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This research is embarked upon, with a view to discovering the various pronunciation patterns of the English schwa among Hausa speakers of English as a second language using Katsina as the area of the study. The work intends to discover the general and specific causes of mispronunciation of the schwa and to highlight the extent to which English orthography affects the pronunciation of the subject of the study and to highlight areas for further research in the field. This being the introductory chapter of this research contains the background to the study, a brief explanation of mispronunciation, and statement of the problem. The chapter contains the aim and objectives of the work were stated. Other things stated in the chapter include the significance of the study, the research questions and the scope and delimitation of the work. This book explores the use of English Language in Northern Nigeria particularly by the students of Umaru Musa Yar´adua University, Katsina who are mostly indigenes of Katsina State, who are also mostly residents of Katsina town. The research focuses on mispronunciation of the English schwa.

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Bature, Mohammed Sada
Mohammed Sada Bature, PhD. in English. Faculty of Humanities,Department of English and French.

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