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TOWARDS AN ENHANCED ACQUISITION OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES By Chiedozie Mich... more TOWARDS AN ENHANCED ACQUISITION OF THE GERMAN
LANGUAGE IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
By
Chiedozie Michael UHUEGBU
Department of Foreign Languages
University of Benin
uhuegbu.chiedozie@uniben.edu
And
Boniface Osikwemhe IGBENEGHU, PhD
Department of European Languages
University of Lagos
boigbeneghu@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
In this article, we aim at enhancing the teaching and learning of German as a foreign language
(DaF, Deutsch als Fremdsprache) in Nigeria. Our experience at the Goethe Institute, Düsseldorf,
Germany in June, 2012 during a training course for German lecturers provides useful insights into
novel pedagogical orientations aimed at improving German language teaching. In this connection,
the direct method, the role of new multimedia equipment and the internet in the acquisition of
German as a foreign language are critically examined. An open exploratory research approach
provides the methodological framework for our study. Our research findings reveal that, contrary
to our training in Dusseldorf, the direct method only is inadequate to facilitate the teaching of
German in an exogenous environment like Nigeria. Our findings also reveal that there are no
German pedagogical materials, at present, developed to reflect the Nigerian culture, flora and
fauna. We therefore argue for the use of an eclectic method which is a blend of the direct method,
the audio-lingual and the audio-visual approaches, the use of new multimedia equipment and the
internet in the teaching of German in Nigerian Universities. Where necessary, the teacher and the
students could use the mother tongue or the first language (L1) to facilitate explication and
comprehension. German course materials intended for Nigerians should also be developed. In
effect, a complementary attitude between learners and teachers would play a major role in the
German language acquisition enterprise.
Introduction

Articles by Boniface Igbeneghu

Most linguists conceptualise grammatical moods as basically attitudinal with varying degrees of r... more Most linguists conceptualise grammatical moods as basically attitudinal with varying degrees of realisations ranging from uncertainty to certainty. In this direction, grammatical tenses are viewed as a function of modal variations. In this article, we seek to undertake a syntactic comparison of moods in French a Romance language with universal spread, and Étsàkọ̀ , an Edo is language spoken by about 274,000 native speakers, found principally in Edo State, South-South Nigeria. Noam Chomsky`s Strong Minimalist Thesis (2007) of generative grammar provides the theoretical framework for the study. The types, positions and tense agreement relations within the internal structure of modal constructs in French and Étsàkọ̀ are compared with a view to determining how the various elements merge to ensure clausal and, by extension, sentential grammaticalness. Our research findings reveal that selectional restrictions of tenses play a prominent role in clausal derivations of grammatical sentences in French and Étsàkọ̀. It was also discovered that selectional possibilities of tenses in clausal derivations were more represented in French than in Étsàkọ̀ , at both the sensorimotor interface and the conceptual-intentional interface.
Résumé
La plupart des linguistes conceptualisent que les modes se fondent sur l`attitude à degrés de réalisation qui se varient de l`incertitude à la certitude. Selon cette perspective, les temps grammaticaux sont fonctions des variations modales. Dans cet article, nous faisons une comparaison syntaxique des modes en français, une langue romane à diffusion universelle et l'étsàkọ̀ , une langue èdoïde et langue maternelle d'environ 274.000 locuteurs dont la plupart se trouvent dans l'État d'Ẹdo dans le sud-sud du Nigéria. La forte thèse minimaliste (2007) de la grammaire générative de Noam Chomsky constitue le cadre théorique de cette étude. Les types, les places et les relations de concordance de temps dans la structure interne des constructions modales en français et en étsàkọ̀ font l`objet de l`étude comparée dans le but de déterminer comment les divers éléments se fusionnent pour assurer la grammaticalité propositionnelle, et par extension, la grammaticalité phrastique. Nous avons découvert, à partir de la présente étude, que les restrictions sélectionnelles des temps jouent un rôle pertinent dans les dérivations propositionnelles de phrases grammaticales en français et en étsàkọ̀. Aussi, nous avons découvert que les possibilités de sélection des temps dans les dérivations propositionnelles sont Journal of Modern European Languages and Literature (JMEL) Volume 6 plus représentées en françaisqùen étsàkọ̀ , à l`interface sensorimotrice et à l`interface conceptuelle-intentionnelle.

