The Influence of Algerian Arabic Intonation on English Intonation Learning

Abstract

The present study investigates one of the major issues that face foreign language students in Algeria and affect their learning of English intonation which is the influence of their mother tongue. It aims at exploring the intonational patterns used by Algerian students at Mostaganem University. We assumed that the intonational patterns of the two English and Algerian Arabic have similarities as well as differences and that these similarities and differences may affect the process of learning the English intonational patterns and influence it. In order to check the validity of these hypotheses, the intonational patterns of Algerian Arabic and English are studied. The method in dealing with this research is both quantitative and qualitative. The intonational patterns of English language were compared with those of Algerian Arabic intonational patterns, and then compared with the intonational patterns of English spoken by Algerian students. Twenty third year students of English at Mostaganem University with Algerian Arabic mother tongue are concerned. For that purpose, different types of sentences in English language were selected including declarative, exclamatory, imperative and interrogative sentences and recorded .The sound files were treated through PRAAT. The final intonational contours were saved in the form of pictures and then were analyzed. The results revealed that the influence was mainly positive due to the similar intonational patterns which Algerian Arabic and English share.