Influence de l’insécurité linguistique sur la communication orale en français chez les lycéens dans la ville de Kisumu

Abstract

Linguistic insecurity is one of the phenomena that affect learners of foreign languages. It can be manifested through ways like code switching and hypercorrection. Kenyan learners of French in high school have difficulties in French oral expression. The study was meant to establish the influence of linguistic insecurity on oral communication in French among secondary school learners in Kisumu city. It targeted three objectives: to establish varied evidence of linguistic insecurity among high school learners of French in Kenya, to analyze the causes of difficulties in French oral expression and to evaluate the role of learner’s attitude in their oral performance in French. It’s limited to how linguistic insecurity affects form four learners of French in the ten schools where French is offered in Kisumu city. This study is anchored on Planned Behavior theory by Ajzen (1985) which is based on three tenets: attitude towards a behavior, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control upon which the objectives of this study are based. Descriptive survey was used as research design. The study sought information from respondents through a questionnaire and focused group discussions to earners and interview to teachers. Quantitative data was sourced using structured questions then converted to frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data was collected using open ended questions in questionnaire, focused group discussions and interview, categorized in themes and subthemes then explained guided by the objectives. The study targeted a population of 109 respondents, comprising of 99 high school learners in form four in the ten schools in Kisumu City offering French at this level, together with their 10 teachers of French. The whole population participated because it was small. It established that majority of learners suffer from blockage when speaking French, so they resort to English or remain silent in the event of a total blockage. They also express themselves hesitantly when in public or avoid speaking altogether. Similarly, Kenya lacks a linguistic bath for French, a factor which reduces the learner's interaction with the language, leading to poor oral expression. Physiological limitations like stammering and gaps in a speaker’s dentation hinder smooth expression. Equally, some learners have a negative attitude towards French resulting to its poor mastery. This study will benefit learners, teachers of French and national education policy makers by revealing to them the impact of linguistic insecurity on learners’ oral performance in French.