Simplification of English Words: A Case of Vowel Mutation
Dr. Milind M. Ahire
Associate Professor
of English
MSG Arts, Science
and Commerce College, Malegaon,
Savitribai Phule
Pune University (India)
Abstract:
Second/foreign language learner approaches a new language with different
strategies to make the learning experience effective. This language sounds new
to the learner. The experience seems both familiar and different to him/her on
the backdrop of the already existing sound system. The learner move to and
forth from existing sound system to unfamiliar one and jog between the two to
strike a balance. The learner uses strategies to simplify the sounds of the new
language to align with the existing system available. The purpose of this study
is to explore the speech of non-native speakers of English for identifying
features of simplification in producing English vowel sounds. It identifies the
reasons the speakers simplify English vowels in informal communication.
Furthermore, the study observed how these speakers pronounce certain English
words using context specific simplification strategies while producing English
vowel sounds. The study included 12 participants and 7 observed sessions of
communication they did with other members of the speech community. The data
collected indicated interesting strategies/patterns of simplification. The
researcher interpreted the data and derived plausible reasons for such
simplification. It showed how the participants adapted pronunciation of the
vowels sound to fulfil their purpose of informal communication and at the same
time sound intelligible. The researcher subscribed to the contrast-based
approach to simplification to explore the issue of vowel mutation of English
vowel sounds within a specified speech community. The researcher elaborated on
variations in vowel mutation, simplification processes adapted, and
morphophonemic environment contributing to simplification of vowel mutation.
Keywords: Marathi/Ahirani, Phonetic environment,
Simplification, Vowel mutation*
*simplification
and mutation are used interchangeably
Introduction
My mother is 65 now. She is often curious about the nature of work I do
in college. Among the several questions she asks the interesting one is, What
is the difference between school and college? I struggle to respond to her
question as she expects. Moreover, she always utters the word College /kɔlIʤ/, College/kaleʤ/*.
She readily changes the vowel sound /ɔ/ to /a/ and /I/ to /e/. She simplifies
the word to be in tune with phonetic environment of her mother tongue; Ahirani,
a dialect of Marathi. She has been using the word many times and I too have not
found it strange as a listener. Nonetheless, when I look at this as a student
of English language, it forces me to rethink. I ponder upon her need to
simplify or have mutation of such vowel sounds in certain words.
The study of vowel mutation, or the simplification of vowel sounds within words, is a crucial area of study in phonetics and sociolinguistics. This research paper examines how Marathi speakers, who predominantly reside in Maharashtra, India, simplify English vowel sounds. The difficulties Marathi speakers face in pronouncing English vowel sound origin from the morphophonemic differences between Marathi and English. Marathi has a unique set of vowel sounds and does not have the same distinctions between long and short vowels as English.
This study aims to identify
the specific patterns of vowel mutation/simplification that undergo when
speakers of Ahirani (a dialect of Marathi) use utter English words in their
informal speech. The data helped to analyse these patterns of pronunciation and
better our understanding of phonology and second language acquisition.
Furthermore, this research attempts to contribute to the development of
specified language teaching strategies that address these pronunciation
challenges. This would help second language learners achieve pronunciation
appropriateness in English.
1.
Research Question
The study addresses the research question, how
do speakers of Ahirani (a dialect of Marathi) simplify English vowels in
informal communication leading to vowel mutation? The objective is to
identify, classify and interpret features of vowel simplification/mutation in
informal speech of the participants.
2. Objectives
The study moved
along the following objectives.
2.1. Collect and
analyze morphophonemic corpus of speakers of Ahirani(a dialect of Marathi)
to analyze features of simplification/mutation in pronouncing English vowels
2.2.Identify features
of vowel simplification/mutation in the production of English vowels by
speakers of Ahirani.
3. Methodology
3.1-Setting
This study is
undertaken in Malegaon; a semi urban tehsil place in Nashik district of North
region of Maharashtra. It is situated at the Latitude
of 20.560797 and Longitude of 74.525070. The people here primarily speak Marathi as a
second language and their native tongue is Ahirani: a dialect of Marathi spoken
in four districts (Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, and Jalgaon) of Maharashtra.
