The Influence of Mother Tongue in Malay Language Essay-Writing among Tamil Students

Abstract

This study sheds light on the influence of mother tongue in the Malay Language essay-writing among students from Tamil-type Primary School (SJKT). The purpose of this research is to examine the extent to which Tamil Language as the mother tongue influences the Tamil school students in their Malay Language essay-writing. This study also discusses the errors that appear in the essay-writing due to the influence of Mother tongue. The study findings are shown in tables based on the descriptive elaboration. Researcher selected 70 Year 5 students as the samples. All the samples were selected from four Tamil-type schools from Kuala Lumpur area. This study leans on Lado’s Contrastive Analysis Theory. The theory explains the differences between the first language and the second language that have created some issues, and the confusion arising among students as they learn and master the second language. The study data were compiled through the samples’ essay-writing and were analysed to identify the influence of Mother tongue (Tamil Language) in Malay Language essays, especially in terms of the sentence construction. The study findings point to the fact that there is a very obvious influence of Mother tongue, or Tamil Language in the Malay Language essay-writing, and it is found that students have made some direct translation from Tamil Language to Malay Language in their essay-writing. The study outcome has raised an awareness among educators, especially Malay Language teachers in SJKT to make improvement to the teaching method in PdPc to address the issue of Tamil Language influence among students.  In the effort to elevate the status of Malay Language as the national and official language, all SJKT students have to master Malay Language and use it in learning, especially in writing and speaking using the right grammar- all towards preserving the originality of the Malay Language.