English and Mauritian Creole: A Look at How the Vocabulary, Grammar, and Syntax of the Two Languages Make Learning Difficult

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the various linguistic reasons that cause Mauritian students to experience difficulties while learning English. As Mauritius is a former British and French colony, most Mauritians are bilinguals. Both English and French are compulsory subjects up to Cambridge O’Level. English is the official language and also the language of instruction but French is much more widely used and spoken. Also Mauritian Creole is the mother-tongue of the majority of Mauritians. This linguistic situation impacts heavily on the teaching and learning of English both at primary and secondary level. Often, students encounter a number of problems at the vocabulary and grammatical level; these are due to the linguistic specificities of both English and Mauritian Creole. Today, the different types of ‘Englishes’ emerging around the world, are making it increasingly confusing for teachers to teach this language and for learners to learn it. Young learners are finding it increasingly difficult to overcome such differences while teachers are struggling to make English more appealing and contextual despite curriculum constraints.