Interlanguage Cluster Production of L2 English by L1 Saudi Arabic Speakers

Abstract

 This study aimed to provides an in-depth phonological analysis of the utterance of L2 coda clusters by Saudi Arabic second language (L2) English learners. Research in the domain of L2 phonetics and phonology show that L2 learners encounter difficulties in producing coda clusters. These studies investigated L2 learners whose native language disallowed codas or have restricted phonological construction for the coda. Therefore, the present study takes a step forward and conducts a controlled phonological investigation. It is divided into four sections, introduction to the subject of the study, literature, methodology, and finally results and discussion. It focuses on Saudi learners whose L1 Arabic allows complex codas. The research data came from 15 ESL students at an intermediate proficiency level. The task was to read pseudowords with controlled sonority distance between the targeted consonants. The results show some L1 transfer coda constraints; specifically, even though Arabic allows complex coda clusters, the subject had difficulties in producing some English codas. Yet, overall, there was no effect of markedness according to the sonority scale. The subjects’ phonological proficiency develops in L2, and their L2 phonological constraints are re-ranked towards L2-like production.