THE PERCEPTION OF SHORT AND SEMI-VOWELS BY ARABIC ESL SPEAKERS
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Abstract
This paper investigates Arabic ESL speakers' perception of English short and semi-vowel sounds, exploring the influence of age of arrival in an English-speaking country and gender on their ability to perceive these sounds. The study specifically examines speakers from diverse Arabic dialect backgrounds, including Iraqi, Saudi, and Egyptian speakers. The research is guided by two hypotheses: (1) ESL speakers who arrive in the United States at an earlier age demonstrate greater proficiency in perceiving and producing English short and semi-vowels. (2) Male ESL speakers outperform female ESL speakers in the perception of these sounds. Utilizing the Speech Learning Model (SLM) by Fledge (1995) as a theoretical framework, the study reveals significant variations in perception abilities across different Arabic dialects. Key findings indicate that age of arrival plays a crucial role, with speakers exhibiting varying levels of perception skills across dialects. However, gender appears to have a negligible impact on performance, as both male and female participants demonstrate comparable abilities in perceiving English sounds. Consequently, both hypotheses are refuted by the study's findings.
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