Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection

Rahima Akbar; Hanan Taqi; Nada Al-Gharabally

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection

Rahima Akbar, Hanan Taqi, Nada Al-Gharabally

Published in International Journal of Education, Culture and Society (Volume 5, Issue 6)

Received: 17 October 2020 Accepted: 2 November 2020 Published: 11 November 2020

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Abstract

Research in the area of L2 phonological awareness continues to grow rapidly considering the importance of achieving proficient spoken English and ensuring being understood during communication, but most importantly on guaranteeing learners (worldwide) better professional opportunities. In Kuwait, conversing in English at a level at which the users can understand and be understood has become crucially important, regardless of the field in which the population studies or works. Within such intriguing context of phonological awareness in second language acquisition, the current study investigated the association of English phonemes production and perception by speakers of Kuwaiti Arabic and the main triggers of incorrect production. The present study looked specifically into the phonological errors made by Kuwaiti speakers of English when L1 has a parallel phoneme of only one of the two contrasting L2 phonemes in its L1 phoneme and/or orthography systems. The study was conducted on 244 Kuwaiti male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 30. The sample answered a 44 words questionnaire consisting of three English phonemes, namely, /p/, /v/ and /t∫/ and their counterparts /b/, /f/ and /∫/. The participants were asked to choose the correct sound they hear in word-initial and word-final positions. Findings of the study suggest that many Kuwaiti learners of English found it difficult to identify the English phonemes as a result of a deeper level of complications triggered by the occurrence of contrasting phonemes in both L1 and L2, hypercorrection, and interference of orthography. It is, hence, believed that perception is not the sole reason that causes Arabic learners of English to produce English sounds incorrectly.

Published in	International Journal of Education, Culture and Society (Volume 5, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13
Page(s)	126-136
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Second Language, Phonological Awareness, Production, Perception, Hypercorrection, Orthography, Sociolinguistics, English, Kuwaiti Arabic

References

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Rahima Akbar, Hanan Taqi, Nada Al-Gharabally. (2020). Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection. International Journal of Education, Culture and Society, 5(6), 126-136. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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Rahima Akbar; Hanan Taqi; Nada Al-Gharabally. Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection. Int. J. Educ. Cult. Soc. 2020, 5(6), 126-136. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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Rahima Akbar, Hanan Taqi, Nada Al-Gharabally. Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection. Int J Educ Cult Soc. 2020;5(6):126-136. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13,
  author = {Rahima Akbar and Hanan Taqi and Nada Al-Gharabally},
  title = {Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection},
  journal = {International Journal of Education, Culture and Society},
  volume = {5},
  number = {6},
  pages = {126-136},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijecs.20200506.13},
  abstract = {Research in the area of L2 phonological awareness continues to grow rapidly considering the importance of achieving proficient spoken English and ensuring being understood during communication, but most importantly on guaranteeing learners (worldwide) better professional opportunities. In Kuwait, conversing in English at a level at which the users can understand and be understood has become crucially important, regardless of the field in which the population studies or works. Within such intriguing context of phonological awareness in second language acquisition, the current study investigated the association of English phonemes production and perception by speakers of Kuwaiti Arabic and the main triggers of incorrect production. The present study looked specifically into the phonological errors made by Kuwaiti speakers of English when L1 has a parallel phoneme of only one of the two contrasting L2 phonemes in its L1 phoneme and/or orthography systems. The study was conducted on 244 Kuwaiti male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 30. The sample answered a 44 words questionnaire consisting of three English phonemes, namely, /p/, /v/ and /t∫/ and their counterparts /b/, /f/ and /∫/. The participants were asked to choose the correct sound they hear in word-initial and word-final positions. Findings of the study suggest that many Kuwaiti learners of English found it difficult to identify the English phonemes as a result of a deeper level of complications triggered by the occurrence of contrasting phonemes in both L1 and L2, hypercorrection, and interference of orthography. It is, hence, believed that perception is not the sole reason that causes Arabic learners of English to produce English sounds incorrectly.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection
AU  - Rahima Akbar
AU  - Hanan Taqi
AU  - Nada Al-Gharabally
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DO  - 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13
T2  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
JF  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
JO  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
SP  - 126
EP  - 136
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3363
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13
AB  - Research in the area of L2 phonological awareness continues to grow rapidly considering the importance of achieving proficient spoken English and ensuring being understood during communication, but most importantly on guaranteeing learners (worldwide) better professional opportunities. In Kuwait, conversing in English at a level at which the users can understand and be understood has become crucially important, regardless of the field in which the population studies or works. Within such intriguing context of phonological awareness in second language acquisition, the current study investigated the association of English phonemes production and perception by speakers of Kuwaiti Arabic and the main triggers of incorrect production. The present study looked specifically into the phonological errors made by Kuwaiti speakers of English when L1 has a parallel phoneme of only one of the two contrasting L2 phonemes in its L1 phoneme and/or orthography systems. The study was conducted on 244 Kuwaiti male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 30. The sample answered a 44 words questionnaire consisting of three English phonemes, namely, /p/, /v/ and /t∫/ and their counterparts /b/, /f/ and /∫/. The participants were asked to choose the correct sound they hear in word-initial and word-final positions. Findings of the study suggest that many Kuwaiti learners of English found it difficult to identify the English phonemes as a result of a deeper level of complications triggered by the occurrence of contrasting phonemes in both L1 and L2, hypercorrection, and interference of orthography. It is, hence, believed that perception is not the sole reason that causes Arabic learners of English to produce English sounds incorrectly.
VL  - 5
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Author Information

