pelling Error Analysis Among Oromo Learners of English at Asella Teachers Training Institute
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Date
1999-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In this study, 160 trainees and five English teachers were involved. Of the 160 trainees,
80 from Asella TTI and the remaining 80 from Dessie TTI were native speakers of
Oromo and Amharic, respectively. Similarly, three of the teachers from Asella and two
from Dessie were native speakers of the above languages, respectively. Except the
teachers, trainees from both TTI's were selected with the help of the Table of Random
Numbers.
The main purpose of the study was, however, to investigate English spelling errors
among Oromo trainees at Asella TTI. Trainees from Dessie were included to identify
spelling errors that were particular to trainees at Asella TTI. The English teachers were
also included to have more points of reference and see whether or not the teachers
commit the same spelling errors.
To elicit the possible spelling errors from the above subject groups, composition and
dictation tests were administered. Then, the spelling errors obtained from the two tests
were listed under the subject groups who committed them (spelling errors).
For further analysis, spelling errors committed by trainees of Asella were classified into
five major error types and were then, cross-checked with those errors committed by
trainees ofDessie TTI as well as the teachers.
The results of the study, thus, indicate that most of the spelling errors (about 74.1%)
committed by trainees of Asella TTI were intralingual misspellings. Phonetic spellings
and errors of analogy with target-language spelling pattern were also found to be the most
recurrent errors among the intralingual misspellings.
It was also found out that trainees of Asella TTI committed inter lingual spelling errors
(about 25.8%) in their writings. In this type of errors, errors of analogy with nativelanguage
spelling pattern were found dominant.
The data obtained from the teachers' writings, however, show fewer spelling errors both
in the composition and dictation as compared with the trainees' errors. In addition, it was
found out that there were more spelling errors in the dictation than in the composition
writing.
On the basis of the study and its results, major conclusions were drawn and pertinent
recommendations made.
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Keywords
Oromo Learners of English