International Journal of Language & Linguistics

Cairene Colloquial Arabic and English Syllable Structures and Implications for L2 English Syllable Acquisition
Mohamed Fathy Khalifa

Abstract
Syllable structure plays a crucial rule in the production of language and varies considerably from one language to another. The differences between syllable structures of the first language (L1) and the second language (L2) can be sources of L2 errors and lead to syllable repair strategies which bring the L2 syllable structure into conformity with the L1. This research paper discusses the similarities and differences between Cairene Colloquial Arabic (CCA) and English syllable structures and explains implications for L2 English acquisition by CCA speakers. CCA and English syllable structure constituents and their phonotactic constraints are compared and show that CCA onsets, nuclei and codas are subsets of corresponding English syllable constituents. Therefore, CCA speakers attempt to apply the CCA syllable structure assignment rules to English strings. This syllable structure transfer explains certain errors of CCA speakers learning English.

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