English Vowels Research Articles

Analysis of Students Phonological Errors in Pronouncing Vowel Sounds A Case Study of English Learners in Indonesia

The purpose of this study was to find phonological errors that students make when they pronounce vowel diphthongs. Researchers also asked what type of vocal diphthong sound students most often said in tenth grade. Grade X students of the 2021/2022 school year are the subjects of this study. This study used a quantitative descriptive approach. Researchers randomly selected 60 samples from 395 individuals. The tool used is the English Vowel Diphthong word pronunciation test, which includes eight types of English vowel diphthongs with two focus words for each type. Furthermore, a voice recorder is employed to capture the students' pronunciation. Findings showed that students made 339 word mistakes. The pronunciation of X graders shows the most frequent types of vowel diphthong errors: Diphhongs [ɔʊ] with the focus word "although" experience 72% of total errors, Diphhongs [ʊə] with the focus word "during" experience 65% of total errors, and Diphhongs [aɪ] with the focus word "sacrifice" experience 61% of total errors.

Introduction to Magic E in Reading English Words CVCe

English vowels consist of five letters that have different pronunciations (sounds) in English words. There are 20 vowel sounds and 24 consonant sounds in English. It is a challenge for English teachers to teach English learners the concept of reading English words. English vowels with the symbols a, i, u, e, and o have different pronunciations when they are positioned between consonants in the word CVC and when the word CVC is added by the letter e in the word CVCe. Therefore, this paper analyzed the influence of the letter e (which is referred to as magic e) in the pronunciation of English vowel sounds. This research is qualitative research with documentation study methods to analyze and explain how the vowel sounds are pronounced in CVC and CVCe words so that English reading teaching steps are obtained that are easy to understand. The results showed that English vowels were pronounced as short vowel sounds in CVC words and pronounced as long vowel sounds in CVCe words. The steps to teach magic e that can be applied are to repeat the short vowel sound material, introduce the concept of sounds and letters, introduce the concept of short and long vowel sounds, read two words similar in the concept of CVC and CVCe, and practice reading the word CVCe regularly.

Phonetic shifts in bilingual vowels: Evidence from intersentential and intrasentential code-switching

Aims and objectives: While previous research on code-switching, defined as the alternation between two languages in a single interaction, has focused on syntactic sociopragmatic patterns, significantly less work has focused on the impact of code-switching on phonetics. Distinct types of code-switching have been previously identified, with the distinction between intersentential and intrasentential code-switches being among the most basic. Yet, existing work on the phonetics of code-switching has largely relied on single feature (i.e., voice onset time) and has exclusively examined one type of code-switch (i.e., intrasentential). The current study investigates the potential for cross-linguistic interference in vowel production and examines the potential role of different code-switch types: intersentential and intrasentential code-switching. Design/Methodology: Thirty-seven Korean–English bilinguals participated in a controlled reading paradigm, producing monolingual English, monolingual Korean, intersentential code-switches, and intrasentential code-switches. Data and analysis: Analysis leveraged differences in the Korean and English vowel inventories and focused on the production of English [æ] and the corresponding Korean vowel [e~ε]. Findings/Conclusions: Results indicated that code-switched English vowels shifted in the direction of Korean vowels with respect to both height and backness. Code-switch type was shown to be significant, with a greater degree of vowel shift for intrasentential than intersentential code-switching. Originality: This study adds to the limited prior literature examining the effect of code-switching on vowel quality and is one of the first studies to systematically examine the role of code-switching typology on cross-linguistic interference in the phonetic domain. Significance/Implications: First, this study adds to the limited prior research that specifically examines the effect of code-switching on phonetic production of vowel quality. Second, this study highlights the nuances of short-term cross-linguistic interference, and notably the possibility for differential outcomes of interference across different linguistic domains (e.g., phonetics and syntax), showing a clear role for code-switching typology at the phonetic level.

THE ROLE OF L1 PROSODY IN L2 VOWEL DURATION PRODUCTION: EVIDENCE FROM ASIAN LEARNERS OF ENGLISH

The pre-fortis clipping pattern refers to vowels being shorter before voiceless consonants compared to vowels before voiced consonants. This study examined whether first-language (L1) prosodic properties affect the production of this vowel duration pattern in second-language (L2) English speech. Native speakers of Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese with varying English proficiency participated in a production experiment. Results showed that while speakers exhibited some pre-fortis clipping, there were no significant vowel lengthening patterns. Additional analysis revealed subtle differences based on the L1 prosody type. Native Mandarin and Vietnamese speakers, with lexical tone, had similar duration ratios. However, native Korean speakers, with no tone, showed less distinction in vowel duration by consonant voicing. Japanese speakers, with pitch accents, fell in the middle. The findings provide limited evidence that L1 prosody affects L2 vowel duration production. The results have implications for theories of L2 speech acquisition as well as pedagogical techniques when teaching English vowels.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0711/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The relationship between L2 learners’ production and perception of English vowels: The role of native-speaker acoustic patterns in production