3.2-Study
Populations
Marathi is the
regional language in the state of Maharashtra in India. It has dialects like
Ahirani, Kokani, Warhadi, Malwani, and Kolhapuri. The population in the North
of Maharashtra which is popularly known as Khandesh consisting of four
districts (Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nandurbar) speaks Ahirani as a mother
tongue. I collected and analysed the linguistic
corpus of 12 speakers (Appendix-A) of
Ahirani of this region. The study
population features a group of illiterate and semi-literate people.
3.3-Sampling
I used the
convenience sampling technique. The study involved 12 participants (Appendix
A). I observed these 12 participants as a part of an observation schedule. The
criterion for using this sampling is; frequency of contact, situations wherein
participants have informal speech, and how they pronounce English words with
features of vowel simplification/mutation. The sample has 7 illiterate (in
formal sense) and 5 semi-literate people. The participants identified were
in the age group of 38 to 67. The average age of the participants is 52.41.
Among the 12 participants 3 are female and 9 are male.
3.4- Data Collection
The researcher planned a structured
observation schedule to attend sessions of informal speech. The topics for such
informal discussion sessions were not pre-determined. They were received as
natural as possible. My focus was to mark the English words spoken by the
speakers of Ahirani. Alongside, I intended to observe how the participants
utter English vowels in words that exhibit features of vowel
simplification/mutation. I had designed a datasheet. (Appendix B) and recorded
the English words used by the participants. It lasted for 4 months (February
2022 to May 2022). I could participate in 11 such informal sessions with the
participants. I used the following criteria for selection of words are:
a.
a spoken word (English) in informal conversation.
b.
frequency of occurrence of such words in informal communication.
c.
exhibit features of vowel simplification/mutation.
I could collect 64 words which were relative
to different simplification processes. I marked 16 words that feature
simplification/mutation of English vowels.
3.5-Data Analysis
The collected data is analyzed in three
categorical components. They are features of simplification, patterns of
simplification and probable reasons of simplification. The researcher adapted
three methodological stages. They are;
3.5.1-Description
The researcher organized the 16 words
alphabetically. Then, he transcribed (phonemically) the words in standard
British English. He also transcribed the same words in the way they were spoken
by the speakers.
3.5.2-Identification
The researcher compared the spoken form of
the English words with that of the British English (RP) variation. The
comparison focused on identification of the differences in pronunciation of
words. The differences are marked with the help of phonemic transcription. The
process focused on vowel simplification/mutation and its features of
simplification.
3.5.3-Analysis
The researcher analysed the data and
identified pattern/s of simplification found in each word. Identification
followed tracing plausible reasons for the participants to adapt a
simplification strategy. The applied simplification strategies generated
variation/s in production of the vowel in the given word. Such variations are
akin to a relative phonetic environment. The researcher marked vowel mutation
in the collected words. Their phonetic environment surrounding these sounds
facilitated simplification and their variations.
4.
Observations, Interpretation and Discussion
The words in Table
(1) were marked for their occurrences in informal speech of the
participants. Again, they exhibit features of simplification/mutation in their
speech. The participants used unique strategies to simplify the vowels. The
simplified variations of the vowels are also documented. Let’s discuss nature
of clusters and the speakers’ strategies to simplify them.
|
Sr. No. |
English
Word |
Transcription |
Word |
Simplification (Mutation) |
|
1 |
Accelerator |
/əkseləreitə/ |
Accelerator |
/eksletər/ |
|
2 |
Coffee |
/kɔfI/ |
Coffee |
/kafI/ |
|
3 |
College |
/kɔlIʤ/ |
College |
/kaleʤ/ |
|
4 |
Customer |
/kɅstəmə/ |
Customer |
/kəstəmbər/ |
|
5 |
Computer |
/kəmpjutə/ |
Computer |
/kamputər/ |
|
6 |
Doctor |
/dɔktə/ |
Doctor |
/daktər/ |
|
7 |
Helicopter |
/helikɔptə/ |
Helicopter |
/helikapter/ |
|
8 |
Lawns |
/lɔns/ |
Lawns |
/lans/ |
|
9 |
Manager |
/mǣnIʤə/ |
manager
|
/mǣnenʤər/ |
|
10 |
Matchbox |
/mǣʧbɔks/ |
Matchbox |
/maʧi:s/ |
|
11 |
Office |
/ɔfis/ |
Office |
/hafis/ |
|
12 |
Peg |
/peg/ |
Peg |
/pǣk/ |
|
13 |
Pendant |
/pendənt/ |
Pendant |
/pǣndal/ |
|
14 |
Rickshaw |
/rikʃɔ/ |
Rickshaw |
/rIkʃa/ |
|
15 |
Sharpener |
/ʃa:pnə/ |
Sharpener |
/ʃɔpnər/ |
|
16 |
Shirt
|
/ʃ3:t/ |
Shirt
|
//ʃərt |
Table
1: Words with vowel mutation strategy
1.
