ASPECTS OF RAPID SPEECH IN NONSTANDARD POOR ENGLISH SPEECH FORMS: A SOCIO-PHONETIC APPROACH

Abstract

This paper investigates the socio-phonetic features of English rapid speech, focusing on how non-native speakers—like Nadia Murad—manage these features in high-stakes situations like her speech at the White House. Rapid speech usually involves changes like assimilation, elision, and the use of linking and intrusive sounds, which can be difficult for non-native speakers to understand and produce. The paper uses a qualitative methodology and focuses on socio-phonetic analysis to determine how Murad's speech differs from the norms of native speech. Murad's English communication may be less natural and fluid because, according to preliminary findings, her speech shows less phonological blending typical of native speech patterns. This work attempts to improve our knowledge of the way rapid speech affects non-native speakers and tries to provide information on phonetic training that can improve their ability to communicate effectively.