Browsing by Author "Oyelekan, Charlotte.Oyebimpe."

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    Vowel articulation patterns of preachers of children- and adult- directed English -medium sermons in selected pentecostal churches in Southwestern Nigeria
    (Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Obafemi Awolowo Universityy, ile-ife., 2023) Oyelekan, Charlotte.Oyebimpe.
    This study described and identified the vowel articulation patterns in English-medium sermons of preachers of children and adult in Pentecostal churches in Southwestern Nigeria. It also described the influence of educational background on the vowel articulation patterns of preachers of children- and adult-directed English-medium sermons (CDS and ADS). It further analysed the acoustic features of vowel patterns articulated by preachers in children- and adult-directed English-medium sermons (CDS and ADS) and finally discussed the communicative implications of the identified vowel articulation patterns in the sermons. All these were done with a view to conducting a comparative study of vowel articulation patterns of preachers of children- and adult-directed English-medium Sermons in selected Pentecostal churches in Southwestern Nigeria. The data for this study was obtained from thirty-six (36) recorded sermons drawn from three (3) purposively selected Pentecostal churches from three (3) states: Ekiti, Lagos and Osun in Southwestern Nigeria. The three Pentecostal churches were: Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Living Faith Church (Winners’ Chapel) and Victory Life Ministry International (VLMI). Twelve (12) sermons each were recorded from the children and adult segments of each of the churches, making a total of thirty-six (36) in all the three states. All the thirty-six sermons were recorded with the aid of Video LAN (VLC) media player. The respondents’ outputs were then subjected to acoustic and perceptual analyses using PRAAT. Additionally, a questionnaire containing some structured items meant to elicit information on the respondents’ educational background was administered. The statistical package of social science (SPSS) was used to test the significance of the variable on the respondents’ vowel articulation patterns. The data were analysed drawing insights from Gile’s Communication Accommodation Theory and Larry Hyman’s Moraic Theory. The findings revealed that the vowel articulation patterns observed in the data showed three variant forms: the AP3 pattern, which represents the sophisticated Educated Nigerian; AP2, the educated Nigerian variant; and AP1, characterized by excessive modifications. Additionally, the study established that the social variable of educational background is significant to vowel articulation patterns. The P-value of 0.001 was less than 0.05 level of significance. Also, the findings from the acoustic analysis showed excessive vowel duration and pitch heights in children-directed sermons which resulted into affectation. However, this was not the case in adult- directed sermons (ADS). Finally, the communication implications showed that the Preachers of children- and adult-directed English-medium sermons demonstrated a clear case of convergence, where their sermon presentations were audience and goal- determined. The study concluded that the contextual variable of educational background plays significant role in religious discourse, especially in the aspect of vowel articulation and modification in sermon delivery. The study also concluded that Gile’s Communication Accommodation Theory and Larry Hyman’s Moraic Theory are adequate in accounting for the speech styles in sermons especially as it affects vowel articulation.