SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: English Language & Literature

CONTRIBUTORS:

Emma-Okorie E. Francisca
Chukwu Ephraim

ABSTRACT:

The use of stress and intonation is not fully observed among Igbo speakers of English. This, according to previous researchers is as a result of mother tongue interference. This research, therefore, investigated gender perspective in the use of stress and intonation among Igbo speakers of English, using Enugu and Ebonyi States. This is in order to find out if gender plays a role in the proper/improper use of stress and intonation. Four research questions were drawn to guide the study. Based on the research questions, observations, tests and oral interviews were used in the data collection with the aid of a tape recorder. The population used for the tests on stress and intonation was twelve (six male and six female) Igbo speakers of English. Four lecturers of English (two male and two female) drawn from the two Universities in Enugu and Ebonyi States were interviewed. A total of sixteen respondents were used. Simple percentage and textual analyses was used to quantify the data for the study. This research adopted William Labov’s Variability Theory and Fab’s Metrical Theory. The former accounted for how language varies in its social context while the latter represented the issues in non-segmental phonology. The results of the findings revealed that although the two genders exhibited certain degrees of difficulties in the use of the features, the male gender’s speeches are more bereft of correct stress and intonation than the female. Therefore, this present research maintained that apart from the underlying problems militating against the use of stress and intonation, gender has a role to play as the male gender exhibits more nonchalance in the learning, teaching, and use of the features than the female gender in the Igbo society.