Question Transformations in English and Maithili

Abstract

The present study entitled "Question Transformations in English and Maithili" has been carried out to compare and contrast the question transformational rules of the Maithili language with that of the English Language. The research is based on 90 native speakers of Maithili including illiterate, literate and educated. The interview questionnaires for illiterate and written questionnaire for literate and educated were the research tools for data collection. On the basis of collected data analysis has been done. The research study found out that auxiliary verbs and pronouns are compulsory in English for transforming tag question where as auxiliary verb is not used and second person pronoun is used optionally for transforming question tags in the Maithili Language. Exclamatory question and rhetorical questions are rarely used in the Maithili Language according to the collected data. Chapter one deals with general background of contrastive analysis, English language teaching in Nepal, introduction to Maithili language, Maithili Script, special features of the Maithili language, genetic classification, a brief sketch of question transformations in English, need and importance of contrastive analysis, an overview of transformational theory, review of the related literature, objectives of the study and significant of the study. Chapter two deals with the sources of data, primary sources of data, secondary sources of data, population of the study, sampling procedure, research tools and process of data collection and limitation of the study. Chapter three deals with the analysis and interpretation of the data. The researcher has presented question transformation in English and Maithili with examples and rules. Chapter four deals with findings and recommendations.