Social class and vowel variation in Ghanaian English: A sociophonetic study of some ESL university students

Abstract

The English language has spread far and wide and has resulted in various varieties, each with a distinct linguistic characteristic. In light of this linguistic evolution, the need for codifying Ghanaian English has become very important. This study explores vowel variation in Ghanaian English (GhaE) from a sociophonetic perspective, with a focus on three vowel sets: GOOSE, NURSE, and TRAP. While utilizing acoustic analysis, the study investigates how vowel quality and duration vary based on participant’s social class and gender among some selected Ghanaian university students who speak English as a Second Language (ESL). Data were collected from twenty (20) participants at the University of Ghana, evenly distributed by gender and social class. Findings reveal that social class significantly affects both vowel quality and duration, with working-class speakers showing longer vowel duration and more centralised vowel qualities. The study contributes to the codification of GhaE and highlights the role of social class and gender in shaping linguistic forms in English as a Second Language (ESL) varieties.