Accelerator-/eksletər/* /ə-----e/, /ei-------e/,
The English letter ‘A’ is pronounced as sound
/e/ irrespective of its occurrence. Interestingly, the letter ‘A’ has a number
of allophonic variations in English. These are not necessarily used by speakers
of Ahirani. They mostly pronounce all its variants as /e/ irrespective of its
occurrence. So, allophonic variations of the letter ‘A’ are not considered.
Instead, /e/ is used at all positions. Second, the phenomenon of glide is less
in use in Ahirani. The speakers simplify the /ei/ diphthong for the vowel /e/
owing to the occurrence of the letter ‘A’.
2.
Coffee-/kafI/* /ɔ -----a/
Traditionally, the
letter ‘A’ has /अ,आ,ए,ओ,औ,अं,अः/ allophonic
variationsin Marathi. It does not include /अॅ,ऑ/ in the list of vowels. Absence of these variations in the speakers’
cognitive system of the language forces them to resort to replace sound /a/ for
its English sound /ɔ/.Similarly, the words like doctor, lawn,
helicopter, office, rickshaw, etc. have similar simplification strategy in use.
The speakers of Ahirani find it simple to move to sound /a/ to compensate the
vowel /ɔ/.
3. College-/kaleʤ/* /
ɔ---a/, /I---e/
Here
the speakers Non-use of /ɔ/ by Ahirani speakers in informal speech forces them
to replace it with /a/. A similar morphophonemic surrounding is in place as
described in the word ‘coffee’ (sr.no.2)
4. Customer-/kəstəmbər/* /ə---Ʌ/
In Marathi vowels
and their allophonic variations, the English allophone of /a/; /Ʌ/ is not relevant.
The speaker instead uses weak /ə/
to replace quick /Ʌ/.
This simplification/mutation inclines more towards the speakers’ habit of using
/ə/ irrespective of its
position.
5. Computer-
/kamputər/ * /ə----a/
The
letter C in the word corresponds to sound /क/
in Marathi which includes an implicit /ə/. The second letter O corresponds to
/ə/ here. Nevertheless, the speaker of Marathi represents this letter with /आ- a/
and thus generates a combination of /k/ and /a/ that is ‘ka’ instead of /kə/.
Thus, the sound /ə/ simplifies to /a/.
6.
Doctor- /daktər/* /ɔ---a/
Here,
the speakers simplify the sound /ɔ/ with that of /a/. The
sound /d/ has an implicit /ə/ sound for speakers of Ahirani. Thus, the speaker
naturally resorts to use /a/ sound to simplify /ɔ/.
7.
Helicopter/helikapter/* /ɔ---a/
Here,
the speakers simplify the sound /ɔ/ with that of /a/. The
implicitness of the sound /ə/ while producing /k/ sound helps the speaker to
form /kə/ which in turn becomes /ka/ in sound production.
8.
Lawns/lans/* /ɔ---a/
Here, the speakers simplify the sound /ɔ/
with /a/. The speaker simplifies rounding of lips for /w/ and paves way to /a/
which begins with /l and a/ and continues throughout.
9. Manager-/mǣnenʤər/*
/I---e/
In
Marathi, the word ‘manager’ is translated as ‘मॅनेजर’
quite different from its British English equivalent‘मॅनीजर’.
The former variation is so frequent in use and become the part of speakers’
active vocabulary for a long time. The alveolar sounds /n….n/ around forces the
speaker to continue that articulation without changing the position of the
tongue to flat position.
10.
