English and Arabic juncture

Abstract EN

Juncture is the relationship between one sound and the sounds that immediately precede and follow it.

It is a para-phonotactic unit which refers to the boundaries between phonological entities.

It is a morphophonemic phenomenon with double signification, a suprasegmental phoneme which changes the meaning and is important for phonological descriptions of languages.

The aim of this study is to see how juncture affects the meaning of words and sentences.

Slow or rapid speech can also determine the use of juncture which marks the break between sounds and the phonological boundary of words, clauses or sentences.

However, the ambiguity of meaning resulting from the placement of juncture can be solved by context.

Stress placement on certain words also affects the use of juncture and leads to a change in meaning.

In this study English and Arabic junctures were identified within words, phrases and sentences.

The place of juncture affects the length, shortening of sounds and the Aspiration of plosives.

Arab learners of English usually tend to insert a glottal stop at the beginning of every word speaking hesitantly.

Therefore, it is useful for students to practise juncture and it is also valuable to do exercises related to juncture and linking.

Besides, learners of English should be aware of the problems that they will meet in listening to connected speech.