CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

• Introduction

English has become a global language with 380million people speaking it as the first language and over 200million people taking it as their second language. Another billion people are in the process of learning it. English has been associated with the Western Nations such as United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom. However, with the world’s globalization in the economic sector, English has been seen to play a great role in facilitating communication between people of different linguistic backgrounds. Again, globalization in the education sector, has also influenced the development of English. English has become the world’s language of communication as it’s used in technology, politics and diplomacy. English is everywhere. We can see it everywhere we move.

• Background of the study

The key medium of communication in every system is a language. Be it social, economic, political and the education system, Language is the pertinent means of transmission for required impact. In every context, the generally comprehended language is mostly used for interactions. In this case, English Language is the language used in the English speaking universities in Cameroon in teaching and learning in both the language related courses and non-language related departments like technology and science.

Looking back at the origin of English language, English has its roots from Greek, Latin and Dutch. This made it easier to learn by speakers of the four languages. Linguistic similarities in English and the four languages facilitate the learning by the speakers of those languages. Apart from this, most lexical items in English language are borrowed from other languages including French. This makes the learning and understanding of the language easy by the speakers of other languages. This work observed English as an international language of science and technology. English is the language of instruction in most worlduniversities. Basically, ideas are conceived, birth and developed in science and technology through the instrumentality of the language.The dominance of English language in the field of science and technology is as a result of the dynamic nature of the language. It accommodates all forms of language. With the rate at which English is dominating every sphere of life in most nation of the world, a time is coming when the language shall attain the status of world language.

Moreover,James B Wold in his articles;Difficulties in Learning English Language as a second language,suggests that ‘Learning a secondlanguage can be influenced by a variety of individualdifferences including: (a) personality, attitudes, and motivation (Ellis, 1997;Lalonde& Gardner, 1984, as cited in Downey & Snyder, 2000); (b) language aptitude (Ellis,1997; Carroll, 1985, as cited in Downey & Snyder); (c) anxiety (von Worde, 1998;Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986, as cited in Downey & Snyder); and (d) social andpsychological issues (Burling, 1981, as cited in Downey & Snyder). Since it isknown that adult learners bring a reservoir of life and educational experience to theclassroom (Knowles, 1980, as cited in Merriam & Caffarella, 1999), even though thismay be an assumption, it follows that these learners might also bring complexpsychology and multi-layered personalities to the learning of the new language,  both in  the classroom and in the natural environment’’ .This will certainly account for the difficulties in using English language appropriately by students in the field of technologyand those of the University of Bamenda not exempted.

• Statement of the problem

The schools of technology in the University of Bamenda like COLTECH and ENSET use English language as the main language of studies and communication like all other schools in the institution. However, it has been noted that students and teachers of these above mentioned schools face serious difficulty in using the language effectively. Despite the efforts of the institution to introduce the university wide course; functional English to sharpen the eloquence of the non-language concentrated departments, these efforts appear to be futile with the schools of technology mentioned above. This is confirmed both by students of other departments and English language teachers from daily interactions and continuous assessments respectively. This English language deficiency apparently accounts for the following; the continuity in poor English by the next generation of technicians, poor socialization and free interaction in the job market, and low output of their skills since they have the knowledge but cannot communicate it effectively and sufficiently.

1.3 Research Questions

These are questions that seek to examine the reasons why technical students use English language inappropriately. They are divided into main and specific research questions.

1.3.1 Main Research Question

Are the barriers to the effective use of English language in the field of technology in the University?

Themainresearchquestionwillbefurtherexplainedinthespecificresearchquestions.

1.3.2 SpecificResearchQuestions     

A]Whataresomeofthe reasonswhystudentsofCOLTECHandENSETfacemajorchallengesinexpressingthemselvesin English appropriately?

B]Whataccountsforpooruseof English languageamonglecturersofCOLTECHandENSET?

1.4 Research Objectives

Research objectives are the various main and specific reasons for this research. The main objectives are therefore differentiated from the specific objectives.

1.4.1 Main Objective

 The main objective of this work is;

To investigate the barriers to the appropriate use of English language in ENSET and COLTECH in the University of Bamenda. The main objective will be further explained in the specific objectives below.

1.4.2 Specific objectives

The specific objectives of this write up are;

A] To expose some barriers to the effective use of English language by students in COLTECH and ENSET in the University of Bamenda.

B] To outline some hindrances to the effective use of English language by lecturers the above mentioned schools.