Segmental Phonological Errors of Indigenous Learners of English: An Interlanguage Thematic Analysis

Mary Joy Masibay; Sweety Sol Rejas; Ivy Macahis Nazareth

doi:10.62596/etvh3a40

Authors

Mary Joy L. Masibay School of Education, Graduate Studies, Universidad De Zamboanga, Zamboanga City 7000, Philippines Author
Sweety Sol N. Rejas School of Education, Graduate Studies, Universidad De Zamboanga, Zamboanga City 7000, Philippines Author
Ivy Macahis Nazareth School of Education, Graduate Studies, Universidad De Zamboanga, Zamboanga City 7000, Philippines Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62596/etvh3a40

Keywords:

Phonological, Indigenous, Interlanguage, Analysis

Abstract

The acquisition of English pronunciation among indigenous learners poses unique linguistic and cognitive challenges due to structural differences between English and indigenous phonological systems. Although studies on second language phonology have explored pronunciation errors across diverse learner groups, a notable research gap remains in understanding the cognitive processes that influence how indigenous learners perceive, internalize, and reproduce English sounds absent in their first languages. Previous research has tended to emphasize linguistic description over the mental mechanisms that shape pronunciation behavior. Anchored on Cognitive Theory (Piaget, 1952; Anderson, 1983), this study conceptualizes pronunciation learning as a mental process of perception, categorization, and adaptation, where learners actively construct internal representations of English phonemes based on their prior linguistic schemata. The research employs an exploratory qualitative design, engaging twenty (20) indigenous learners of English through one-on-one interviews. Data will be analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring segmental phonological errors and to interpret the cognitive factors that influence pronunciation accuracy, such as sound recognition, articulatory adaptation, and transfer from L1 to L2 sound systems. The study is expected to reveal that indigenous learners’ pronunciation errors are systematic outcomes of cognitive transfer and perceptual limitations, reflecting how existing phonological knowledge constrains new sound acquisition. Furthermore, findings are anticipated to demonstrate learners’ use of cognitive learning strategies, such as self-monitoring and analogy, in refining pronunciation. The results aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of the cognitive underpinnings of interlanguage phonology and inform pedagogical approaches that integrate cognitive awareness in teaching English pronunciation to indigenous learners.

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