CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE MORPHEMES OF THE ENGLISH AND IGBO LANGUAGES

Since Language occurs in a great range of modalities; for example, it is encountered in scientific formulas as pure description unconditioned by time and place, and ideally conveys nothing about the individual who constructed it. This study focuses on analyzing and contrasting the processes of morphemes of both English and Igbo languages. The method of data analysis was contrastive, since this research is a contrastive study of morphemes of English and Igbo languages. The various rules and processes of the formation of words via morphemes was identified and classified for the purpose of contrastive studies. In trying to find out the similarities and differences, English and Igbo morphemes were compared so as to postulate the degree of possible interference the learner will have in learning the English as a second language. The researcher applied marching method of contrastive analysis. It is found that all word-formation processes are generally rule-governed, but these rules are sometimes very complicated and some processes overlap and interpenetrate each other. General similarities appear in both languages, in borrowing, affixation and compounding. Both languages use prefixes and suffixes in formation of words via morphemes Compounding in English is a very productive process, likewise in Igbo. It is also found that unpredictable formations in English are not found in Igbo; likewise some formation process in Igbo cannot e found in English. All compounds in Igbo are semantically endocentric, while English offers four types of semantic compounds.

In the study of every language, the most important and difficult aspect is the study of the spelling system and word formation. This is important because it is on these that the whole structure of language lies. In the teaching and learning aspect, the most rigorous part of languages which does not have the specific and the scientific rules to provide a guide is the spelling system, as the system is neither guided by the pronunciation nor by the system of language itself. Apart from this spelling system, another aspect of language that beats off specification is the formation of words. Though unlike spelling, it is guided by rules. Akwanya (2008) notes that

language occurs in its great range of modalities; that shows that it is encountered in scientific formulas as pure description unconditioned by time and place, and ideally conveys nothing about the individual who has constructed or spoken it.

Descriptions and the use of rules to govern language structure are more on morphology and syntax.