Optimality Theory Analysis of Variation in English [kw] Pronunciations of Kashmiri English Learners

The research studies how Kashmiri English language learners pronounce English [kw] sounds according to Optimality Theory (OT) phonological rules. The Indo-Aryan language Kashmiri spoken in Kashmir has a phonotactic system which handles complex onsets and labial-velar sounds differently than English does. Previous research has documented that second language learners often modify target language structures that violate L1 phonotactic constraints, with Korean learners of English exhibiting three distinct production patterns of English [kw] sequences: complete deletion of /w/, partial pronunciation of /w/, and target-appropriate production. The current study investigates Kashmiri-English interlanguage by showing how native speakers phonological rules affect their [kw] English word pronunciation. Researchers gathered data by using an elicitation task which they administered to bilinguals who spoke Kashmiri and English at different levels of proficiency. The analysis employs OT's constraint-based framework to model the observed variation, proposing that interlanguage grammars represent intermediate constraint rankings between the L1 and target L2 hierarchies. The study identifies the constraint rankings that generate each production pattern, with particular attention to the interaction between *COMPLEX (prohibiting complex segments), No Multiple Correspondence, and faithfulness constraints that preserve specific features of the input. The research shows that Kashmiri learners produce different sounds because of competing constraints which affect their language development through changing proficiency levels. Researchers present L2 cluster acquisition data as their contribution to this research field.