The Reflection of Algerian Articulated Sounds on the Phonological System of RP English amongst EFL Students “Towards the Making of an Algerian English”

Abstract

The aim of this study is to shed light on the topic of mother tongue interference, emphasizing its impact on EFL students’ English pronunciation and the fact that it is the main cause behind their predictable speech production errors. This study focuses on the negative impact that the Algerian Arabic sounds had on 1st and second year EFL students in the English section of foreign languages at Ibn-Khaldoun University – Tiaret. To confirm our hypothesis, this study relied on a questionnaire designed for 80 students from second year asking them for the different difficulties they faced while speaking English and the reasons behind them. As well as reviewing the exam marks of phonetics of first year students which provided an insight on their knowledge about the English phonetic system and their awareness of it . The results however, may confirm that their poor pronunciation is mostly due to the interference and the differences between Algerian Arabic sound system and the RP English sound system. It may also confirm the existence of an Algerian English.