Linguistic elements that obstruct the learning of natural numbers in Miskitu

Abstract

This study was carried out in the second semester of 2009, the objective was to identify the linguistic elements and the numbering base that favor the process of teaching the natural numbers from 1 to 100 in the Miskitu language, at Simeón Walls Bilingual Primary School, Kuamwatla community, Prinzapolka municipality, RAAN. It is a qualitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study. The universe of study was constituted by the community of 12 teachers and 255 students of the school in in the study. The sample used was 10 percent of students, 6 percent of teachers and 10 members of the community. For the processing and analysis of the information a matrix of each instrument was elaborated, and from that the report of the results was drawn up. Among the results, the following stand out: i) there are changes in the names of the natural numbers, ii) evident linguistic difficulties in the names of the natural numbers of the miskitu and iii) the names of the natural numbers of the miskitu numbering system in current use, it has an indication of quase subbase and vigesimal base. Based on the results of the study, a proposal was made to improve lexemes, morphemes, allomorphs, orthography, syntax and phoneme of the natural numbers in miskitu 0 to 100, from the etymological point of view combined with neologisms.