The Noun Phrase in Standard Malay and Myanmar/Burmese Compared: Pedagogical Implications for L1 Burmese Speakers

Aye, KK; Sercombe, PG

The Noun Phrase in Standard Malay and Myanmar/Burmese Compared: Pedagogical Implications for L1 Burmese Speakers

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

This study considers differences between the structure and components of the noun phrase in Malay and Myanmar, similar comparisons not having previously been undertaken, as far as we are aware. Both are Southeast Asian languages, although from different language families, Malay being Austronesian and Myanmar being part of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. Our motivations are both to highlight similarities and, more particularly, differences in structural features within the noun phrase of each language; and, secondly, from our description of these, to derive potential learning difficulties for Myanmar learners in the written production of Malay. Khin Khin Aye conducted three separate written tests in order to see if these ‘difficulties’ were evident in the writing of L1 Myanmar learners of Malay. Where differences had previously been identified, there was a range of infelicities in evidence in students’ writing, most obviously regarding word order. This suggests the comparative exercise was worthwhile in that actual difficulties have been identified; and that these the potential to inform teaching methods and curriculum design.