The correlation between the intelligibility of aspects of connected speech and level of education: the case of form five and level two students of the Department of English, University of Yaounde 1

Abstract

This work set out to examine the intelligibility of aspects of connected speech to students within a New English context, Cameroon. The work was based on the hypothesis that English speaking Cameroonian learners lack the zeal to learn Standard British English features. This can be caused by personal, psychological and pedagogical factors. Two theoretical frameworks were adopted for the study: Intelligibility and Error Analysis. The sample population consisted of 65 students subdivided into 25 undergraduate students and 40 secondary school students from Government Bilingual High School Etoug-Ebe and Government Bilingual Practicing High School Yaounde. In carrying out this study the following tools were used: tape recorder, language tests to check the students‟ level of intelligibility of connected speech, questionnaire that was aimed at knowing the students scale of preference in terms of subjects, the aspects of language that are problematic to them. The findings revealed that undergraduates faced lesser problems of intelligibility than Form Five students, as far as aspects of connected speech are concerned. This is probably because of their level of education.