Emotional Stimuli and Diphthongs: Perspectives from Saudi EFL Female Students

ABSTRACT : This study investigates the perspectives of Saudi EFL students on the effects of emotional stimuli—specifically positive, negative, anād neutral texts—on their pronunciation of diphthongs. The research employed a quantitative design, analyzing questionnaire responses from 183 female students across three levels of language proficiency within the English language skills department. Participants gave their perspectives on how reading emotional texts affect their accuracy of diphthong pronunciation by filling out a questionnair. The statements of the questionnaire were organized into three sections: Reading positive texts and reading negative texts and neutral texts allowing for a comprehensive analysis of how emotional tone affects language learning. The results indicate that the majority of participants recognize the positive impact of reading emotional texts on their vowel pronunciation, reporting improvements in both their understanding and production of vowels, as well as enhancements in English intonation and stress. On the other hand, reading negative emotional texts may hinder various aspects of pronunciation and language proficiency, with a notable portion of respondents maintaining a neutral position on several points. Furthermore, findings reveal a prevailing sense of neutrality regarding the effects of neutral emotional texts on pronunciation skills, suggesting these texts do not significantly impede language proficiency. Overall, the data underscore the complex relationship between emotional content in reading materials and their implications for pronunciation capabilities.

KEYWORDS : EFL students’ perspectives, emotional stimuli, pronunciation, diphthongs