Mispronunciation of English words has been identified as a significant challenge for learners of Standard English varieties worldwide. A recurring issue in academic discussions has been the inability of non-native speakers of the English language to achieve native-like accentual competence. This study investigates the homophonic effects in some mispronounced English lexemes by selected English Second Language Nigerian students. In this study, 30 final-year students of the Department of English and Literary Studies of the University of Nigeria were given a list of 50 paired words to articulate in a pronunciation task. These are words that are not homophones but have the tendency to be pronounced alike by second-language users of English in Nigeria. Analysis of their audio-taped pronunciations was perceptual, involving listening to their articulations several times and transcribing them based on the concept of phonological free variation. Simple percentage analysis helped to ascertain the extent of correctness in the articulation of the given words. Overall, the majority of the students articulated paired words like hut/hot, hot/hurt, floor/flour, poor/pour, and now/noun, among many others examined in this study alike. These words were, therefore, wrongly given some homophonic effects by these ESL students.
Obasi et al. (Mon,) studied this question.