The manifestation of non standard usage of english among university students: the syntactic perspective

Thesis Abstract

Abstract
The use of non-standard English by university students has been a topic of interest for researchers in the field of linguistics. This study focuses on the syntactic perspective of non-standard English usage among university students. The research aims to investigate the manifestation of non-standard English in terms of syntax, analyzing the specific syntactic features that characterize non-standard English usage among university students. The methodology employed in this study includes a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data collection involves the analysis of written texts produced by university students, ranging from essays to social media posts. The syntactic features of non-standard English identified in the data are then categorized and analyzed to determine the prevalence and patterns of non-standard syntactic usage among university students. The findings of this study reveal a variety of syntactic features that characterize non-standard English usage among university students. These features include but are not limited to subject-verb agreement errors, double negatives, absence of auxiliary verbs, and non-standard word order. The analysis also highlights the influence of factors such as language background, social context, and educational experience on the manifestation of non-standard syntactic features in English usage among university students. The implications of the findings point to the importance of understanding and addressing non-standard English usage in higher education settings. By identifying the specific syntactic features that characterize non-standard English among university students, educators and policymakers can develop targeted interventions to support students in improving their syntactic proficiency in English. This study contributes to the existing literature on non-standard English usage by providing a detailed analysis of syntactic features and shedding light on the factors influencing the manifestation of non-standard English among university students. Overall, this research underscores the complexity of non-standard English usage from a syntactic perspective and emphasizes the need for tailored linguistic support for university students. By recognizing and addressing the syntactic features of non-standard English, educators can better support students in developing their language skills and academic success.