Negotiating Linguistic Precarity: Phonological Interference in the English Speech of Hausa–English Bilinguals

Navigating between two distinct language systems often subjects bilingual speakers to a form of communicative vulnerability, an instability that defines the experience of linguistic precarity. This precarity manifests clearly in phonological interference, which alters second language (L2) acquisition, speech delivery, and social interactions. This study examines phonological interference among Hausa–English bilinguals, focusing on how native language (L1) structures disrupt English pronunciation through sound substitution and prosodic shifts. Grounded in Flege’s Speech Learning Model (SLM, 1995), the study adopts a qualitative approach to analyze spoken data, identifying regular patterns of syllable structure transfer alongside specific vowel and consonant modifications. The findings reveal that Hausa speakers systematically swap target English sounds absent in their native inventory for perceptually similar L1 equivalents. This transfer distorts standard pronunciation and reduces overall intelligibility, worsening the social and communicative anxiety these speakers encounter in academic and professional settings. Because speech habits directly impact how a speaker is perceived, these phonological deviations can inadvertently limit professional mobility and intellectual authority. Ultimately, the study recommends incorporating explicit pronunciation drills, contrastive analysis techniques, and targeted curriculum designs early in the learning process. Deploying these practical interventions will improve L2 proficiency, eliminate disruptive phonological errors, and build genuine bilingual competence. By addressing these phonetic friction points directly, educators can help learners protect their expressive agency and mitigate the subtle social penalties associated with non-standard L2 production across diverse communicative contexts.