Verb Tense Articulation and the Emergent Syntax-Related Problems in Anaang-English Bilingualism

This study investigates the challenges faced by non-native English speakers generally, and specifically focuses on Anaang bilinguals, in mastering English verb tense realisation. Employing Contrastive Error Analysis (CEA), the research examines the processes involved in expressing verb tense in both English and Anaang, acknowledging the inherent differences between the two languages and or any other non-Indo-European family language. The analysis of verb tense markers reveals that the structural disparities between Anaang, a language with rich verbal inflexions, and English, which has a more reduced inflectional system, coupled with variations in English syntax, often lead to ungrammatical sentence constructions. The findings highlight how these linguistic contrasts create difficulties for Anaang speakers learning English verb tenses. Furthermore, the study touches upon the complexities of English compound word formation, noting the absence of strict rules to be adhered to by speakers as a common feature in most non-Indo-European languages. Consequently, dictionaries serve as the primary reference, leaving the formation of compound words to linguistic conventions and individual language user preferences.