Matchbox/maʧi:s/* /ǣ---a/
In
the word ‘matchbox’ the speaker simplifies the sound /ǣ/ with /a/. A visual
impression of the letter ‘A’ is correspondingly thought of as ‘ma’ like in
Hindi (मा) and ‘ma’as in Marathi(मा).Thus,
the letter ‘A’ is simplified as /a/ instead of /ǣ/.
11.
Office/hafis/* /ɔ---ha/
In the word ‘office’ the speaker simplifies
the sound /ɔ/ with /ha/. The sound /ɔ/ is relatively not in use for speakers of
Ahirani speakers. The sound /ɔ/ occurs at the initial position and corresponds
to /ha/ as simplification.
12. Peg-/pǣk/*
/e---ǣ/
The
word refers to a container or an object of measurement of alcohol a person
drinks in. This is frequently used as /pǣk/. People do not in majority of cases
refer to this word as /peg/. The word has two equivalents in Marathi. They are
/peg/ and /pǣk/. Thus, many speakers preferably use /pǣk/ as equivalent to
/peg/. The latter is not as common as the former one in the informal speech.
13. Pendant
/pǣndal/* /e---ǣ/
Here
the sound /e/ is simplified to /ǣ/. The speakers of Ahirani pronounce the word
‘paddle’of a bicycle as pandal. The repetitive occurrence of
alveolar kind of sounds /ǣ, n, d, l/ forces them to simplify the word by using
/e/ in place of /ǣ/.
14. Rickshaw /rikʃɔ:/*
/ɔ---- a/
The speakers of Ahirani do not subscribe to
the use of allophonic variation of sound letter ‘A’. Among all, the least used
one is /ɔ/.
The speakers merge production of /a/ and /w/ and produce /a/ in place of /ɔ/.
This is also evident in the word ‘coffee’
15. Sharpener /ʃɔpnər/* /a----ɔ/
In Marathi, the /a/ sound is rarely used since it requires a bit longer production scale.
Moreover, the sound /r/ is usually produced as a short sound in Marathi as a
tap and rarely as trill. The sequence of sound production is /ʃ/
post alveolar, /a:/ long vowel to bilabial /p/. The sequence moves from post
alveolar to open and closing the syllable with a bilabial position. But the
speaker resorts to simplify this sequence by changing /a:/ to /ɔ/ in order to
quickly move to the bilabial /p/.
16. Shirt- /ʃ3:rtə/ * /3:---Ʌ/
The
/r/ sound is silent in English if followed by a vowel. This is not true in
Ahirani. The speakers of Ahirani pronounce /r/ sound irrespective of its
position and phonemic environment. So, the native speaker of English pronounce
/3:/ and manages the syllabic time frame with a silent /r/. However, a speaker
of Ahirani has to spend some time for the production of /r/. The speakers
resolve this by changing the long /3:/ sound into quick /Ʌ/ that requires less
time.
6. Findings
Analysis of the data has brought out some significant realisations about
the process of vowel simplification/mutation. The general assumption is that
mother tongue influence is the most essential element in vowel mutation.
However, such influence does not account for other occurrences of
simplification/mutation. Occurrence of vowel sounds in specific phonemic
conditions make them vulnerable to mutation. The study points out to a few
significant findings. They are follows.
6.1 First, the speakers pay less attention to the
allophonic variations of the vowel /a/. This is due to the speaker’s knowledge
of morphophonemic structures of Ahirani; mother tongue. Radford, et.al,
(1999, p.88) argued that “languages offer various kinds of syllables, and
native speakers of languages bring their knowledge of syllables and syllable
structures in their attempt to produce words from other languages.” In majority of words the variations of the
sound /a/ are pronounced as /a/. There are rare examples wherein the speakers
use these allophonic variations.
6.2 Second, the speakers have a phonemic tendency
developed over a period of time to simplify /ɔ/ sound to /a/ vowel sound undergoing vowel
mutation. Anderson (1987) refers to insertion and deletion of
vowel sounds. He concludes that the former is favoured in onset clusters, and
the latter in coda clusters. This is evident in words like Coffee, College, Computer,
Doctor, Helicopter, Lawns, and Rickshawat serial no. 2, 3,5,6,7,8,14. This seems to be the most vital mutation
found in the linguistic corpus collected and analyzed.
