Fossilized Phonetic and Phonological Errors among ESL University Students in Jordan: Evidence from Interlanguage, Markedness, and Speech Perception Models

Abstract

Persistent pronunciation difficulties remain evident even among advanced learners of English, yet it is still unclear whether such patterns reflect stabilized interlanguage representations or merely limited responsiveness to short-term instruction. This study investigates recurrent phonetic and phonological errors among advanced Jordanian university students majoring in English Language and Literature by examining three pronunciation features that are known to pose challenges for Arabic-speaking learners: /p/–/b/ substitution, production of the velar nasal /ŋ/, and vowel epenthesis in English consonant clusters. The analysis is informed by complementary perspectives drawn from Interlanguage Theory (Selinker, 1972, 1978), the Speech Learning Model (Flege, 1995, 1998), the Perceptual Assimilation Model (Best, 1995), and the Markedness Differential Hypothesis (Eckman, 1977).

A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design was employed with 20 advanced Jordanian university students who completed recorded pronunciation tasks before and after an eight-week period of focused pronunciation instruction. Pronunciation performance was analyzed using phonetic transcription, descriptive statistics, and McNemar tests to examine changes across the three targeted phonological features.

The findings revealed modest reductions in error rates following instruction; however, pronunciation difficulties remained widespread across all categories. Although participants showed greater accuracy in controlled production tasks, the observed improvements were not statistically significant (p > .05). Consonant cluster epenthesis proved the most resistant feature, while /p/ production demonstrated the greatest descriptive improvement.

The findings suggest that these pronunciation patterns were resistant to short-term instructional intervention rather than providing conclusive evidence of permanent fossilization. Interpreted through complementary models of interlanguage development, speech perception, and phonological markedness, the results highlight the continuing influence of first-language phonology on advanced English pronunciation. The study concludes by emphasizing the value of early pronunciation instruction, sustained perceptual-articulatory training, and explicit phonological awareness in supporting long-term pronunciation development among Arabic-speaking learners.