Phonological Variations in English among Gen Z Learners: A Sociophonetician Perspective

Abstract

This study investigated the phonological variations of English among Generation Z learners from a sociophonetic perspective. Data were collected from classroom recordings, reading tasks, and sociolinguistic interviews with 30 university students. The analysis focused on vowel quality, consonant articulation, and prosodic features. The results revealed that vowel shifts, particularly the realization of /æ/ as /ɛ/, reflected strong exposure to American English through digital media. Consonant variations were also observed, including the substitution of interdental fricatives with alveolar stops and the reduction of consonant clusters, which were influenced by both first language transfer and the demands of rapid online communication. Moreover, participants frequently used rising intonation in declarative sentences, a feature associated with global youth identity. Attitudinal data indicated that learners perceived their pronunciation not as a deficiency but as a reflection of identity and global belonging, with intelligibility prioritized over native-like accuracy. These findings suggested that Gen Z learners’ phonological practices were shaped by both linguistic and sociocultural factors. The study contributed to sociophonetic research by illustrating how digital exposure and generational identity influenced speech variation. Pedagogically, it underscored the need for pronunciation teaching that emphasizes intelligibility and respects the diversity of global English.