6.3 Third,
the speakers exhibit a tendency to simplify diphthongs to short vowel sounds.
The phenomenon of diphthongs/glides that are produced with a longer duration is
simplified for short vowel sounds within the same vowel family. This is evident
in the word Accelerator wherein the diphthong /ei/is simplified with /e/
vowel.
6.4 Fourth,
the speakers of Ahirani do not differentiate between short vowel and long
vowels. They incline more towards using short vowels. By doing this, the
speakers simplify the long vowel sounds into short vowels. The words like Rickshaw,
Sharpener, Shirt wherein the long vowel sounds /rikʃɔ:/,/ʃa:pnə/, and
/ʃ3:t/ respectively at serial no. 14,15,16.
6.5 Fifth,
the words starting with a combination of /pe/ is pronounced as /pǣ/
irrespective of its phonemic surrounding. This is evident in words like peg
and pendant wherein their pronunciation corresponds to /pǣk/ and /pǣndal/
respectively at serial no. 12 and 13 producing mutation of vowel /e/ to /ǣ/.
7.
Limitations of the Study
7.1 The study consists of 12 participants
whose data of producing words with vowel simplification/mutation in English was
collected through observation schedule. There is ample scope to get in more
50-100 such examples of vowel mutation.
7.2 It has less number of representations of
female speakers (three) compare to male.
7.3 Sample of the participants has literate and
illiterate people. There number is odd and not comparable.
7.4 The data showed a few other simplification
processes; epenthesis, consonant cluster, plural markers, etc. But, vowel
simplification/mutation is the focus of analysis.
Conclusion
Second Language learners bring variation in language use. Inter language
phonology supports exchange of morphophonemic components from native language
to new language. Vowel simplification/mutation is one of the dominant phenomena
analysed in the collected data. Speakers of Ahirani simplify vowels of English
with a variety of strategies; moving from /ɔ/ sound to /a/ depending upon the phonemic
environment. The speakers might find it difficult to pronounce the vowels in
their standard form. Nevertheless, the speakers readily resort to avoid the
standard form of pronunciation. They prioritize using a form that fits
intelligible in their understanding and the audience they communicate with. The
participants use the vowels that seem more simplified for understanding. The
study propagates its understanding in how English as a foreign language is
assimilated in Indian speech society with its added flavour. It is interesting
to know how other speech communities which are very diverse in India add up
their flavour of in using English.
References
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Anderson,
J. The Markedness Differential Hypothesis and Syllable Structure Difficulty.
Harper and Row, 1987.
2.
Bhat,
D.N. Sound Change.Bhasha Prakashan, 1972.
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Borowsky,
T. Topics in Lexical Phonology of English. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation. MIT, 1986.
4.
Campbell,
Lyle. Ed. Historical Linguistics: An Introduction. MIT, 1999.
5.
Crystal,
David. A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. Basil Blackwell, 1985
6.
Dhongde,
R. Tense, Aspect and Mood in English and Marathi, Deccan College, 1984.
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Harris, J.W. Syllable Structure and Stress in
Spanish: A non-linear Analysis. MIT, 1983.
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Pandharipande,
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Appendix-A
List of Participants
|
Sr. No. |
Name |
Gender |
Age* |
Education |
Occupation |
|
1 |
F1 |
Female |
68 |
Illiterate |
Housewife |
|
2 |
M1 |
Male |
62 |
7th
Grade |
Retired |
|
3 |
M2 |
Male |
67 |
4th
Grade |
Retired |
|
4 |
M3 |
Male |
44 |
Illiterate |
Watchman |
|
5 |
M4 |
Male |
58 |
12th
Grade |
Constable |
|
6 |
M5 |
Male |
56 |
Illiterate |
Farmer |
|
7 |
M6 |
Male |
44 |
6th
Grade |
Green Grocer |
|
8 |
M7 |
Male |
47 |
Illiterate |
Labourer |
|
9 |
F2 |
Female |
43 |
9th
Grade |
Housewife |
|
10 |
F3 |
Female |
46 |
Illiterate |
Housewife |
|
11 |
M8 |
Male |
56 |
Illiterate |
Milkman |
|
12 |
M9 |
Male |
38 |
illiterate |
Carpenter |
*F-Female M-Male