Language Transfer: An Interlanguage Strategy by Primary School English Learners in Miriga Mieru West Division, Meru County.

ABSTRACT: English a second language for most people of the world, has increasingly become the  international language for business and commerce Science and technology and International relations and diplomacy. In Kenya the importance of English as a medium of instruction goes way back to the colonial period.Even though English has been accorded a prestigious position of being the official language and language of instruction learners take time to learn it. The learners construct a personal linguistic system in the interim time which is different from the first language and also target language called interlanguage. This paper examines language transfer as an interlanguage strategy employed by primary school pupils in MirigaMieru West Division, Meru County. The study employed descriptive survey method of research. The target population comprised of class five pupils. Standard five was targeted because they are in their second year in upper primary and being in their early years of acquiring English, the pupils use it more in their interaction with and in writing of essays. At this level English is also used as a medium of instruction and used in the learning of other subjects. Data was analyzed within the tenets of interlanguage theory. The study established that in the process of learning English pupils transferred linguistic structures from their first language which is Kiementi to English. The study recommends that English teachers should give clearer explanations of English grammar rules and second language learners should be guided in extensive reading as extensive reading exposes learners to correct grammatical structures. The study contributes to the scholarly, literature on interlanguage of second language English learners.The findings are also useful to the teachers, pupils and to curriculum developers of language in designing learning materials.
KEY WORDS: Interlanguage, language transfer, linguistic structures, target language, first language