Orthographic Interference Errors from Afan Oromo to English: The Case of Selected Schools of East and West Hararge Zones, Grade Nine Students

Abstract

The primary goal of the study was to analyze grade nine students' orthographic errors in English owing to Afan Oromo interlingual interference. Besides, pre-grade nine Afan Oromo medium students' errors of English, Amharic medium students' errors of English were utilized for comparison to identify the degree of the interference from Afan Oromo. Descriptive design and primary data sources were used in this study. Stratified sampling was employed to provide equal opportunities to students of various academic achievements, while purposive sampling was used to sample teachers. The data gathering tools used were dictation test, questionnaire and key informant interview. Ultimately, the data were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Although it was found out that the extent of Afan Oromo orthographic interferences to English accounted for 21.1%, the orthographic errors in English created by Afan Oromo medium students surpassed those of Amharic medium students by 1.63%. This indicates that the extent of English orthographic errors created by Afan Oromo medium students were not meaningfully different from Amharic medium students as teachers were overstressing. Thus, learning both Afan Oromo and English languages' orthography independently and practicing misspelled words owing to Afan Oromo interference to English was recommended over presuming script similarities as a distinct cause of errors.