Frequency and Use of Modals in Cameroon English and Application to Language Education

Autor/in	Nkemleke, Daniel
Titel	Frequency and Use of Modals in Cameroon English and Application to Language Education
Quelle	In: Indian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 33 (2007) 1, S.87-105 (19 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0379-0037
Schlagwörter	Verbs; Foreign Countries; North American English; Language Usage; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Language Variation; African Languages; Language Patterns; Computational Linguistics; Second Language Instruction; Language Teachers; Teaching Methods; Cameroon + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Amerikanisches Englisch; Sprachgebrauch; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Sprachenvielfalt; Africa; Language; Languages; Afrika; Sprachen; Afrikanische Sprache; Sprachmodell; Sprachstruktur; Linguistics; Computerlinguistik; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Language teacher; Sprachunterricht; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Kamerun
Abstract	This contribution investigates the frequency patterns of the modal verbs as they occur in the one-million-word corpus of Cameroon written English. An analysis of dominant senses of some of the modals is also attempted. I have used results and statistical figures from British and American English (as reported in studies such as Biber et al. 1999 and Coates & Leech 1980) for comparison, where necessary. Findings show that overall the modals occur less frequently in Cameroon English. Furthermore, there is evidence of contextualisation of the use of certain modals in Cameroon English, with a greater tendency towards "specialisation." The paper argues that such cases of contextualisation and/or "specialisation" may owe their origin to aspects of the rhetorical style of Cameroonian indigenous languages. Other features seem to reflect stylistic choices within specific register(s) and present interesting evidence, nevertheless, of the use of these verbs within Cameroon. Finally, the relevance of the frequency profile of modals to language education is highlighted and a practical way in which language teachers may approach the teaching of these verbs is suggested. (Contains 4 figures, 3 tables, and 9 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10