A Study of Format Dynamics in Ghanaian English Diphthongs

Abstract

This study describes acoustical characteristics of nine diphthongs in educated Ghanaian English. The diphthongs which include [eɪ], [aɪ], [ɔɪ], [aʊ], [ɛә], [ɪә], [әʊ], [ʊә] and [iu] were recorded in an /hVd/. A total of 1080 (9 diphthongs * 3 repetitions * 40 participants) utterances for diphthongs and 1080 (9 monophthongs * 3 repetitions * 40 participants) utterances for monophthongs were recorded and extracted and analyzed with PRAAT. Measurements were made for the formant frequencies, duration, amount of spectral change (Vector length VL), trajectory length, TL and the spectral rate of change, (roc.), of each of the diphthongs and corresponding monophthongs. Results indicated variations in formant trajectories for the different diphthongs and monophthongs. The dynamics of formant trajectories of Ghanaian English diphthongs displayed a relatively short steady state of the initial component, a long transition phase but no steady phase for the second component.