The Shibboleths of the Kusaal Speakers of English as a Second Language in Ghana

Abstract

This is a socio-phonetic study of the production of the English post-alveolar affricates ... by 30 student-teachers and workers from Gbewaa College of Education in the Upper East Region, Ghana. The focus of the study was to confirm the substitution of the post-alveolar affricates ... for velar plosives ... by Kusaal speakers of English as a Second Language and to uncover factors that influence the substitutions. The Variationist theory employed allowed for quantitative data analysis to affirm and define the pattern of substitutions. The findings revealed that 22.50% of 1800 tokens of ... were substituted for ... and 38.39% of 1800 tokens of ... were substituted for .... This study sheds light on the phonological intricacies and distinctive patterns that emerge when Kusaal speakers navigate English as a second language. Leveraging extensive documentation and previous academic insights, the research delves into the nuanced intersections of linguistic influence and adaptation. Through an analytical lens, it seeks to unpack how native Kusaal phonological features intertwine with English, resulting in unique accents and pronunciations that enrich the broader discourse on Ghanaian English variants. The regression model analysis was significant at the 5% level with a p-value of 0.001, and the prediction was reliable at 75.5% or 69.1%. The substitutions of ... and ... affirm the phenomenon among the Kusaal speakers of English. An audit analysis of the consonant sound systems of both languages revealed the absence of the post-alveolar affricates in Kusaal as a factor. A study of the phonological environments also revealed that the presence of certain vowel sounds triggered substitutions in word-initial and final positions. This study, among others, reiterates the importance for teachers of second languages to know the features of their learners’ L1, as this will greatly assist them in coming up with the best interventions to help their learners.