The Reinterpretation of the RP English Monopthongs by some Yoruba Speakers of English: An Exploratory Approach

Abstract

This study investigates, within the framework of Government Phonology, how Yoruba speakers of English take RP English monophthongs as inputs and reinterpret them.  The researcher instantiates this by looking at the phonology of Standard Yoruba English (SYE).  The study reveals, among other things, some techniques normally used in phonological reinterpretation by L2 speakers of English.  It also reveals that some RP vowels which have different pronunciations in SYE may and may not be phonologically different.   This perhaps strongly suggests that though there is a link between phonetics and phonology, phonetics does not necessarily motivate phonology.