Phonological Errors and L1 Interference: A Case Study of Jordanian Learners of English as a Foreign Language

Fatima Al-Shalabi

doi:10.5296/jse.v11i3.18819

Abstract

This study investigates the phonological errors made by Jordanian learners of English as a foreign language. It aims to explore the role played by the learners’ first language in committing such errors. The researcher collected data from 20 Jordanian learners of English; all were in Grade 10 and speak Jordanian Arabic (JA) as their native language. The researcher asked each participant to read a list of words and recorded their pronunciation. The analysis of data showed that participants made two types of errors: insertion errors and substitution errors. The results also revealed that learners’ first language interference is the major source of both insertion and substitution errors. The study made some suggestions to eliminate errors and recommendations for future research.

Highlights

Being fluent in any foreign language requires having a good command over its spoken and written forms
This study investigates the phonological errors made by Jordanian learners of English as a foreign language
The researcher collected data from 20 Jordanian learners of English; all were in Grade 10 and speak Jordanian Arabic (JA) as their native language

Summary

Introduction

Being fluent in any foreign language requires having a good command over its spoken and written forms. To succeed in any situation, speakers must avoid any misunderstanding and miscommunication during a conversation, so their speaking and listening skills should be to some extent perfect. For the former, correct pronunciation is essential. Many studies around the world investigated the EFL learners’ interlanguage intending to detect the difficulties they encounter through the identification of the errors they committed and put forward some solutions. Investigating learners’ errors is essential in foreign language studies as it may contribute to identifying learners’ problematic areas and propose adequate solutions

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Discussion

Conclusion