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ACQUISITION OF M ALAY AFFIXES BY PUPILS OF TAM IL PRIMARY SCHOOLS Oleh Krishnan a/l Ramasamy Unit Pengajian Tamil Maktab Perguruan Seri Kota

1.0 Introduction This study based on an error analysis framework looked into the nature of Malay language errors occurring in a context situation where Tamil language as the dominant language. This study was confined to only Mala y affixes because a majority of second language learners of Mala y language seem to have problems with Mala y affixes.

2.0 Rational The main concern of this study is the problem of why learners of Mala y language in Tamil primar y school fail to achieve an acceptable level of competence in the language in spite of having studied it from the ver y first year of school. For many of the non-Malay learners of Malay language, Mala y affixes become one of the most dificult aspect to master. In fact, it ma y be the most serious obstacle in their effort to acquire a proficiency in the Malay language. Performance of Tamil primary students in the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination indicate a relatively very low level of Malay language proficienc y. So, if the causes for the difficulties in acquiring proficiency in Malay language by the Tamil school students are not identified and rectified, the percentage of passes in Mala y language in the UPSR examinations will not show a remarkable change.

3.0 Research Questions In this study the investigator focussed on the ability of Tamil primary six students in using Mala y affixes and sought to answer the following questions, (1) (2) (3) Do Tamil primary six students know the different kinds of Mala y affixes? Do the y understand the various functions of these affixes? Can the y use the Malay affixes correctly in written Mala y?

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4.0 Methodology 4.1 Subjects for the study For the purpose of this study the investigator used fifty primary students, thirty girls and twenty boys, of Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) Batu Caves, who were selected randomly with the help of the Mala y language teacher, Puan R.Rajeswar y, of that school. Having undergone the same national language programme for almost six years, the assumption is that, everything being equal, the subjects would have learned the different types of Malay affixes and their functions. Beside that, they would have acquired the same level of proficiency in Mala y language. 4.2 Test Instruments Seven different kinds of assignments were constructed to carry out this study. These test instruments were adopted and modified from the various test instruments and evaluation tests on grammatical aspects of Mala y language suggested by Hussain Mahmud (1987), Khamis Maarof (1987) and Koh Boh Boon (1978). These assignments were administered with the help of the Mala y language teacher Puan Rajeswary of the school.

5.0 Operational Definitions of Technical Terms i) Affixation Affixation ia a morphological process whereby a root word may be extended by one or more affixes. The Malay affixes are classified as prefixes, suffixes, infixes and circumfixes according to their position of occurrence in relation to root word. - Affixes borrowed from foreign languages such `juru...', `pro...',`wan....' - `pe(N)...), `ke...an', and `per..an' - `me(N)..kan', `be(R)..an', `di..kan', and `me(N)..i' - `..an' - `...kan' - `me(N)...', `be(R)..', `ter..' and `di...' - `ke...', `pe(N)..' - `ter..'

ii) Borrowed affixes

iii) Noun forming circumfixes iv) Verb forming circumfixes

v) Noun forming suffix vi) Verb forming suffix vi) Verb forming prefixes viii) Noun forming prefixes ix) Adjective forming prefix

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6.0 Analysis 6.1 Analysis of Errors according to their Functions The errors identified in this study were categorized according to their functions and then ordered according to their percentage of error shown in Table 1. It was noted that the respondents made the highest percentage (63.0%) of errors in borrowed affixes. Seven hundred and fifty five errors were counted from a total occurrence of one thousand two hundred. Most of the respondents seem to be not familiar with the borrowed affixes which are used in Mala y language. Noun and verb forming circumfixes are very frequently used in Mala y language but more than fifty five percentage of errors were counted in the usage of Mala y circumfixes. As a matter of fact, most of the respondents were incapable of using circumfixes to form derived morphemes. There are only two Mala y suffixes in Mala y language , i.e. `..an' and `..kan'. Suffix `..an' is used to form nouns and the other to form verbs. More than fifty percentage of errors were counted for each suffix.

TABLE 1: FREQUENCY OF ERRORS IN TYPES OF WORD FORMATION

No Types of Affixes No. of Errors in each Assignment Total Occurrence 7 224 134 136 29 39 92 76 730 1200 1200 1450 300 200 4350 1950 150 5107 Total No. of Errors 755 753 840 153 101 1714 746 45 47.3 %

1 1 Borrowed Affixes 145 2 Noun Forming Circumfixes 3 Verb Forming Circumfixes 4 Noun Forming Suffixes 5 Verb Forming Suffixes 6 Verb Forming Prefixes 7 Noun Forming Prefixes 8 Adjective Forming Prefix. Total 120 149 18 8

2 -

3 88

4 5 129 200 171 159 57 -

6 57 81 134 32 15 200 5 9 533

63.0 62.8 57.9 51.0 50.5 39.4 38.3 30.0 47.3

186 235 17 39

164 387 392 262 217 38 347 230 50 36

642 734 896 853 719

Verb forming prefixes were tested in all the assignments. A total of 1714 errors were counted against the total number of occurrence (4350). On the other hand, noun forming prefixes occurred 1950 times and 746 (38.3%) errors were recorded.

