Contrastive Study of Connected Speech Processes in Koro Ashe and English

This paper examines the contrastive processes of connected speech in Koro Ashe and English with the view of helping the Koro Ashe learners of English to improve in their speaking, listening and reading skills. Contrastive Analysis (CA) is the model employed to carry out this investigation. It helps in contrasting the phonological features of two different languages (Koro Ashe and English)with the practical objectives of pointing the differences and similarities that exist in the two languages for improved pedagogy. This paper uses qualitative method to analyze the sampled data collected for this investigation. Oral Production Test (OPT) in form of oral composition was administered to ten (10) randomly selected Koro Ashe speakers.. Each of the respondents was asked to speak for 2 to 3 minutes on topics such as education, religion, politics, culture, etc., while their oral speeches were recorded, transcribed, listened and analyzed. The findings of this investigation show that; there is frequent elision of vowels [a], [i], [e], [o] and [u] in Koro Ashe, however, in English the schwa [o] that occurs in unstressed syllables is often elided in fast connected speech; assimilation of the vowels [a], [e], [i], [o] and [u] are common in Koro Ashe, while assimilation of consonants arc more common in English connected speech; the [k] intrusive is common in Koro Ashe but uncommon in English; the English linking [r] is common in English but absent in Koro Ashe connected speech; There is multiple processes i.e., elision, catenation and assimilation occurring simultaneously in Koro Ashe but it is rare in English.. The above results demonstrate that Koro Ashe connected speech differs remarkably from that of English and understanding connected speech of native speakers of English constitutes a great challenge to Koro Ashe and other L2 learners of English and this has posed serious communication challenges resulting to intelligibility problem.