Segment Substitution and Its Variation in Philippine English: General Speakers vs. English Teachers

Philippine English (PE) is extending its influence globally with the development of internet communication. This study investigates the segments of PE, focusing on: (i) the variations in segment productions with reference to General American English (GA), and (ii) the sociophonetic difference in PE, e.g., the pronunciations by professional English speakers, as represented by Filipino English teachers, vs. pronunciations by non-professional users. The data from 177 Filipino English teachers and 47 general PE speakers showed that (i) both groups have a high degree of variation in producing consonants and vowels; and (ii) in general, the pronunciations of Filipino English teachers resemble those by native GA speakers more closely than the non-professional users.