Title: Linguistic Interference of Nigerian Languages on Yoruba Learners of French in Selected Tertiary Institutions in South-Western Nigeria
Authors: Oladeji Olayiwola Nureni, Ogundiran Kemi Fisayo, Awonusi Abiodun Makinde., Ganiyat Omotola ADENIRAN, PhD
Volume: 10
Issue: 1
Pages: 100-107
Publication Date: 2026/01/28
Abstract:
Yoruba indigenous learners of French experience linguistic interference while learning the language. Language transfer, which is also referred to as linguistic interference, happens when a first-language structure and habit of a learner contrasts in the process of acquiring and using a second language. Learners of French as a second language in Nigeria have specific difficulties because of structural, phonological, and semantic differences between Yoruba and French. The study adopted descriptive survey methods. The population comprised Yoruba indigenous learners of French and their lecturers in selected tertiary institutions in Southwestern Nigeria. The sample consists of 60 students and 10 lecturers who were randomly selected. Three instruments were used to collect data for the study. These are Oral Production Test (r = 0.78); Written Production Test (r = 0.81) and Structured Interview Guide (r = 0.71).All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance and Regression Analysis was used to analyse the data. The results showed that the most significant type of interference is phonological, in which learners would replace nasal vowels with the sounds that sound more like in English and apply tonal patterns to the intonation in French. The morphological interference can also be traced through the mistakes of gender and number agreement, whereas the syntactic interference can be found in the negation and adjective positioning. Semantic and pragmatic interference is created when Yoruba idioms and proverbs are translated into French directly which leads to communication breakdown. To enhance the French education in the Yoruba speaking areas and help in the process of multilingual education in Africa, it was recommended that learners should be motivated and assisted instead of being viewed as inadequate. The necessity of improved pedagogical approaches, which should be in line with the local linguistic life conditions in Africa, the dynamism, and resourcefulness with which learners have to address themselves when they are negotiating between languages are to be provided.