The Interference of Maanyanese Language on English Pronunciation: A Case Study of University Students at Palangka Raya

2025-11-18T18:09:23+07:00

Phonological interference from learners' first language (L1) is a well-established factor affecting English pronunciation, yet empirical research on L1 transfer among speakers of minority languages in Indonesia, particularly Maanyanese remains scarce. Despite growing interest in L2 phonology, no previous study has examined how the Maanyanese language, with its limited vowel inventory and absence of central vowels, influences English vowel production. This study addresses that gap by analyzing the English pronunciations of three Maanyanese-speaking university students selected through purposive sampling. Using a qualitative case study design, supported by semi-structured interviews and acoustic-phonetic analysis in Praat, the research investigated how learners produced English vowels that lack direct Maanyanese equivalents. The findings reveal systematic substitution patterns such as /?/?/i/, /?/?/a/ or /u/, and the consistent avoidance of schwa, indicating predictable L1 transfer. Interpreted through the Perceptual Assimilation Model, these patterns illustrate how unfamiliar L2 vowels are assimilated into existing Maanyanese phonemic categories, shaping learners’ interlanguage phonology. Scientifically, the study contributes new evidence on L1 influence from an under-documented Indonesian language, expanding the understanding of L2 vowel acquisition in multilingual contexts. Pedagogically, the results underscore the need for explicit instruction in vowel reduction, tense–lax distinctions, and segmental contrasts not present in Maanyanese.

Investigating EFL Students’ Active-to-Passive Voice Errors through the Lens of the Surface Strategy Taxonomy

2025-12-22T16:59:28+07:00

EFL learners often find grammar challenging, particularly when using the passive voice, which often leads to errors. This study investigated the types of errors that EFL students made when converting active into passive constructions, using the Surface Strategy Taxonomy (SST) proposed by Dulay et al. (1982) as the analytical framework. A quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected through a test administered to 50 English majors in the English Language and Literature Department at Ghor University. The test consisted of 21 active sentences in various tenses, which students were required to transform into passive sentences. Analysis of the results revealed four main types of errors according to the SST model. Misformation errors were the most frequent (46.10%), followed by omission errors (34.58%). Addition errors were less common (10.85%), while misordering errors occurred the least (8.47%). The findings provide educators with valuable insights, helping them refine teaching strategies and improve students’ proficiency in the passive voice.

Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Language Teaching (JLLLT)

The Interference of Maanyanese Language on English Pronunciation: A Case Study of University Students at Palangka Raya

Investigating EFL Students’ Active-to-Passive Voice Errors through the Lens of the Surface Strategy Taxonomy