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Although only forty five (30%) errors were recorded against the total number of occurrence (150) in adjective forming `ter..', the investigator assumes that the knowledge of the respondents about its usage is shallow because most of them could use it correctly only with well-versed morphemes. 6.2 The Frequency of Errors in Using Noun, Verb and Adjective Forming Affixes and Borrowed Affixes Table 2 below shows us the summary of errors made by the respondents in forming three main derived morphemes through affixation and the number of errors made in borrowed affixes in Mala y language. On the whole, the highest percentage of errors was made in the usage of borrowed affixes (63%); followed by noun forming affixes (47.9%); verb forming affixes (44.2%) and adjective forming affixes (30.0%).

TABLE 2: PERCENTAGE OF ERRORS AGAINST TOTAL OCCURRENCE N o. Types of Affixes Borrowed Affixes 1. Noun Forming Affixes 2. Verb Forming Affixes 3. 4. Adjective Forming Affixes Total 150 10800 45 5107 30.0 47.3 6000 2655 44.2 3450 1652 47.9 Total Occurrence 1200 No. of Errors 755 % 63.0

This study clearly indicates that a majority of the respondents had not mastered most of the Mala y affixes and their functions. Since their knowledge of the Malay affixes is very shallow, most of them could not form derived morphemes using the correct affixes at correct places.

7.0 Findings and Discussion 1. From the first assignment given to the respondents it was calculated that, ninety eight percent of the respondents did not know all the Malay affixes stipulated in the Mala y language syallbus for Tamil primar y schools of Mala ysia. Majority of the respondents find Mala y circumfixes more intricating to use compared to the prefixes and suffixes. Most of the respondents did not know the borrowed affixes used in Mala y language.

2.

3.

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4.

Most of the respondents could not use the allomorphs of `me(N)..' and `pe(N)..' correctly with appropriate initial phonemes of the Malay root morphemes. Most of the respondents were unable to form transitive, intransitive and passive verbs; derived nouns and adjectives in the superlative form. From the questionnaire given to the respondents, it was apprehended that poor reading habits among the Tamil primar y students lead to limited vocabulary in Mala y language. As such, most of them did not know the meaning of root words which lead them to incorrect usage of affixes.

5.

6.

By and large , this analysis indicates to a certain extent the incompetence of Tamil primary students in using the Mala y affixes. As a matter of fact, the mother-tongue, Tamil language, of the respondents did not appear to significantly affect their use of Malay affixes. In fact most of their errors displa yed significantly the influence of intra-lingual factors. To a large extent, the students' use of affixes showed pattern which could be explained in terms of target language (ML). For example, there was considerable influence of intra-lingual factors such as :i) ii) iii) iv) v) ignorance of rule restrictions overgenaralisation unable to distinguish between affixes and root words unable to distinguish the different functions of the affixes lack of comprehension due to poor vocabulary

This indicates that the respondents need more reinforcement and guidance in using Malay affixes correctly and effectively.

8.0 Implications and Suggestions 1. The teachers who are being trained to teach Mala y language (ML) in vernacular schools should be trained under a special programme that involves an approach, for teaching Mala y language along the line of TESL programme in English. In other words, the programme of teaching ML as a Second language, TMSL. Should recruit teachers who have basic knowledge of Tamil to teach Mala y language in Tamil primary schools. Time allocation for Malay language should be increased in Tamil schools. Teachers can construct remedial drills in the usage of Mala y affixes based on three principles - repetition, substitution and transformation. The Mala y language teachers can set aside lesson hours weekly or fortnightly for the specific purpose of giving learners the opportunity to listen to Mala y language as used in authentic contexts of interest to primary students. In order to inculcate reading habit among the students, the usage of Malay supplementar y readers should be encouraged.

2.

3. 4.

5.

6.

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9.0 Summary The results of this study indicate that most of the Tamil students are ignorant of most of the Mala y affixes which hinder their proficienc y in Malay language. From this study it is very clear that serious attention be given to errors in the use of Mala y affixes. Although the effectiveness in teaching any subject or topic depends on many factors, including students' intelligence and environmental conditions, it cannot be denied that the teaching ability of the teacher is most important. Second language teachers should be very innovative and should attempt to use a wide variety of pattern drills and other practice exercises to motivate the students and maximize the proficient usage of affixes.

Bibiliography Abdullah Hassan, (1980). Linguistic Am Untuk Guru Bahasa Mala ysia. K.L.:Fajar Bakti. Azman Wan Chik, (1987). Edited:Isu-Isu Dalam Pengukuran Dan Penilaian Bahasa Malysia. Kuala Lumpur: DBP. Koh Boh Boon.(1989). Analisis Kadar Penguasaan Bakal Guru Bahasa Mala ysia dalam Penggunan Kata Kerja, Kata Sifat/ Adverba dan Kata Nama, in Perspektif-Perspektif dalam Pengajaran Bahasa Malaysia'. Kuala Lumpur: DBP. 315-332 Raminah Sabran.(1983). `Satu Analisis Kesilapan Nahu Penutur Jati Bahasa Mela yu Di Kalangan Guru Pelatih,' M.Ed. Thesis, Faculty of Education, University of Mala ya.