Despite the abundance of research on the relationship between second language (L2) learners’ production and perception of target-language contrasts, the nature and details of this connection remain unclear. The aim of this study was to extend our understanding of the relationship by investigating whether learners who can produce L2 vowels with the same acoustic properties as those used by native speakers of the target language also perceive the vowels more accurately. To this end, we examined the production and perception of two English vowel contrasts (tense /i/ vs. lax /ɪ/, mid /ε/ vs. low /æ/) in 29 native-speakers of American English and 33 L2 learners of English from three native-language backgrounds: Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. We found that the L2 learners who produced distinctions between the target vowels using the same acoustic properties as do native speakers of English had significantly better perception scores for these vowels compared to the learners who distinguished the vowels using a pattern of acoustic properties that is not used by native speakers. This was also true when their patterns were compared to the learners who did not make any acoustic distinctions at all. The findings provide compelling evidence that L2 learners’ production patterns are linked to their perception skills.

Online Assessment of Cross-Linguistic Similarity as a Measure of L2 Perceptual Categorization Accuracy

The effect of cross-linguistic similarity on the development of target-like categories in a second or additional language is widely attested. Research also shows that second-language speakers may access both their native and the second-language lexicons when processing second-language speech. Forty-three Catalan learners of English performed a perceptual assimilation task evaluating the perceived similarity between English and Catalan vowels and also participated in a visual world eye-tracking experiment investigating between-language lexical competition. The focus of the study was the English vowel contrasts /iː/-/ɪ/ and /æ/-/ʌ/. The perceptual task confirmed that English /iː/ and /æ/were perceptually closer to native Catalan categories than English /ɪ/ and /ʌ/. The results of the spoken word recognition task indicated that learners experienced greater competition from native words when the target words contained English /iː/ and /æ/, illustrating a close link between the two types of tasks. However, differences in the magnitude of cross-language lexical competition were found to be only weakly related to learners’ degree of perceived similarity to native categories at an individual level. We conclude that online tasks provide a potentially effective method of assessing cross-linguistic similarity without the concerns inherent to more traditional offline approaches.

English vowel recognition in multi-talker babbles mixed with different numbers of talkersa).

The present study examined English vowel recognition in multi-talker babbles (MTBs) in 20 normal-hearing, native-English-speaking adult listeners. Twelve vowels, embedded in the h-V-d structure, were presented in MTBs consisting of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 talkers (numbers of talkers [N]) and a speech-shaped noise at signal-to-noise ratios of -12, -6, and 0 dB. Results showed that vowel recognition performance was a non-monotonic function of N when signal-to-noise ratios were less favorable. The masking effects of MTBs on vowel recognition were most similar to consonant recognition but less so to word and sentence recognition reported in previous studies.

THE SOUNDS OF INDONESIAN ENGLISH: ACOUSTIC PHONETIC ANALYSIS OF THE MONOPHTHONG VOWELS ACROSS GENDERS

This study explored the production of 11 English vowels by Acehnese Indonesian EFL students. Ten undergraduates (five males and five females) from the Pidie District, Aceh, participated, with Acehnese and Bahasa Indonesia as their first languages, and English learned formally at school since the 7th grade. Using PRAAT, recordings of vowel elicitations were measured and analyzed, revealing distinctions in vowel pairs. Statistical tests were employed to compare vowel productions between the males and females. The results showed that the females produced many of the vowel pairs similarly: /i:/-/ɪ/, /ɛ/-/æ/, /u:/-/ʊ/, /ʌ/-/ɑː/, and /ɑː/-/ɒ/. The pairs they differentiated were /ɜ:/-/ʌ/ and /ɔ:/-/ɒ/. However, the female students could not discriminate between the long and short vowel pairs. Meanwhile, the male students could distinguish the following pairs: /i:/-/ɪ/, /ɜ:/-/ʌ/, /ʌ/-/ɑː/, and /ɔ:/-/ɒ/. The others, /ɛ/-/æ/, /u:/-/ʊ,/ and /ɑː/-/ɒ/, were produced similarly. Additionally, they could distinguish the long and short vowels in the /ɜ:/-/ʌ/, /u:/-/ʊ/, /ʌ/-/ɑː/, and /ɑː/-/ɒ/ pairs, but not /i:/-/ɪ/, /ɛ/-/æ/ and /ɔ:/-/ɒ/. This study has shown complex distinctions in the production of English vowels by Acehnese Indonesian EFL students. These findings underscore the importance of considering gender-specific phonetic patterns in English language acquisition, providing valuable insights for language educators and researchers.

