasting viewpoints without explanation (Hinkel, 2003). 4. There are many academic fields and various types of occupations. There are people who think about their personal interests, and other people think about employment opportunities (native Arabic speaker) (Hinkel, 2003). In Example 4, the starting sentences on various study areas and two groups of people contain static generalisations with existential there constructions and lesser information outside of that shown in the prompt (Hinkel, 2003). NS texts, nevertheless, exhibited a larger presence of syntactic constructions in their explanations. The text in Example 6 starts with an introductory excerpt without existential there constructions: 6. Choosing a major field of study is a very difficult decision. The factors that influence a person's choice of study can range from financial needs to simple enjoyment of the area. Although no single factor can deter-mine one's career, personal interests, potential salary, and future job availability, all play a role in this decision (native English speaker) (Hinkel, 2003). It can not be contested that the text in Example 6 is syntactically and lexically advanced. Nevertheless, it shows a larger range of constructions and verbs (i.e. range, determine, play a role) relatively to the texts in Examples 4. The ease of the NS text in Example 6 further stresses that L2 writers depend on a specifically small syntactic and lexical repertoire that may require lesser time and activity to enlarge (Hinkel, 2003). Murphy (2005) has covered each and every concept of grammar in use for the easy learning of the intricacies of English grammar for the benefit of L1 and L2 students. Taking the particular example of Adjectives, which are transformed into adverbs when ‘ly’ is added at the end of such adjectives such as ‘quick’ and ‘serious’ but at the same time, all adjectives do not become adverbs by the same grammar rule. Quoting the example of such adjectives as ‘friendly’, ‘lively’, ‘elderly’ etc. the difference between the use of adjectives and adverbs is pointed out. First, by telling what an adjective denotes and what an adverb denotes, it gives examples of both as ‘Sam is a careful driver’ and ‘Sam drove carefully along the narrow road’. Here, in the first sentence ‘careful’ is an adjective as it tells about the noun ‘driver’, as an adjective is placed before a noun. Further, a comparison of two sentences clarifies the difference between the two: ‘She speaks perfect English’ and ‘She speaks English perfectly’. Here, the adjective ‘perfect’ tells about the noun ‘English’ while the second sentence focuses on the verb ‘speaks’ telling that she speaks ‘perfectly’, as an adverb tells about a verb; how it is done or how it happens (Murphy, 2005). The examples of exceptions are also given when adjectives are used after verbs, for example, ‘please be quite’. Adjectives can follow adverbs also such as ‘terribly sorry’ (adverb + adjective) with example “I am terribly sorry. I didn’t mean to push you’ (not terrible sorry) (Murphy, 2005). Thus, reference and practice books can help L1 and L2 students of English language in improving the grammar part of English language. Problems of Arabic Students Arabic speaking students commit a lot of errors in essay writing. These are the students who have been learning English since nursery class and yet, they commit innumerable errors. An analysis of these errors is the ideal way to know the causes of these errors and their incessant recurrence among L2 Arabian students. The various kinds of errors that students commit can be zeroed-in by locating the sequence and emphasis of instruction (AbiSamra, 2003). While analysing the erroneous writing of L2 Arabic students, it needs to be noted that the Arabic students speak primarily Arabic at homes and not English. Therefore, they need to be identified as ESL students. It is not easy to learn two languages at a time without polluting one at the cost of second language. If it is true that the native language (L1) is polluting English (L2) writing standard, then it can be acclaimed that the cause of errors is negative L1 shift of the Mother Tongue intervention (AbiSamra, 2003). Does it mean that Mother Tongue of Arabic students is solely responsible for their English grammar errors? Arabic students commit errors, which are primarily Inter-lingual (negative L1 Transfer) & Intra-lingual (Developmental). These findings were obtained from examining Arabic students’ essays by reviewing their negative L1 transfer to prove whether negative L1 transfer/interference is the leading factor for errors in the English writings of Brevet students. Nevertheless, it needs to be remembered that some errors are the outcome of intrusion from standard Arabic and others by intrusion from informal Arabic. Here, It needs to be acknowledged that an Arabic teacher of English, teaching it as a second language having completed the coursework for the second master’s in Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language, can be best suited to find the developmental errors in Arabic students’ essays (AbiSamra, 2003). Analysing a sample of 10 essays, 29 grammatical errors were identified out of a total of 214 errors including errors of syntax, lexis, semantics and content, as given in the graph below: As we can see in graph no. 2, the total percentage of Transfer vs. Developmental errors was 35.9%, whereas the total percentage of Developmental/Intra-lingual errors was 64.1%. An analysis of grammar section of this graph indicates that the percentage of Transfer errors in grammar was 48.2% and development errors were 51.8% (AbiSamra, 2003) The same information as given in graph no. 2 in percentages is provided in Graph number 3 in numbers of Transfer vs. Developmental errors for each category. As we can see, the transfer errors in grammar section were 14 and development errors were 15 while the total number of Transfer errors was 77 and that of Developmental errors was 137. It shows that students of advanced classes make errors because of Negative L1 transfer; nevertheless, their