• Elizabeth Nawire Musi

  Author

• Dr. Anashia Nancy Ong’onda

  Author

This paper examines fossilization processes in Lunyala-Kiswahili learners as they acquire English language. The paper applies inter-language theory as initiated by Selinker (1972). The existence of first language in the mind of a second language learner makes it impossible to use L2 in a fully monolingual mode. Most research on cross linguistic influences only consider the influence of the mother tongue on second language acquisition, without taking into account the learner's knowledge of other languages. The design for the current study is descriptive survey design. The target population for this paper is 54 primary schools with 210 teachers who teach English. This paper attempts to fill the gap in the existing body of knowledge with regard to how the acquisition of Lunyala as a first language and Kiswahili influence the acquisition L2. The findings of the study show that Lunyala/Kiswahili language has both positive and negative transfer at the level of syntax, phonology and lexical terms. The study also found that linguistic factors play an integral part in language transfer. The study recommends that the government should fully implement the teaching of mother tongue which has a positive impact to the learning of second language.

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