A linguistic study of tense shifts in Indonesian-English interlanguage autobiographical discourse

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Authors
Ihsan, Diemroh
Advisor
Stahlke, Herbert
Issue Date
1988
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (Ph. D.)
Department
Department of English
Other Identifiers
Abstract

The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, it investigated, described, and analyzed tense shifts and the roles of the present tense forms in IEIL autobiographical discourse. Second, as a contribution to the study of English interlanguage of Indonesian EFL learners it presents some pedagogical implications for the EFL teaching and learning in Indonesia and offers suggestions for further research. The data used for the study were twenty-six essays containing 1700 verb phrases in 937 sentences, which were written by twenty-six freshman EFL learners of the University of Sriwijaya in Palembang, Indonesia, in 1986.The results of the study show that tense use in IEIL is systematic, on one hand, and variable, on the other. Shifts of tense from past to present are generally predictable. The present tense usually functions to present the writer's evaluation or opinion, habitual occurrences, general truth, or factual descriptions functioning as permanent truth in relation to the writer's childhood. Occasionally, the present tense functions as the Historical Present to narrate past events. The past tense, on the other hand, usually functions to describe past truth and, at times, to narrate historical events such as the writer's date and place of birth.Variability also characterizes IEIL autobiographical discourse. That is, IEIL writers do not completely follow the present and past tense rules. For instance, they usually use the present tense to express habitual occurrences, but at other times they use past tense accompanied by such expressions as "on Sundays," "on holidays," "whenever," etc.In addition, the following conclusions have been drawn: (1) IEIL autobiographical discourse largely contains description expressed in the past tense; (2) discourses are highly recommended to be used as the first material in teaching linguistic phenomena such as tense shifts to Indonesian EFL learners; and (3) following the IL theory and principles, EFL teachers should not treat EFL learner's should treat them as a sign that they are in fact in the process of learning.deviants as a sign of improper usage and harmful but instead should treat them as a sign that they are in fact in the process of learning.