Full Text Available
Access Repository
Search Results - (connected OR conducted) speech (processes OR process)
Search alternatives:
- connected »
- Showing 1 - 2 results of 2
-
A Sociophonetic Investigation of Standard British English Connected Speech Processes in Nigerian English
Published 2014Subjects: “…Connected speech processes…”
Call Number: Loading…
Located: Loading…Thesis Loading… -
SEXUALITY, SPACE AND POWER IN BODIJA MARKET, IBADAN NIGERIA
Published 2014Call Number: Loading…
Located: Loading…
Search Tools:
Refine Results
Page will reload when a filter is selected or excluded.- Assimilation 1 results 1
- Connected speech processes 1 results 1
- Connected speech processes (CSPs) account for sound modifications and simplifications in speech, while sociophonetics emphasises correlation between speech forms and social factors. Existing studies merely identified some CSPs that characterise Nigerian English (NE); studies that measure speakers' proximity to Standard British English (SBE) connected speech, especially in relation to social variation, are scarce. This study, therefore, investigated the incidence of assimilation, elision and liaison processes of SBE connected speech in NE with consideration for the region, gender and age of speakers. This is with a view to determining the level of NE speakers' approximation to or deviation from SBE. The study adopted generative phonology to explain NE speakers' application of or deviation from the SBE rules, and variability concept to show the correlation between CSPs and social factors. The participants, who ranged between ages 18-65, were 180 male and 180 female NE speakers with a minimum of 2-3 years post-secondary education. They were drawn, through stratified and purposive techniques, from four regions in Nigeria: north (120), west (80), east (80) and south-south (80). All participants produced semi-spontaneous speeches (SSS), containing 31 utterances and a short passage, into digital recording devices and filled 360 copies of a structured questionnaire. Two educated native speakers served as control. The recordings were transcribed and the scores analysed, using percentages, MANOVA and Bonferroni's Post-hoc test. Portions of the SSS of eight participants (representing the social variables) and one native speaker were analysed acoustically, using PRAAT speech analyser (version 5120). The overall incidence of the CSPs (assimilation, elision and liaison) of SBE for all categories of participants indicated 43.2% approximation and 56.8% deviation. However, incidence of each process varied. Three assimilation variants- regressive devoicing (99.2%), progressive devoicing (65.1%) and nasal assimilation (63.5%)- showed significant approximation to SBE, while four variants- progressive voicing (21.2%), voiceless alveolar stop assimilation (47.6%), voiced alveolar stop assimilation (3.2%) and yod coalescence (6.2%)- deviated significantly. Consonant elision, in all contexts, occurred significantly (61.5%), while the incidence of liaisonlinking /r/ (8.1%) and intrusive /r/ (2.9%)- was extremely low. The speech waveforms, formants structure and voicing bars on the participants' spectrograms, in most cases, displayed considerable deviation from SBE. In terms of social variation, the combined dependent variable (assimilation, elision and liaison) was significantly affected by gender (Pillai's Trace=0.07,F(3,342)=8.12,p<0.05,η2=0.07) and region (Pillai's Trace=0.11,F(9,1032)=4.29,p<0.05,η2=0.04), but not by age or their interactions. Gender had significant effect on elision F(1,344)=22.21;p<0.01,η2=0.06): males had higher mean performance (M=9.91;SD=2.84) than females (M=8.55;SD=2.58). Region was found to be significant in liaison F(3,344)=8.14;p<0.01,η2=0.07): Eastern participants (M=1.38;SD=1.44) had the highest mean score, followed by South-South (M=1.10;SD=1.22), Western (M=1.05;SD=1.16) and Northern participants (M=0.57;SD=0.94). The Bonferroni's Post-hoc results indicated that only Eastern and Northern participants differed significantly from each other. Nigerian English speakers' mastery of Standard British English connected speech processes, irrespective of gender and regional variation, manifested, overall, more deviation from than approximation to SBE. This suggests Nigerian English speakers' relatively low level of competence in Standard British English connected speech processes, and has implications for intelligibility 1 results 1
- Economic transactions 1 results 1
- Elision 1 results 1
- Nigerian English 1 results 1
- Power-relations in Bodija market 1 results 1
- Sexuality in market space 1 results 1
- Sexuality influences power and human relations in the market space. In spite of this role, previous studies, though abundant on the market as a space of economic transactions, have not clearly indicated the possible impact of sexuality as an element of power and human relations in the market. This study, therefore, examined how sexuality as a power relational tool and an element in social networking, affects the administration, spatial organisation, and economic transactions at Bodija market, with the aim of establishing its significance as an influential determinant of market processes. The study was guided by Foucault's Theory of Sexuality-Power Relations. Ethnographic data were collected from purposively selected organised economic-groups (EGs) in Bodija market, through qualitative methods of Participant Observation (PO), Informant interviews (IIs), Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Life-Histories (LHs). Among Foodstuff-sellers -200IIs, 4FGDs, and 6LHs; Butchers -20IIs, 2FGDs, 2LHs; Grinders-Miller-100IIs, 2FGDs, 2LHs Soup-ingredients-traders,-10IIs, 1FGDs, 1LH, Cattle-traders -20IIs, 1FGD and the Saw-millers 30IIs, 2FGDs, 2LHs were conducted with purposively selected informants and discussants. Four KIIs were conducted with purposively selected market leaders. A total of 4 KII, 380IIs, 12FGDs and 11LHs were conducted. Data were subjected to descriptive content analysis. Four levels of hierarchical power relations were observed in Bodija market: gender, political, charismatic and persuasive. Gender, charismatic and persuasive powers cut across social networking, administration, spatial organisation and economic transactions; political power was a feature only of administration, spatial organisations and economic transaction. In social networking, Bodija market's sexuality norm accommodated paramour culture. The woman could have one "extra" sexual partner per time, while the man could have many. In both cases, paramours served as material and/or emotional support and status symbols. Women subverted male power through the manipulation of sexuality, their attractiveness, and sexuality coded speeches; some negotiated space sometimes by the offer of sex or manipulative refusal of same. In the administration, the male dominated market's power-structure, with all main EGs' executives led by male, except Soup-ingredients traders with a female leader. The male controlled market space administration, space allocation and management. Many females negotiated administrative and space concessions from males through sexual attractions. Spatial organisation was mainly controlled by male dominated leadership of EGs in collaborations with male-constituted care taker groups of the market. The market was compartmentalised along goods sold and services rendered, but several pockets of hawkers and illegal sales/transactional spaces have surfaced in different parts of the market through undue sexualisedfavour of the care-takers. As a built-up space, the market was continually restructured, thus giving the impression of being both organised and disorganised. In economic transactions, sexualised metaphors served as persuasive power. Economic transactions were indicated not only by the arrangement of stores for visibility, but also by accolades and nicknames. Four levels of hierarchical power relations in Bodija market revealed male dominance in administration and spatial organisation, female dominance in social networking and power fluidity in economic transaction. Thus, sexuality manifesting in differential expression of power, plays significant role in Bodija market space discourse. 1 results 1
- Social networking 1 results 1
- Standard British English 1 results 1
- see all…