Rahima Akbar

English Department, College of Basic Education, Ardiya, Kuwait
Hanan Taqi

English Department, College of Basic Education, Ardiya, Kuwait
Nada Al-Gharabally

English Department, College of Basic Education, Ardiya, Kuwait

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Rahima Akbar, Hanan Taqi, Nada Al-Gharabally. (2020). Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection. International Journal of Education, Culture and Society, 5(6), 126-136. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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ACS Style

Rahima Akbar; Hanan Taqi; Nada Al-Gharabally. Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection. Int. J. Educ. Cult. Soc. 2020, 5(6), 126-136. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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AMA Style

Rahima Akbar, Hanan Taqi, Nada Al-Gharabally. Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection. Int J Educ Cult Soc. 2020;5(6):126-136. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13,
  author = {Rahima Akbar and Hanan Taqi and Nada Al-Gharabally},
  title = {Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection},
  journal = {International Journal of Education, Culture and Society},
  volume = {5},
  number = {6},
  pages = {126-136},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijecs.20200506.13},
  abstract = {Research in the area of L2 phonological awareness continues to grow rapidly considering the importance of achieving proficient spoken English and ensuring being understood during communication, but most importantly on guaranteeing learners (worldwide) better professional opportunities. In Kuwait, conversing in English at a level at which the users can understand and be understood has become crucially important, regardless of the field in which the population studies or works. Within such intriguing context of phonological awareness in second language acquisition, the current study investigated the association of English phonemes production and perception by speakers of Kuwaiti Arabic and the main triggers of incorrect production. The present study looked specifically into the phonological errors made by Kuwaiti speakers of English when L1 has a parallel phoneme of only one of the two contrasting L2 phonemes in its L1 phoneme and/or orthography systems. The study was conducted on 244 Kuwaiti male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 30. The sample answered a 44 words questionnaire consisting of three English phonemes, namely, /p/, /v/ and /t∫/ and their counterparts /b/, /f/ and /∫/. The participants were asked to choose the correct sound they hear in word-initial and word-final positions. Findings of the study suggest that many Kuwaiti learners of English found it difficult to identify the English phonemes as a result of a deeper level of complications triggered by the occurrence of contrasting phonemes in both L1 and L2, hypercorrection, and interference of orthography. It is, hence, believed that perception is not the sole reason that causes Arabic learners of English to produce English sounds incorrectly.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Phonological Awareness of English Phonemes by Kuwaiti Arabic Speakers with Evidence of Phonemic Hypercorrection
AU  - Rahima Akbar
AU  - Hanan Taqi
AU  - Nada Al-Gharabally
Y1  - 2020/11/11
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13
T2  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
JF  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
JO  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
SP  - 126
EP  - 136
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3363
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200506.13
AB  - Research in the area of L2 phonological awareness continues to grow rapidly considering the importance of achieving proficient spoken English and ensuring being understood during communication, but most importantly on guaranteeing learners (worldwide) better professional opportunities. In Kuwait, conversing in English at a level at which the users can understand and be understood has become crucially important, regardless of the field in which the population studies or works. Within such intriguing context of phonological awareness in second language acquisition, the current study investigated the association of English phonemes production and perception by speakers of Kuwaiti Arabic and the main triggers of incorrect production. The present study looked specifically into the phonological errors made by Kuwaiti speakers of English when L1 has a parallel phoneme of only one of the two contrasting L2 phonemes in its L1 phoneme and/or orthography systems. The study was conducted on 244 Kuwaiti male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 30. The sample answered a 44 words questionnaire consisting of three English phonemes, namely, /p/, /v/ and /t∫/ and their counterparts /b/, /f/ and /∫/. The participants were asked to choose the correct sound they hear in word-initial and word-final positions. Findings of the study suggest that many Kuwaiti learners of English found it difficult to identify the English phonemes as a result of a deeper level of complications triggered by the occurrence of contrasting phonemes in both L1 and L2, hypercorrection, and interference of orthography. It is, hence, believed that perception is not the sole reason that causes Arabic learners of English to produce English sounds incorrectly.
VL  - 5
IS  - 6
ER  -

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