PRODUCTION OF ARABIC EMPHATIC AND GUTTURAL SOUNDS BY L2 LEARNERS: AN ERROR ANALYSIS STUDY

Jalal Almathkuri

Abstract


This study investigates the pronunciation of Arabic consonants by learners of Arabic as a foreign language, focusing on areas of difficulty and their sources. Sixteen foreign learners of Arabic in Saudi Arabia read 36 target Arabic words, which were audio-recorded, transcribed using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and analysed qualitatively. The results indicate that the emphatic and the guttural consonants were the most challenging for the learners. The results further show that the complex articulatory mechanisms involved were the primary cause of mispronunciation, while interference from local Arabic varieties also affected the acquisition of standard pronunciation. The study concludes with pedagogical recommendations to support the acquisition of challenging Arabic consonants.

Keywords


error analysis, Arabic as a foreign language, emphatic consonants, guttural consonants, Saudi Arabic dialects

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v10i1.6574

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