Evaluating the BBC’s L2 approach to teaching English consonants online: A digitally oriented pedagogic phonetic analysis

The vast majority of online L2 teaching platforms have always remained preoccupied with digitalising demonstrable pedagogic practices that facilitate the learners’ comprehension of linguistic input on the digital screen. This is particularly observable in the field of L2 phonetics where instructors’ performance (vocalic, facial, and bodily) typically reflects such pedagogic practices based on their theoretical knowledge of the field. However, it is not always the case that instructors’ pedagogic-phonetic performance can demonstrate or stage this form of phonetics knowledge, even with the ubiquitous presence of Internet ‘digital gadgets’ that are technologically enabled by L2 teaching platforms online. As a corollary to this problem, the present study continues and develops previous research conducted by the author on a pedagogic-phonetic critique of the BBC’s Internet-based L2 teaching of English vowels. A synthetic methodology of Bernstein’s model of Pedagogic Recontextualising Field (PRF) and Moinuddin’s theoretical notion of ‘digital gadgets’ is utilised as DPRF to demonstrate how the BBC’s online L2 teaching of English consonantal pronunciations, though digitally transforming text-theoretic phonetics descriptions, has partially failed to employ crucial aspects of pronunciation pertaining specifically to voicing and manner of articulation. The research data comprises 22 video-based screenshots drawn from the BBC Learning English website with materials archived for public use. Informed by the above synthetic methodology of DPRF, the present study concluded that the BBC’s online teaching of English consonants has set up what can be described as a partial digital PRF; this has been ascribed to the proven hypothesis that the BBC-based website proffers a restricted space for digitally recontextualising ‘visible’ practices associated with consonantal pronunciation to the exclusion of phonetically productive aspects of L2 teaching segmental units of English consonants. As such, these aspects are recommended to be incorporated into the phonetic-pedagogic practices afforded by the BBC’s digital PRF (DPRF).

Ultrasound tongue imaging of vowel spaces across pitches in singing

One important technique in singing is vowel modification: the adjustment of the resonance space based on the sung pitch for more efficient voice production. We explore whether vowel modification is a learned technique for enhanced acoustics, or if it is a necessary articulatory adjustment for high pitch production. 16 participants without vocal training participated in a singing experiment with ultrasound tongue imaging. Participants were asked to sing sets of English vowels across their comfortable pitch range rising by semitone in a steady tempo, resembling a vocal warm up exercise. Participants sang 5 sets of vowels in total, each set consists of 5 target vowels ([i], [ɛ], [æ], [ɑ], [u]) in randomized order with 1 filler ([ɔ]) closing each breath group. Images of tongue position were splined using DeepLabCut. Preliminary results show that untrained singers tend not to adjust their tongue positions by pitch, though cases of tongue lowering occasionally occurred, particularly for the participants who sing a wide pitch range. In contrast, additional pilot data from 2 trained operatic singers showed gradual tongue adjustments across their pitch range, neutralizing vowel contrasts at their highest pitches. We discuss findings with respect to vowel-pitch interaction, drawing implications on theories of voice production.

A descriptive study of vowels in Dialects of Pakistani English

The widespread use of English as a lingua franca has created many varieties of Global English. Pakistani English is an under-documented variety. As Pakistan is a multilingual country, it has been a difficult task for the linguists to document the dialects of Pakistani English and to determine how these dialects are influenced by regional languages (e.g. Pashto, Punjabi, Urdu etc.). Previous studies focused on Pakistani English of only a few locations (influenced by only a few regional languages). A broad-based study is required to document the phonetics of Pakistani English. The current study investigates two questions about the Pakistani English vowel system: how much variety there is, and whether the dialects of Pakistani English are influenced by regional languages. Speech data was collected from 208 undergrad students from thirteen cities representing thirteen regional languages of Pakistan (e.g. Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar etc.). Participants read thirty-two words expected to contain monophthongs in initial, medial and final position. Formant measurements are measured automatically in Praat. Preliminary analyses show variation in formant values of vowels in regional dialects; The results will allow for documentation of the vowel space of Pakistani English and will provide a broad representation of Pakistani English dialects.

