DefinePK

Research Objective

To observe the F1, F2, and duration values of back vowels in Pakistani English and compare them with native speaker patterns.

Methodology

The study involved acoustic analysis of back vowels produced by 30 female English learners (approximately 15 years old) from a public institute in Pakistan. Target back vowels were embedded in /hvd/ syllables within the carrier phrase "say hvd please." Data comprising 750 tokens were analyzed using FormantPro software for spectral (F1, F2) and temporal (duration) aspects.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD
    A[Participant Recruitment] --> B[Data Elicitation: Carrier Phrase Reading];
    B --> C[Recording of Speech Samples];
    C --> D[Segmentation of hvd Syllables];
    D --> E[Labeling of Vowel Phonemes];
    E --> F[FormantPro Analysis: F1, F2, Duration Extraction];
    F --> G[Acoustic and Statistical Analysis];
    G --> H[Comparison with RP English Data];
    H --> I[Interpretation of Findings];
    I --> J[Conclusion and Recommendations];                    

Discussion

The distinctiveness of Pakistani English back vowels is attributed to the discrepancy between the phonological and orthographic forms of English, as well as inter-lingual effects from Urdu and other indigenous Pakistani languages. The study suggests that learners struggle with acquiring English back vowels, particularly long ones, due to L1 interference, lack of direct exposure to native varieties, and the orthographic-phonological mismatch.

Key Findings

The acoustic patterns of back vowels in Pakistani English learners are not closely aligned with native speakers. Specifically, the back vowels /:/ and // were produced as central vowels, and vowels like // and // were displaced on the vertical plane of tongue height. The study found that Pakistani English back vowels are distinct from RP English patterns, with long back vowels tending towards an open mouth position. However, Pakistani English does not merge back vowels like some other Asian dialects.

Conclusion

Pakistani English exhibits distinct acoustic features in its back vowels compared to native English varieties. These differences are likely influenced by the linguistic background of learners and the nature of English as taught and used in Pakistan.

Fact Check

1. Data Collection: 750 tokens of English back vowels were analyzed.
2. Participants: Data were collected from 30 female learners of English at middle level (approximately 15 years old).
3. Software Used: FormantPro (Xu, 2015) software was used for data analysis.

Mind Map