Difficulties Encountered by EFL University Learners in Elision | ||
| Journal Of Al-Frahids Arts | ||
| Article 1, Volume 2, Issue 16, April 2017, Pages 100-120 | ||
| Author | ||
| Ibrahim Khalaf Salih | ||
| Abstract | ||
| 1.1 Statement of the Problem Elision is one of the most important topics in English phonology. It means dropping of a sound which once exists in precise speech (Jones, 1984: 133) cited in Salman (2009: 15). So the learners of English as a foreign language (for Short, EFL) might face some difficulties in determining which syllable is going to be elided that is why the present study is prepared to test the students' abilities to determine that. In generative phonology, elision means a phonological process that affects the original syllabic structure of words. Schane (1973: 52) refers to elision as one of the phonological processes that occur within the syllabic structure of words to which he refers as syllabic structure processes that phonemes are dropped in certain contexts resulting in different syllabic structure. Once upon a time the words 'listen' and 'Christmas' were pronounced with a 't' after the 's'. Nowadays, there is no pronounced 't' corresponding to the 't' of the spelling which was formerly pronounced has been elided, historically speaking. So pronunciation of some sounds has been changed from being pronounced to being non-pronounced and this belongs to a historical era and change (Wells, and Celson, 1971: 57). Elision in isolated words can be easily determined according to the theoretical rules studied by the students, but in sentences or a series of words that were phonemically transcribed, it might not be an easy task to be tackled. So this is another difficulty the EFL University learners might face. 1.2 Value of the Study It is hoped that this study will shed light on the difficulties and their solutions and some difficulties faced by EFL University learners in Elision through the following points: 1. This study will be of a high value as it will add more information about the difficulties the EFL University learners face in Elision. 2. It will be useful for the EFL university learners, textbooks, as well as the teachers by improving the practical side of teaching phonology. 1.3 Aims of the Study This study aims at: 1. Identifying the difficulties encountered by EFL University learners as far as elision is concerned. 2. Measuring the practical side that EFL University learners might face problems with. 1.4 Limits of the Study This study is limited to: 1. Investigating the difficulties that the students might face. 2. Applying these difficulties by measuring the students' abilities in determining Elision. 3. Second-year students in the department of English at the College of Education at Tikrit University during the academic year 2011-2012 will be the sample of the study. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Difficulties Encountered by EFL; University Learners in Elision; EFL | ||
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