A STUDY INVESTIGATING AND INTERPRETING SOUNDS OF PUKHTO LANGUAGE BY NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH

Abstract

This study investigated the sounds of Pukhto language by native and non-native speakers of Pukhto language. Overall, Pukhto language is a little explored language and especially comparative analysis of the sounds by its native and non-native speakers is rare. This study found that certain sounds when heard by native and non-native speakers are interpreted differently. At times the non-native speaker hears a sound, which is not present in their own language, similar to closer sound in their own language. The study can thus help language teachers in teaching a second language to the leaners with the help of their first language. The study can also be beneficial in removing biases against the non-native speakers of a language by calling their language fossilized and interlanguage if they cannot pronounce certain sounds like native speakers.