A Phonology of Vowel Insertion to Malay Cluster Consonants by Native Speaker of Kashmir

This study explores the phonetic intricacies of the Kashmiri sound system, characterised by a rich inventory of vowels and consonants, resembling other Indo-Aryan languages. Kashmiri syllables typically comprise a vowel accompanied by one or two optional consonants, contributing to the distinct melodic quality of Kashmiri speech. Notably, Kashmiri exhibits a variety of short and long vowels, where vowel length and nasalisation play pivotal roles in word meaning differentiation, enriching the phonetic landscape. This qualitative researchfocuses on vowel insertion processes into Malay consonant clusters by native Kashmiri speakers from graduate students of the National University of Malaysia,aiming to identify instances of epenthesis in Malay words with consonant clusters. Employing the Optimality Theory framework, the study analyses these processes and elucidates the hierarchy of constraints shaping Kashmiri speakers' Malay communication. Findings suggest prevalent vowel insertion in word /draf/ become [dəraf], /span/ become [səpan], etc. and phoneme substitution among native Kashmiri speakers, particularly in Malay words with consonant clusters. This study underscores the significance of phonological processes in interlinguistic communication among phonology-native Kashmiri speakers.