On xhosa l2 speech and intelligibility: Vowels and clicks

Hierdie artikel ondersoek Xhosa Tweedetaal (T2) spraak-verstaanbaarheid van twee groepe beginnerleerders van uiteenlopende linguistiese agtergronde. Ditfokus op suigklanke en vokale van Xhosa as “korrekte” realiserings van die bedoelde klank soos geidentifiseer deur 10 Xhosa moedertaalluisteraars (T1) wanneer dit deur 8 volwasse Engelse en Afrikaanse moedertaalsprekers geartikuleer word. Die verstaanbaarheidsgraad van suigklanke en vokale met betrekking tot ander klanke in Xhosa word ondersoek sowel as die tipiese plaasvervangings wat plaasvind. Enkele fonologiese implikasies wat verband hou met Xhosa T2 spraakverwerwing wat in die spraakkommunikasieproses tussen die Xhosa T1-luisteraar en die Xhosa T2-spreker kan ontvou, word aan die orde gestel. Verskeie teoretiese en pedagogiese implikasies wat verband hou met bevindinge op Xhosa T2 sowel as T1 spraakverstaanbaarheid word geidentifiseer en bespreek. This paper addresses Xhosa second language (L2) speech intelligibility of two groups of inexperienced learners from disparate linguistic backgrounds. In particular, it examines the extent to which Xhosa clicks and vowels, when produced by 8 adult native English and Afrikaans speakers learning Xhosa, are identified as “correct” realisations of the intended sound by 10 Xhosa native (L1) listeners. This paper also examines the intelligibility scores of clicks and vowels in relation to other sound classes appearing in the Xhosa language; and lastly, Xhosa LI listeners' perceived substitutions of clicks and vowels as well as some of the many phonological implications related to Xhosa L2 speech learning which can evolve in the speech communication process between Xhosa L1 listener and L2 interlocutor. Particular theoretical and pedagogical implications are identified and addressed.