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Title: Articulation of English Vowel Sounds by Pashto Speakers: A Contrastive Phonetic Analysis
Authors: Amjad Hussain, Zulfiqar Ali, Tariq Khan
Journal: Erevna Journal of Linguistics and Literature
Publisher: Air University, Islamabad
Country: Pakistan
Year: 2023
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Language: English
Keywords: Phonetic Analysis Deviant Vowels RP PRAAT Pashto Speakers L1.
The present study aims at the vowels of two languages, i.e. English and Pashto, by conducting a contrastive phonetic analysis by looking into those deviant vowels in which the Pashto speakers face difficulty pronouncing while learning the language. The Pashto speakers tend to pronounce the vowels in the English language that are generally paralleled with Received Pronunciation (RP), revealing certain similarities as well as differences during the production of not only English short and long vowels as well in the words’ initial, medial and final positions of English in terms of both the height, i.e., the F1 formant frequencies and the backness, i.e., the F2 formant frequencies as exposed by the exploration of speech samples through Praat. Pashto native speakers with an English background can articulate such vowels /ə/(short) and /ɒ/, the same as near-natives, and the vowels /æ/, /ɪ/, and /ʌ/ almost native-like, but they cannot pronounce the short vowels /e/ and /ʊ/ like native speakers. Similarly, the long English vowels /ɪ:/, /ɑ:/, /u:/ posed no difficulty in pronunciation for Pashto speakers, whereas the long vowels /ɜ:/ and /ɔ:/ posed difficulty for them in English pronunciation. The vowel /ɜ:/ was difficult for Pashto speakers, who pronounce it slightly differently from the natives of RP. The study also recommends that in order to achieve correct English pronunciation of teachers teaching English at the college level should sufficiently guide the Pashto (L1 learners) of English in the articulation of English vowels and also necessary to expose them to the essentials of both similarities and differences of the vowels of Pashto and English languages keeping classroom ambience in consideration so that their obstacle of lucidness may be overcome for efficacious communication with English native speakers.
To identify and examine the English vowels that Pashto speakers, particularly those of the Yusafzai dialect, pronounce with deviation compared to Received Pronunciation (RP), and to understand the difficulties they face due to the influence of their native language.
The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research paradigms. It utilized an experimental design and adopted Lado's (1957) Contrastive Analysis model. Data was collected using judgmental and purposive sampling from 20 Pashto speakers (10 male, 10 female) from District Malakand. Participants were recorded pronouncing target English vowels in various word positions. Speech samples were analyzed using the PRAAT software to obtain spectrograms and compare Pashto speakers' vowel production with RP vowels, referencing data from Wells (1962) and Deterding (1997).
graph TD
A[Define Research Objectives & Questions] --> B[Adopt Lado's Contrastive Analysis Model];
B --> C[Select ParticipantsPashto Speakers];
C --> D[Record Participants Pronouncing Target English Vowels];
D --> E[Analyze Recordings using PRAAT];
E --> F[Compare Pashto Pronunciation with RP Vowels];
F --> G[Analyze English Lexical Penetration in Pashto Media];
G --> H[Synthesize Findings & Draw Conclusions];
The research highlights the challenges Pashto speakers face in articulating specific English vowels due to L1 interference. The study also delves into the extensive use of English lexical items in Pashto media, suggesting this code-switching and code-mixing can be both positive (enriching the language, social acceptability) and negative (potential loss of Pashto's distinctiveness, erosion of native vocabulary). The authors argue that English proficiency serves as linguistic capital, conferring status and authority in Pashto-speaking communities.
Pashto speakers could articulate English vowels // and // similarly to near-natives, and /æ/, //, and // almost native-like. However, they struggled with short vowels /e/ and //, and long vowels /:/ and /:/. The vowel /:/ was pronounced slightly differently from RP. The study also observed a significant penetration of English lexical items into Pashto speech across various media programs (current affairs, education, sports, cooking, morning shows), with nouns being the most frequently borrowed category.
English holds significant importance in Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as an official language and medium of instruction. The pervasive use of English lexical items in Pashto speech indicates a considerable influence, which can enrich Pashto but also potentially diminish its purity and individuality. Competence in English is viewed as a symbol of status and authority, offering positive linguistic, social, political, educational, and professional repercussions for the Pashto community.
* The study involved 20 participants (10 male, 10 female).
* The PRAAT software was used for speech analysis.
* The research adopted Lado's (1957) Contrastive Analysis model.
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