Ladz in the Hood: Features of Pasifika English in Drill Rappers from Western Sydney

Despite well-established Pasifika communities in Australia, there has been no examination of the English spoken by members of these communities in the sociolinguistic literature. Yet, research shows that Pasifika English may exhibit key differences from local ‘mainstream’ varieties. In this paper, we present a case study of members of a drill rap group with Pasifika heritage to examine whether Pasifika English features are evident in their speech. We first analyze their monophthong productions and compare these to those of mainstream Australian English speakers. We also analyze their dental fricative realizations to examine whether there is evidence of th-stopping and dh-stopping, commonly described as markers of Pasifika English. Finally, we investigate whether their speech is more syllable-timed than mainstream Australian English. The results show that these speakers produce monophthongs generally consistent with mainstream Australian English vowels, despite some small differences. We also show consistent th-fronting and dh-stopping in their speech, which serves as a marker of their Pasifika heritage. We find a tendency towards more syllable-timed speech; however, this occurs to a lesser extent than has been reported for other Pasifika varieties of English. The results suggest that these speakers index their Pasifika identities by employing indicators/markers of Pasifika English that diverge from mainstream Australian English.

Classification of English vowels in terms of Cypriot Greek categories: The role of acoustic similarity between L1 and L2 sounds

Abstract Previous evidence has suggested that acoustic similarity between first language (L1) and second language (L2) sounds is an accurate indicator of the speakers’ L2 classification patterns. This study investigates this assumption by examining how speakers of an under-researched language, namely Cypriot Greek, classify L2 English vowels in terms of their L1 categories. The experimental protocol relied on a perception and a production study. For the purpose of the production study, two linear discriminant analysis (LDA) models, one with both formants and duration (FD) and one with only formants (F) as input, were used to predict this classification; the models included data from both English and Cypriot Greek speakers. The perception study consisted of a classification task performed by adult Cypriot Greek advanced speakers of English who permanently resided in Cyprus. The results demonstrated that acoustic similarity was a relatively good predictor of speakers’ classification patterns as the majority of L2 vowels classified with the highest proportion were predicted with success by the LDA models. In addition, the F model was better than the FD model in predicting the full range of responses. This shows that duration features were less important than formant features for the prediction of L2 vowel classification.

Decoding the Unspoken: Deep Learning-Based Recognition of Silently Spoken English Vowels Using sEMG Signals

Decoding the Unspoken: Deep Learning-Based Recognition of Silently Spoken English Vowels Using sEMG Signals

STUDENTS’ PHONEMIC AWARENESS IN MASTERY ENGLISH VOWEL AND CONSONANT SOUNDS

This research dealt with the students’ phonemic awareness in mastery English vowels and consonants sounds. The aim was to show activities carried out by the students to pronounce the English vowels and consonants sounds and to read as well as to write the sounds symbol in phonemic transcription. The subject in this research was the second semester students of English Education Study Program of a private university in Medan with total number of 15 students. Descriptive qualitative with observation was designed to implement this research. The subject of this research was observed thoroughly during the learning process. The result showed that the students were aware of phonemic in English sounds. They were able to understand the phonemic concept of English vowels and consonants sounds. They were able to pronounce and differentiate the phonemic transcription of English vowel and consonant sounds.

Variability in cross-language and cross-dialect perception. How Irish and Chinese migrants process Australian English vowels.

We investigate how three adult groups- experienced L2 English listeners; experienced D2 (second dialect) listeners; and native L1/D1 listeners- categorise Australian English (AusE) lax front vowels /ɪ e æ/ in /hVt/, /hVl/ and /mVl/ environments in a forced-choice categorisation task of synthesised continua. In study 1, AusE listeners show predictable categorisations, with an effect of coarticulation raising the vowel in perception for nasal onset stimuli, and a following lateral lowering the vowel in perception. In study 2, Irish (D2) and Chinese listeners (L2) have different categorisations than AusE listeners, likely guided by their D1/L1. Coarticulation influences the D1/D2 groups in similar ways, but results in more difficulty and less agreement for the Chinese. We also investigate the role of extralinguistic factors. For the Chinese listeners, higher proficiency in English does not correlate with more Australian-like categorisation behaviour. However, having fewer Chinese in their social network results in more Australian-like categorisation for some stimuli. These findings lend partial support to the role of experience and exposure in L2/D2 contexts, whereby categorisation is likely still driven by native categories, with increased exposure leading to better mapping, but not to a restructuring of underlying phonetic categories.

Auditory discrimination in aging bilinguals vs. monolinguals with and without hearing loss.

