Variations of the Sound /t/ Regarding Students of Al-Maarif University College

Abstract

The current study aims to analyze the allophones of /t/ sound in different contexts among students of Al-Maarif University College to provide a reference for English foreign language learners on realization these allophones. By conducting this research, it reveals the impact of sociolinguistic factors and gender on these allophones. The data are collected from fourth stage students at English department and analyzed based on the theory proposed by Yule 2010. The participants are twenty students in which a quantitative analysis is adopted when counting the number of accurate pronunciations done by either gender. Major findings reveal that females use flaps more than males to show they are educated while males use glottals more accurately. The flapped version affects the clarity of words more than unflapped terms. Regarding the aspiration, both genders accurately pronounce aspirated sounds as rules are explicit. Based on those findings, the researcher concludes that flapping process reflects social status. The logical analysis identified that males widely used glottal stops because it is associated with British accent which is the dominant accent in Iraq.