The Comparison of Pitch between Ethiopian and Somalian in English Sentences

The Comparison of Pitch Between Ethiopian and 

Somalian in English Sentences

Abstract. This study examines pitch variations in English sentences spoken by two non-native children from Ethiopia and Somalia, using. The research focuses on declarative, imperative, and interrogative sentence types, analyzing pitch frequency across these sentence forms. The participants were a 5-year-old Ethiopian boy and a 9-year-old Somalian boy, were recorded, and their pitch data were analyzed for beginning, highest, lowest, and final frequencies. The results indicate that the Somalian boy exhibited greater pitch variation, particularly in declarative sentences, while the Ethiopian boy demonstrated more consistency. In imperative sentences, the Ethiopian boy showed slightly wider variation, while in interrogative sentences, the Somalian boy ended with a higher pitch. The differences in pitch usage suggest influences from age, language background, and individual speaking habits. This research contributes to understanding pitch use in young multilingual English learners and their linguistic development.

 Abstrak. Penelitian ini mengkaji variasi nada dalam kalimat bahasa Inggris yang diucapkan oleh dua anak non-pribumi dari Ethiopia dan Somalia, dengan menggunakan. Penelitian ini berfokus pada jenis kalimat deklaratif, imperatif, dan interogatif, menganalisis frekuensi nada di seluruh bentuk kalimat tersebut. Pesertanya adalah seorang anak laki-laki Ethiopia berusia 5 tahun dan seorang anak laki-laki Somalia berusia 9 tahun, dicatat, dan data nada mereka dianalisis untuk frekuensi awal, tertinggi, terendah, dan akhir. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa anak laki-laki Somalia menunjukkan variasi nada yang lebih besar, khususnya dalam kalimat deklaratif, sedangkan anak laki-laki Etiopia menunjukkan lebih banyak konsistensi. Dalam kalimat imperatif, anak laki-laki Etiopia menunjukkan variasi yang sedikit lebih luas, sedangkan dalam kalimat interogatif, anak laki-laki Somalia mengakhirinya dengan nada yang lebih tinggi. Perbedaan penggunaan nada menunjukkan pengaruh usia, latar belakang bahasa, dan kebiasaan berbicara individu. Penelitian ini berkontribusi untuk memahami penggunaan nada pada pelajar muda multibahasa Inggris dan perkembangan linguistik mereka

1.INTRODUCTION

Humans communicate using a system of sounds and meanings called language. Human speech organs produce the sounds that create language. There are two types of language sounds: segmental and suprasegmental. Whereas suprasegmental elements are frequencies, intensities, and durations, segmental elements including vowels and consonants occur sequentially. Therefore, the sound sequence will be created by letting 

the flow of speech intersperse with pauses continuously, accompanied by sound intensity, frequency, and duration  (Syarfina, 2009). 

English as the lingua franca is used between humans whose first languages are different (Cenoz, 2019). Furthermore, English is the most widely used language in the world for international communication, so when we speak with someone whose first language is not the same as ours, we automatically use English. As a lingua franca,

English is taught as a required subject in the majority of countries, especially in Indonesia. English is taught starts from elementary school to university. It is the first foreign language in Indonesia that is considered necessary in the 21st century (Opsahl, 2022). 

Sentences are fundamental to communication because they are the main way facts are conveyed, messages are distributed, and correlations are built. Sentences are crucial components that influence how messages are received and conveyed  (Trendsscience, n.d.). There are three types of English sentences namely, declarative, imperative, and interrogative (Hamawand, 2020). A declarative sentence is a sentence that is used to convey a statement so that its nature is news for the listener or reader. In written form, a declarative sentence ends with a period. In spoken form, it ends with a pitch drop. On the other hand, an imperative sentence is a sentence to give a command or instruction. Meanwhile, an interrogative sentence is a sentence marked with question words such as who, where, what, why, and when (Syarfina, 2009). 

Furthermore, when speech is uttered, the vocal tract moves to produce sounds with certain patterns that are adjusted to linguistic elements. Speakers not only articulate sounds sequentially, but also control over sound characteristics such as intensity, tempo, rhythm, and pitch (Syarfina, 2009).When speaking English, it's critical to convey the sentences correctly because mispronounced sentences can lead to major

intervention essential for their language development. This highlights the importance of addressing both the universal and specific needs of children.