YORUBA TEENAGE UNDERGRADUATES’ EXPOSURE TO TECHNOLOGY-BASED NON-ENCULTURATION SOURCES OF NATIVE ENGLISH AND PRONUNCIATION SKILLS

Abstract

Technology-based non-enculturation sources of English are facilities that could assist non-native speakers to access native English. Existing studies have established marked differences between Standard British English (SBE) and Nigerian English, and the inability of supposed models, especially teachers, of the English language in Nigeria to approximate to SBE pronunciation. However, approximation of young Nigerians to native English through technological facilities has not been sufficiently established. University of Ibadan Yoruba teenage undergraduates’use of English stress and rhythm, based on their exposure to technology-based non-enculturation sources of native English, was therefore examined with a view to determining if accentuation from such facilities can serve as alternative model of appropriate pronunciation in Nigeria.

Labov’s Variability Concept and Liberman and Prince’s Metrical Phonology served as framework. Causal-comparative design was used. Three hundred University of Ibadan teenage undergraduates were selected using purposive sampling for their technological savvy. A native speaker served as the native baseline. A questionnaire was administered to establish the teenagers’ level of exposure to electronic media sources, Internet sites and links, social networking sites, audio dictionaries, films and interactive computer games. Respondents were grouped into three categories: High Technology Contact (HTC), Middle Technology Contact (MTC) and Low Technology Contact (LTC). English stress and rhythm competence text designed to elicit semi-spontaneous speeches was read by participants into Speech Filing System (SFS/WASP version 1.54). Datawere analysed using one-way analysis of variance at 0.05 significance level, metrical grid, complemented with acoustic analysis. The performance of University of Ibadan Yoruba teenage undergraduates was largely commensurable with their level of technology exposure. The HTC approximated better than MTC who, in turn, approximated better than LTC in polysyllabic word stress [F(2;297)=53.99]; nuclear stress [F(2;297)=63.78]; contrastive stress [F(2;297)=50.93]; vowel reduction [F(2;297)=101.71]; segmental elision [F(2;97)=38.41] and strong/weak (S/W) syllable alternation [F(2;297)=45.29]. Metrical grids of HTC predominantly displayed alternation of S/W syllables, while LTC more than MTC produced adjacent stressed syllables which resulted in stress clashes and non-conformity to SBE rhythm. The LTC and MTC mainly retained S/W pattern for both noun phrases and compound nouns, while HTC differentiated them. Appropriate assignment of nuclear stress to the usual and contrastive Designated Terminal Element of simple sentences was commensurate with level of technology contact. Strengthening of vowels in metrically weak positions reduced as technology contact level increased. The HTC predominantly reassigned stress where stress shift was required, while MTC did not reassign stress better than LTC.The HTC had the longest duration and the highest pitch frequency and amplitude on stressed syllables. The stress cues of MTC were sometimes appropriate, while LTC deviated from the norm. University of Ibadan Yoruba teenage undergraduates’ level of technology exposure was commensurate with their ability to approximate native English stress and rhythm. The 21st-century technology-based non-enculturation sources of native English available to teenage Nigerians have the capability of enhancing their spoken English. These technological devices should be explored as alternative model of English pronunciation.