Assessing Lexical Variations: The Case of Afan Oromo and Literature's Department Research Course at the 3 Public Universities

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess lexical variations in the context of Afan Oromo and Literature Department’s Research Methods course offered at the three public universities (Adama Science and Technology-ASTU, Addis Ababa-AAU and Ambo-AU) in Ethiopia. In these universities, particular course offering instructors were among the participants on the one hand. The research related books locally published ones, the relevant course outlines, including the modules prepared as supportive materials and students’ thesis’s at the three public universities, “Wiirtuu”-magazines for Afan Oromo Standardization Volumes 1-11 (1995-2014) were considered were used as secondary data sources , on the other hand. Instruments applied to gather data were the relevant document scrutiny, interviews and focus group discussions. After the assessment made, significant lexical variations were portrayed as the research findings. The course offering instructors and their respective students in the study sites were also lacked consistent use of these technical terms. And some of these varied terms create misunderstandings to the readers. Thus, it was suggested by the researcher that the instructors’ team work s pirit within and among the universities need to be enhanced in action so that standardized terms could be produced and accessed in coherence to respective users . And a responsible and working organ would also be in p lace to facilitate the creation of standard research methods course related technical terms.