Acquisition et didActique 1 100 • Opération fusionner externe : Connue sous le nom d'opération fu... more Acquisition et didActique 1 100 • Opération fusionner externe : Connue sous le nom d'opération fusionner dans le Programme Minimaliste de Chomsky 1995, opération fusionner externe est une opération binaire qui explique la constitution d'une troisième entité γ, à partir du fusionnement de deux entités α et β γ est donc une dérivation syntagmatique (Pollock 1997 ; Chomsky 2004). • Opération fusionner interne : Connue sous le nom d'opération déplacer dans le Programme Minimaliste de Chomsky 1995, opération fusionner interne assure le déplacement de certains éléments, par exemple, le sujet ou le verbe, à partir de leurs positions canoniques dans la structure phrastique pour occuper des nouvelles positions dans le cadre de certains processus syntaxiques comme la passivation, la focalisation, etc. (Pollock 1997, Chomsky 2004). • Opération vérifier : Connue aussi sous le nom de la « théorie de la vérification », opération vérifier est une opération qui assure le phénomène d'accord parmi les éléments phrastiques (Pollock 1997 :40). L'APP conçoit la syntaxe comme un système computationnel qui relie la forme phonologique (FP - le système articulatoire / perceptif) à la forme logique (FL - le système conceptuel / intentionnel). Une configuration qui est grammaticalement correcte est désignée « convergente », tandis qu'une configuration agrammaticale est considérée d'avoir « capoté aux interfaces » des FP et FL (Pollock 1997 : 117-118).

In this article, we aim at enhancing the teaching and learning of German as a foreign language (D... more In this article, we aim at enhancing the teaching and learning of German as a foreign language (DaF, Deutsch als Fremdsprache) in Nigeria. Our experience at the Goethe Institute, Düsseldorf, Germany in June, 2012 during a training course for German lecturers provides useful insights into novel pedagogical orientations aimed at improving German language teaching. In this connection, the direct method, the role of new multimedia equipment and the internet in the acquisition of German as a foreign language are critically examined. An open exploratory research approach provides the methodological framework for our study. Our research findings reveal that, contrary to our training in Dusseldorf, the direct method only is inadequate to facilitate the teaching of German in an exogenous environment like Nigeria. Our findings also reveal that there are no German pedagogical materials, at present, developed to reflect the Nigerian culture, flora and fauna. We therefore argue for the use of an eclectic method which is a blend of the direct method, the audio-lingual and the audio-visual approaches, the use of new multimedia equipment and the internet in the teaching of German in Nigerian Universities. Where necessary, the teacher and the students could use the mother tongue or the first language (L1) to facilitate explication and comprehension. German course materials intended for Nigerians should also be developed. In effect, a complementary attitude between learners and teachers would play a major role in the German language acquisition enterprise.

The subjunctive mood has two main bearings: it emanates from the intention of the speaker, in an ... more The subjunctive mood has two main bearings: it emanates from the intention of the speaker, in an independent sentence; of syntax relying, for his use in a subordinate clause, on the verb of the main clause (Jean Dubois and Réné Lagane 2004:106). The statement of problem of this article derives from our recognition of the fact that the subjunctive mood constitutes a major challenge to a good number of our students studying the French language. We shall limit our study to the present subjunctive mood. Relying on the theoretical framework of traditional grammar and on a simple method of analysis, we discuss empirical data gathered from a fieldwork on our students learning French at the University of Benin. Our research findings show that linguistic interference, linguistic competence, lack of interest, and an inadequacy of teaching methodology, among others, are some of the factors responsible for difficulties in the appropriation of the present subjunctive by our subjects. Consequently, recommendations are made in the interest of our students.

In this article, we examine the extant language policies with particular regard to the Nigerian C... more In this article, we examine the extant language policies with particular regard to the Nigerian Child. We take a profound look at National seek to appraise the strengths and weaknesses of these policies in order to determine the extent to which they are beneficial to the Nigerian child in the context of plurilingualism and globalization. This appraisal is done employing a tridimensional framework: hindsight, insight and foresight perspectives. We argue for the reconfiguration of language education aimed at functional plurilingualism for the Nigerian child. Recommendations are made in view of enhancing the prospects of functional plurilingualism for every Nigerian child who will consequently be competent to contribute meaningfully towards the development of Nigeria in particular and mankind in general.

La syntaxe de la pronominalisation en français et en étsàkọ̀ : étude contrastive et apports pédag... more La syntaxe de la pronominalisation en français et en étsàkọ̀ : étude contrastive et apports pédagogiques au profit des etsakophones Abstract In this article, we examine the syntactic process of pronominalisation in French and Étsàkọ̀. A fieldwork carried out by the researcher on Étsàkọ̀ native speakers studying French in some Nigerian Universities provides the methodological framework of our study. Noam Chomsky's Principles and Parameters Approach to Generative Grammar provides the theoretical framework of our comparative study. Finally, we discuss the pedagogical significance of our comparative study for the teaching of the French pronominal system to Étsàkọ̀ native speakers, in particular, and to speakers of Edoid languages, in general.