English Pronunciation of Punjabi Speaking Youth: A Phonemic Analysis of Consonant Sounds

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of Punjabi phonological patterns on the articulation 
of certain consonant sounds of English which affect the English pronunciation of the Punjabi 
speaking youth. Punjabi is a dominant regional language of the most populous province of 
Pakistan, and English is crucial for educational success and professional advancement. The 
research on the phonetic interface of Punjabi and English carries the pedagogical and 
sociolinguistic significance. To conduct the research, the data was collected through audio 
recordings comprising twenty male and twenty female participants to ensure gender balanced 
data. The acoustic analysis was conducted using Praat 6.4.15 software to analyze the 
consonantal variations. The recorded samples were then compared with the native English 
speaker productions to quantify the difference in pronunciation. The results are shown in the 
form of tables, column charts, sound waves, and bar charts to visually illustrate the findings. 
The analysis focused on identifying how Punjabi influences the production of English voiceless 
plosives. The findings reveal the significant pronunciation deviations among Punjabi youth, 
particularly with the aspirated voiceless plosive such as [p], [t], and [k] sounds where the VOT 
(Voice Onset Time) is almost zero. This results in the de-aspiration of the sounds i.e. lack the 
strong aspiration characteristic of the Standard English pronunciation. This research 
contributes to understanding the Punjabi-English interplay and suggests that equipping Punjabi 
youth with strong English pronunciation skills can enhance their educational and professional 
opportunities. The present research generates insights for the codification of the Pakistani English and ESL research as well by offering empirical evidence. Future research could further 
explore other linguistic features of Punjabi affecting the English pronunciation.