English Pronunciation of Punjabi Speaking Youth: A Phonemic Analysis of Diphthongs

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of the Punjabi language on the articulation of 
selected English diphthongs. Although Punjabi is the dominant vernacular across the province 
of Punjab, proficiency in English constitutes a critical prerequisite for both educational 
attainment and professional advancement. Accordingly, scholarly inquiry into the extent to 
which Punjabi shapes English pronunciation is of considerable significance. The empirical data 
for this study were collected through audio recordings of twenty male and twenty female 
participants. These recordings were systematically analyzed using Praat 6.4.15 software and 
subsequently compared with corresponding productions by native English speakers in order to 
evaluate pronunciation discrepancies. The findings are presented through tables, column 
charts, bar charts, and spectrographic sound waves. The investigation specifically focused on 
the effect of Punjabi on English [eɪ] and [əʊ] diphthongs. The results demonstrate that the 
differential between the first and second formant frequencies remains largely invariant in the 
participants’ productions. This occurs because speakers exhibit a marked tendency to prolong 
the initial vowel element of the diphthongs. Consequently, the expected glide from the first to 
the second vowel target is either attenuated or absent which leads to a phonetic articulation that 
diverges from native English norms. This study highlights the pedagogical importance of 
equipping Punjabi youth with more accurate English pronunciation skills. Future research 
should extend this line of inquiry by examining additional phonological and prosodic features 
of Punjabi that exert an influence on English pronunciation.