Demands for effective assessments of speech perception specific to the aging brain are increasing, as the impacts of hearing loss on an individual's functional health, socialization, and cognition have become more widely recognized. Understanding the mechanisms behind the optimal function of the aging brain in relation to speech and language is challenging, especially in the bilingual population where the language learning and language interference processes could be mistaken for perceptual difficulty. Age-related presbycusis is unavoidable, and the contributions of this sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) process on impaired speech recognition are not completely understood. This lack of understanding of the effects of aging and bilingual language competency on speech perception can act as a barrier to successful auditory rehabilitation. The present study investigated the effects of aging on vowel sound discrimination in adult listeners (age 50+) with the following characteristics: American English (AE) monolinguals with normal hearing, simultaneous or early sequential Spanish-English (SE) bilinguals with normal hearing, and AE monolinguals with SNHL (AE-SNHL). The goal was to identify the differences in vowel sound discrimination performance between the monolingual and bilingual aging populations to guide future language assessments and intervention processes. English vowel discrimination was assessed using an AXB discrimination task in quiet and using the Quick Speech in Noise (QuickSIN) test. SE bilinguals were outperformed by AE and AE-SNHL monolinguals, suggesting SE bilinguals primarily use their L1 acoustic properties to discriminate speech segments. No significant difference was found in QuickSIN performance between the bilingual and the monolingual groups, but there was a significant difference between AE and AE-SNHL. In conclusion, vowel discrimination was affected by interference with the native language, while performance in the noise condition was affected by hearing loss. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of the age-related speech processing deficits from three different aging groups regarding the cognitive control system.

Production of English Vowel Contrasts in Spanish L1 Learners: A Longitudinal Study

The present study undertakes a longitudinal examination of forty postgraduate students, native Spanish speakers, during their first year at a UK university. The research focuses on both individual and collective progress in mastering distinctions within English vowel pairs (/iː/-/ɪ/, /ɪ/-/e/, and /uː/-/ʊ/), with a specific focus on adaptations towards achieving native-like English vowel pronunciation, particularly in terms of vowel quality. Prior research indicates that adult Spanish learners encounter difficulties in mastering the intricate linguistic nuances presented by English. The methodology involved recording Spanish-speaking participants reading a list of words (CVC context) at three different time points over a year. The analysis was based on formant frequencies using Praat, and Euclidean distances were calculated to represent the degree of separation between each pair of vowels. Information about external factors potentially influencing the development of vowel productions among speakers was gathered through a language background questionnaire. The outcomes suggested varying rates of advancement within the group, which could be attributed to the diverse levels of exposure and interaction with native English speakers during their year of study in the UK. These results affirm the learning processes in adult L2 production, emphasizing the critical role played by both the quantity and quality of time in the assimilation of pronunciations to novel L2 segments.

Understanding the Difficulties of Saraiki Speakers with English Vowel Pronunciation at Secondary Level

English language is an international language, as for as the pronunciation of English vowels is concerned, the learners of L2 face a lot of problems. It’s believed that Pakistani students especially Saraiki students face colossal difficulties in the production of English vowels and face a lot of problems in the recognition of English vowel sounds because of the improper guidance by the teachers as well as the influence of mother tongue. Pakistani Institutions neglect the importance of pronunciation. The researcher conducted research in district Multan (Pakistan) and from Multan city, she selected fifty students of 9th and 10th class from five different Govt. and Private high schools. From each school ten students were selected and female students from four different schools and male students from one school were selected. A list of one hundred and sixty words was prepared and these words were pronounced by the students. Data was recorded in a C.D and analysed in percentage. Findings showed that there was a lack of teachers’ training as well as improper guidance to the students by teachers and the surroundings. This study suggested some ways for improving pronunciation of English vowels and at the end conclusion was drawn.

An Analysis of English Vowels Pronunciation by The Third Semester Students of Pohuwato University

This research is about an analysis of English vowels pronounciation made by the third semester students of Pohuwato University. The researcher focused on the pronounciation of English pure vowels. This research investigated the types of error in English vowels pronunciation and to find out the common error in English vowels pronunciation made by the third semester students of Pohuwato University. This research was descriptive qualitative. The sample of the research was 20 students from the third semester students of Pohuwato University. The instruments used were test and recordings. The data analysis showed that most of the third semester students’ error pronunciation is substitution, for example the word improve /ɪm’pru:v/ the students pronounced /ɪm’pro:v/. It means that the vowel /u:/, is substituted by vowel /o:/. The second is insertion, for example the word simple /’sɪmpl/ the students pronounced /sɪmpel/. It means that there is an addition of vowel /e/. The third is ommision, for example the word update /ʌpdeɪt/, /ʌp’deɪt/ the students pronounced /apdet/, it can be stated that the vowel /ɪ/ is ommited. The most common error English vowel pronunciation made by the third semester students of Pohuwato University is substitution.