A Proposal on an Investigation on the Level of Phonological Interference in the Speech of Hausa-English Bilingual: a Case Study of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto
CHAPTER ONE
AIMS OF THE STUDY
The aim of this study is to find out the level of phonological interference on the phonology of standard British English (RP). That is, the changes that may likely occur as a result of the phonological interference in the speech of Hausa-English bilingual. In other words, this work is to search for the features that distinguish the phonology of Nigeria English variety from the Received Pronunciation. These features shall be identified from the recorded speech collected and analyzed. We hope to provide solution to bridge the gap in the differences.
CHAPTER THREE
LITERATURE REVIEW
PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY
Phonetics is the study of human sounds in general without reference to their systemic role in a specific language. Phonetics is divided into three types (Articulator), transmission (Acoustics), and perception of sound (Carr Philip, 1999)
Phonetics is also defined as the study of production of sounds as produced by the organs of speech. It deals with the analysis of the sounds of languages in terms of articulation, transmission and perception. Phonetics seeks to identify sounds that constitute speech units which are distinct from all other possible human sounds (Adetugbo, 1993)
There are three major braches in the study of phonetics, namely acoustic Phonetics, articulatory Phonetics, and auditory Phonetics.
ARTICULATORY PHONETICS
Articulatory phonetics refers to the approach to the phonetic medium that seeks to explain and classify speech sounds in terms of the variations in the production of the speech sounds. It is about the most highly developed and longest established branch of phonetics. It sees speech as an activity of the speaker and concentrates attention on the human speech organs and how these organs function singly and in combination with each other to modify exhaled air from the lungs into speech sounds. In articulatory phonetics speech sounds are described in terms of the organs which produce them and how these organs behave during their production. For instance a description of the sound [p] will include the fact that the two lips come together and momentarily completely block the passage of air from the lungs and then a sudden release of the air or a sudden parting of the lips occurs resulting in some kind of explosion . It is for this reason that the phonetic description of [p] includes the terms “bilabial plosive”. In this course we are mainly concerned with this aspect of phonetics – Articulatory Phonetics. Unit 5 of this Module provides essential information on the organs of speech (Crystal, 1991).
CHAPTER FOUR
PHONEMIC THEORY
This theory is used to address differences in the pronunciation of sound units which result to different words. It is observed that in any language, some differences in pronunciation are crucially distinctive. It is these distinctions and contrasts that are recognized by the speakers of the language as making different words and acknowledged by linguists as systemically functional. The term is usually ascribed to Boudouin de Courtenay (1845-1929). He was a polish linguist and he taught in Russian universities from 1870. The concept of phoneme became important not only for its relevance to problems such as how to represent the pronunciation of dialects and language that had never been transcribed before but also as a keystone of modern phonological theory (Clark et al., 2007).
GENERATIVE PHONOLOGY
This is a phonological theory which state that plausible general rules were better expressed in terms of feature. It talk about university instead of specificality. It’s states that phonological description should employ feature – based rules as a proper means of reflecting the complexity of the description. It was propounded by Chomsky and Halle in 1960s (Clark et al., 2007).
AUTOSEGMENTAL
The phrase “autosegmental phonology” is the title of Gold Smith’s dissertation submitted to the Massachuset institute of Technology in 1976 and published in the same year, Goldsmith’s mutual concerned is what may seeing to be a limited and particular problem, that of segmental organization, or more particularly, that of phenomena which have “evaded segmental classification” (Goldsmith, 1976:56).
CHAPTER FIVE
Research Methodology
Research Design
We will make use of the phonological elements identified in chapter two for the analysis and discussion shall be made on the data.
Method of Data Analysis
Recorded speech of the Hausa speakers will form the data for this research. A passage will be given to the ten selected students to read.
REFERENCES
- Adedimeji, M.A. (2007) ‘The Linguistic Features of Nigerian English and their Implication 21st Century English Pedagogy’ in S.E. Dandaura (Ed). The Abuja Communicator, Abuja: Department of Theatre Arts, University of Abuja. Vol. 3.1. pp166 – 183.
- Adetugbo, A. (1993). English Phonetics: A Course Text. Lagos: University of Lagos Press.
- Akmajian, A. Demers, A.R. and Harnish, R.M. (2008). An Introduction to Language and Communication. India: Prentice Hall.
- Alabi, T.A. (2007) ‘Language Contact: The Nigerian Experience with English.’ In O. Obafemi, G.A. Ajadi and V.A. Alabi (Eds) Critical Perspective on English Language and Literature, Ilorin: Department of English, University of Ilorin pp.78 – 95.
- Carr, Philip (1999). English Phonetics and Phonology. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
- Clark, J. Yallop, C. and Flecher, J. (2007). An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology. U.K: Blackwell Publishing.
- Crystal, D.C. (1991). Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics (3rd edition).
- Cambridge: Basil Blackwell.
- Gibson, A.C. (1998). Practical Course of English Pronunciation: A Perceptual Approach. London: William and Sons Ltd.
- Goldsmith, S. (1999). Phonological Theory. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Halliday, M.A.K, McKintosh, A. and Strevents, P. (1970). Linguistics Science and Language Teaching. London: Longman
