Vowel Systems in English and Maithili: A Contrastive Phonological Analysis

Abstract

This study provides a descriptive and contrastive phonological analysis of the vowel systems of English and Maithili, identifying segmental convergences and divergences with pedagogical and theoretical significance. While English (Germanic) possesses an extensive inventory of monophthongs and diphthongs distinguished by height, backness, and length, Maithili (Indo-Aryan) features a more restricted inventory. Notably, Maithili lacks phonemic vowel length but utilizes nasalization as a primary distinctive feature. Drawing on phonemic data from standard varieties of both languages, this research evaluates pure vowel phonemes, syllabic distribution, and the presence of complex nuclei such as diphthongs and triphthongs. The findings indicate that while both languages share a fundamental vowel framework, significant disparities in vowel quality, quantity, and phonotactic behaviour lead to substantial cross-linguistic interference. These phonetic misalignments often manifest as pronunciation challenges for Maithili speakers acquiring English as a second language. Ultimately, this systematic analysis offers actionable insights for pronunciation pedagogy, speech-language pathology, lexicography, and the development of language technologies.