Phonological Analysis of English Segments by Lokaa Learners: a Case Study of Selected Schools in Ekori, Ugep, Cross River State.

This research took a look at the phonological analysis of English segment by Lokaa learners: a case study of selected schools in Ekori, Ugep, Cross River State. The objectives of the study were to examine the English consonants sounds that are problematic to Lokaa learners of ESL, investigate English vowels that pose problem to Lokaa learners of ESL and analyze the phonological processes on these speech sounds. The theory adopted for this research work is Phonological Transfer Theory propounded by Uriel Weinreich in 1953. Data were collected using wordlist to elicit information on pronunciation from respondents. Findings showed that both languages are different. Segments which exist in both English and Lokaa languages [p b t d k f s z dʒ m n ŋ l w j] were found to present no difficulty to Lokaa learners of English and while segment that does not exist in Lokaa [ʃ, ʒ, h, tʃ, ð ө, r] seem to present difficulty to the Lokaa learners of English, in this case, the Lokaa learners of English tend to substitute sounds of English that are similar to sounds present in the Lokaa sound inventory. Findings show that phonological processes were substitution, deletion, insertion, lax, monophthongisation, diphthongization, vowel reduction and vowel lengthening were foremost in learners’ involvement in language instruction and learning. It is recommended that Lokaa teachers of English in Yakurr schools should first look at the areas of differences and sameness when teaching English to Lokaa learners of English as an L2.