INFLUENCE OF PASHTO PHONOLOGY ON ENGLISH VOWEL PRONUNCIATION: A STUDY OF SENIOR ENGLISH TEACHERS IN DISTRICT DIR LOWER

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of Pashto phonology on the pronunciation of English vowels among senior English teachers in District Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Despite their extensive teaching experience, these teachers exhibit persistent pronunciation errors that hinder effective oral communication in English. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through questionnaires and interviews from a randomly selected sample representing approximately ten percent of the population of senior English teachers in the district. The findings revealed systematic errors in the articulation of English long and short vowels, as well as diphthongs, primarily caused by negative transfer from Pashto, insufficient phonetic training, and limited exposure to native English input. Moreover, the study found that although most teachers recognized the importance of correct pronunciation, they lacked both theoretical knowledge of phonetics and practical pronunciation skills. The results underscore critical gaps in teacher education programs, particularly the absence of phonetics and phonology components in professional training. The study recommends the inclusion of pronunciation-focused modules in teacher education curricula, the use of authentic listening materials, and the adoption of computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) tools to enhance intelligibility and communicative competence.