A Sociolinguistic Study of Home Language Influence on English Language Proficiency in Mɛnde and Kàthemnɛ Regions

Abstract

Sierra Leone is a multilingual nation with English serving as the official language of instruction and administration. Despite this, indigenous languages like Mɛnde (Southern and Eastern provinces) and Kàthemnɛ (Northern Province) exert notable influence on students’ spoken English. This study investigates the comparative influence of phonological interference from Mɛnde and Kàthemnɛ, two major indigenous languages of Sierra Leone on English pronunciation among senior secondary school pupils. Using a qualitative dominant mixed-methods design, it analyzes how vowel shifts, consonant substitution, syllable structure, and intonation patterns impede English proficiency. Data from 640 pupils and 60 teachers in Bo and Mile 91 were gathered through oral reading tasks, recorded speech samples, questionnaires and structured interviews. Findings reveal distinct interference patterns corresponding to each language, with implications for intelligibility, fluency, and academic performance. It concludes that the interaction between L1 and L2, particularly phonological interference, complicates second language acquisition. This research explores the extent, nature, and educational implications of these interferences. Recommendations include phonologically informed pedagogy and contrastive phonetics integration into the curriculum.