greatest number of errors is because of Developmental factors (AbiSamra, 2003). Let’s analyse some negative L1 examples of grammatical errors: Grammatical errors: A. I would like to follow in my father’s footsteps. (??? ??? ???) Usage of prepositions creates a problem for an ESL student as many prepositions in English serve the same function. It happens often that students use the wrong preposition in a sentence as they often compare that sentence with their Mother Tongue in Arabic, providing a literal translation of that Arabic preposition in English. Nevertheless, "prepositions seldom have a one to one correspondence between English and Arabic. An Arabic preposition may be translated by several English prepositions while an English usage may have several Arabic translations" (Scott and Tucker, 1974, 85). B. Evil isЎ force that can enter a person’s soul and conquer it. (????? ????) => error of not using the article in Arabic C. When the evil comes (????? ???? ????? => use of article in Arabic) In English, abstract words relating to ideas, traits, or features are employed without the article 'the' to relate to that idea or trait, etc. which can be present and common in all. In Arabic, nevertheless, such abstract words come before a definite article equivalent to 'the' in English. As a result such errors related to the wrong use of the article 'the' happen (AbiSamra, 2003). D. I wonder what god has written for me, what’s my destiny? (?????? ?? ?? ?????) E. Calling others kids to come (?????? ??????? ???????) In Arabic, adjectives correspond to numbers with the nouns they change. Therefore, correspondence errors of this kind happen in the English essays of non-native students. Research on the topic points out the two problems faced by Arabic students in writing: Translation from Arabic, their mother tongue & half-hearted learning of essay writing rules. Teachers need to take various measures, as given below to bring improvement in English grammar using skills among the Arabian students (AbiSamra, 2003). First of all, teachers should help students by giving them a good number of assignments so that students spend a lot of time on research whenever they are free. It will promote the habit of reading a lot of English content and imagining in English, particularly when students are required to create oral presentations for their work. Besides, if teachers enforce Team Work in class and engross them by working in groups on their assignments, students would be bound to sit together for practicing their oral presentations and would prefer to speak in English with one another rather than in Arabic language. Sitting and working together on group assignments would possibly help them all in making corrections in one-another’s mistakes (AbiSamra, 2003). So far as the writing rules are concerned, these need to be implemented quite earlier. All teachers, starting from grade 1 and onwards would need to be equal stakeholders in their attempts to solve this issue. At the same time, some error analysis exercises and objective tests need to be developed to help students be more correct although nothing can be better than Essay Writing itself to improve writing. The measures recommended above are good but they are not sufficient. The students need to do a lot of writing, be it in class, at home or in their journals. They need to be imbibed with some well structured Essay Writing Rules on writing the thesis statement, introduction, conclusion, transition words, etc. and some of their writing samples need to be transcribed and given back to them for rectification and discussion so that they can learn from their mistakes. Teachers and their curriculum need to be prepared as per the students’ needs (AbiSamra, 2003). Conclusion We should not forget that “Humans are prone not only to commit language errors themselves but also to err in their judgements of those errors committed by others” (James, as cited by AbiSamra, 2003, p. 23). Teachers should perform a very diligent error analysis. The research on finding, discussing, categorising and recognising the errors in English essay writing of the Arabic speaking senior students likewise George (1972)), Lance (1969)), Richards (1971) and Brudhiprabha (1972)) substantiates that only one-third of the second language learner’s errors can be assigned to NL language transfer, as is evident from this research. Maximum numbers of errors are committed by an over-usage of L2. Teachers should encourage their students to speak in English only at home and with their friends so that number of errors could be minimised, occurring because of Negative L1 transfer but at the same time, teachers should strive to teach more impressively the rules of writing. At the same time it should not be forgotten that native students have better knowledge of the English language relatively to L2 students even at senior levels. Learning English as second language has its perks; it is not like adding another language. The primary roadblock in becoming the successful L2 user as the aim is the assumption that the native speaker speaks the right type of English. In stead of comparing L1 with L2, it would be in the better interests of L2 to work harder for their self-interest and applying their own methods without including native speakers at all. References: AbiSamra, N., 2003. An analysis of errors in Arabic speakers’ English writings. American University of Beirut. Available from: http://www.nadasisland.com/languageacq-erroranalysis.html#intro [accessed 28 May 2012]. Hinkel, E., 2003. Simplicity without elegance: features of sentences in L1 and L2 academic texts. TESOL Quarterly, 37 (2), pp. 275-301. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3588505 [accessed 28 May 2012]. Murphy, R., 2005. English grammar in use. Cambridge: CUP. Scott, M. & Tucker R., 1974. Error analysis and English language strategies of Arab students. Language Learning, 24, pp. 69-97. Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G. and Svartvik, J. 1985. A Comprehensive grammar of the English language. London: Longman. Read More