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Title Phonetic Flexibility and Phonological Process of English: A Comparative Study of English and Pashto Sound Systems)

Author(s) Tabassum Javed

Abstract English language like every other spoken language consists of sounds and patterns of sounds. English phonetic system has 44 phonemes or the basic contrastive units of sounds, also termed as International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). There is a lot of variability and discrepancy in pronouncing these phonemes within the language from context to context. Like human beings they are affected by their neighborhood or contiguity. This of course, gives rise to very interesting and strange phenomenon. On account of variability of the same sounds or phonemes, the pronunciation of words become easier, this in fact shows the flexibility of the phonetic system of English language. This reality of change of pronunciation in the basic sounds of English language is also observed among the non-native speakers of the language. Perhaps on account of flexibility and phonological processes, English language has adopted various forms such as Black English, African English, American English, Canadian English, Hindish, etc. No doubt, this is one of the reasons of diversion from the standard language, yet a very strong one. One of the hazards for the users of English is that the language has many more speech sounds than it has letters of the alphabet. In some of the cases it lacks in one to one correspondence between sounds and letters. We some times know what a word means through our reading experience but we are not sure whether a particular vowel is short or long, whether a particular consonant is silent or not, where the stress should be or not etc. This discrepancy proves to be problematic for the non-native learners of the language. The main purpose of this thesis is to focus the problems faced by Pakhtu/Pashto learners of English relating their pronunciation. An attempt is made to highlight those problems caused by certain phonological processes such as assimilation, elision and linking etc. An effort is also made to make it clear for the Pashto learners that there is a great deal of difference between the way the words are pronounced in isolation and in connected speech. It is difficult for any non-native as well as Pashto speakers of English language to speak hundred percent like native speakers. Two speakers may not pronounce the same utterance exactly alike and no two pronunciations of a single word uttered by the same speaker may be exactly the same. Within an utterance there could be infinite chances of variation. Deviations in pronunciation from Standard English are a common and natural phenomenon throughout the world. As long as the content of the utterance is understandable such deviations are accepted worldwide. Moreover, by accepting such variations English language proves itself to be a living and versatile language. This research tries to make it clear that the element of flexibility facilitates to get ease in spoken expression and encourages the speakers within limits of tolerance to speak in a liberal atmosphere.

Type Thesis/Dissertation PhD

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2012-01-01

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