error analysis: a study of errors committed by isizulu speaking ...

Hoffman, (1996:110) in Ntombela says the most general description of codeswitching
is that it involves the alternate use of two languages or linguistic
varieties within the same utterance or during the same conversation. She goes
on to say that in the case of bilinguals speaking to each other, switching can
consist of changing languages – in that of monolinguals, shifts of style.
Hoffman, (ibid: 110) cites McLaughlin, (1984) who emphasises the distinction
between mixing and switching by referring to code switches as language
changes occurring across phrase or sentence boundaries, where as code- mixes
take place within sentences and usually involve single cases of single lexical
items. Spolsky, (1998:49) also argues that bilinguals often switch between
their two languages in the middle of a conversation; these code-switches can
take place between or even within sentences, involving phrases or words or
even parts of words. Like Spolsky, (ibid: 49) and Hoffman, (ibid: 110) Sridha,
(1996) in McKay and Hornberger, (1996:56) in Ntombela, (2009) asserts that
the phenomenon known as code-switching occurs when two or more languages
exist in a community, and speakers frequently switch from one language to
another.
Mawasha, (1996:21) in Ntombela outlines three realities, which he argues that
most practising educators in African education are aware of:
a) In practice many African educators code switch routinely from English
to an African language in routine content-subject presentation to
facilitate comprehension and to speed up progress through the syllabus;
b) Many African teachers often find it necessary to resort to an African
language where their personal facility in English as classroom language
falters;
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