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AN EXPLORATORY ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH INTERROGATIVES BY NATIVE DANISH AND INDONESIAN CHINESE MALE SPEAKERS Tri Utami; Tengku Syarfina
Jurnal Suluh Pendidikan Vol 14 No 1 (2026): Maret 2026
Publisher : Universitas HKBP Nommensen

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.36655/jsp.v14i1.2076

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the acoustic realization of English interrogative sentences produced by native Danish and Indonesian Chinese male speakers. The study aims to identify cross-linguistic tendencies in second language (L2) prosody through the analysis of three acoustic parameters: duration, intensity, and pitch. The target sentence “Do you like coffee?” was recorded under controlled conditions and analyzed using Praat software. Although based on a very small sample (two speakers per group), the analysis revealed distinct prosodic tendencies between the two groups. The Danish speakers generally produced shorter utterances with greater pitch and intensity variation, while the Indonesian Chinese speakers tended to produce longer and more uniform duration patterns with narrower pitch ranges. These patterns may reflect influences from each group’s first language rhythmic and tonal systems, though the results remain exploratory and non-generalizable due to the limited data. The findings provide preliminary insights into cross-linguistic tendencies in L2 English interrogative prosody and highlight the need for replication with larger participant groups. Pedagogically, the study underscores the potential relevance of prosody-focused pronunciation instruction for learners from syllable-timed and tonal language backgrounds.
COMPARATIVE ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH YES/NO QUESTION INTONATION, DURATION, AND INTENSITY FOR A NATIVE BRITISH ENGLISH SPEAKER AND A JAVANESE SPEAKER USING PRAAT Naza Fanisa; Tengku Syarfina
Jurnal Suluh Pendidikan Vol 14 No 1 (2026): Maret 2026
Publisher : Universitas HKBP Nommensen

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.36655/jsp.v14i1.2095

Abstract

Prosodic features such as intonation, duration, and intensity play a crucial role in spoken communication and are often influenced by a speaker’s first language when using a second language. This study aims to acoustically compare the production of an English yes/no question by a native British English speaker and a Javanese speaker to examine potential prosodic transfer effects. The data consisted of one controlled utterance, “Do you like noodles?”, produced by two female speakers (n = 2), both aged 25, to minimize biological variation in pitch range and voice quality. The recordings were elicited in a quiet environment and analyzed using Praat. The analysis focused on three acoustic parameters: fundamental frequency (F0) to represent intonation, intensity (in decibels), and total utterance duration (in seconds). Acoustic measurements were taken at the beginning and end of the utterance, and the results were compared descriptively. The findings show that the native English speaker produced a stable rising intonation pattern with increased intensity toward the end of the utterance and a shorter duration, which aligns with typical English yes/no question prosody. In contrast, the Javanese speaker exhibited a wider pitch range, decreasing intensity, and a slightly longer duration, suggesting the influence of Javanese prosodic patterns on English speech production. Although no statistical testing was conducted due to the limited sample size, the acoustic comparison provides preliminary insights into individual level prosodic variation. Pedagogically, the study highlights the usefulness of Praat as a visual and analytical tool to raise learners’ awareness of English intonation patterns and prosodic differences in second language pronunciation.