Investigating the Hausa Students' Familiarity and Satisfaction with the Applicability and Efficiency of X-SAMPA for Transcribing African Languages

Cite this article as: Umar, M.A. (2023). Investigating the Hausa Students' Familiarity and Satisfaction with the Applicability and Efficiency of X-SAMPA for Transcribing African Languages. Tasambo Journal of Language, Literature, and Culture, (2)1, 9-17. www.doi.org/10.36349/tjllc.2023.v02i01.002.

Investigating the Hausa Students' Familiarity and Satisfaction with the Applicability and Efficiency of X-SAMPA for Transcribing African Languages

Muhammad Arabi UMAR

arabiumar@fugusau.edu.ng

07062052814

Department of Languages and Cultures, Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This article investigates the applicability and efficiency of the X-SAMPA phonetic transcription system for African languages, with a particular focus on the Hausa language. The study aims to assess the familiarity and proficiency of final-year Hausa language students in using X-SAMPA to transcribe Hausa speech sounds accurately. Data for the study was collected through electronic questionnaires distributed to final-year Hausa language students at different universities in Nigeria. The study findings indicate that X-SAMPA is a valuable tool for transcribing the Hausa language, as it provides a standardized and simplified transcription system that can be used across different research works. However, many Hausa language students were unfamiliar with X-SAMPA and required more training to become proficient in its use. Lack of time and practice opportunities were identified as the primary barriers to learning X-SAMPA. The study concludes that X-SAMPA has the potential for wider usage in phonetic transcription of African languages, but more resources such as written or video tutorials and practice exercises are needed to help learners become proficient in its use. Based on the research findings, the article recommends organizing training workshops or courses to enhance the knowledge of Hausa language students interested in learning X-SAMPA.

Keywords: X-SAMPA, IPA, TAM, transcription, an African language

Background of the study

X-SAMPA (Extended Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet) is a standardized set of phonetic symbols commonly utilized in speech research, linguistic documentation, and computer-mediated communication. It is often preferred over the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) due to its compactness and ease of typing, making it a convenient tool for transcription in various languages.

This research aims to explore the applicability and efficacy of X-SAMPA for transcribing African languages, with a specific focus on the Hausa language and final-year Hausa language students. Hausa is a significant language spoken in West Africa and is among the most widely spoken languages in the region.

The investigation will evaluate the students' familiarity with X-SAMPA and their proficiency in using it to transcribe Hausa speech sounds precise. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the advantages and limitations of using X-SAMPA in comparison to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for African languages

Through the analysis of the students' feedback on their X-SAMPA transcription experience, this investigation seeks to provide valuable insights into the potential of X-SAMPA as a practical tool for linguistic documentation and analysis of African languages. The findings of this research may contribute to the advancement of more efficient transcription methods for language documentation and speech research in African languages, leading to more accurate language documentation and analysis

Theoretical framework

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was introduced by Fred Davis in 1986[1] for his doctoral dissertation. The Theory of Adoption Model (TAM) is an adaptation of the Theory of Reasonable Action designed specifically for modelling user adoption of information systems and technologies.

The theory considers the attitudes of users towards the effectiveness and ease of use of new technology in determining its adoption and successful implementation and is applied in this research. This model posits that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are the primary factors influencing user attitudes towards technology.

By analyzing the students' feedback on their use of X-SAMPA for transcription, this study aims to provide valuable insights into the potential of X-SAMPA as a practical tool for linguistic documentation and analysis of African languages. The outcomes of this research may aid in the development of more efficient transcription methods for language documentation and speech research in African languages, ultimately leading to more precise language documentation and analysis.

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was utilized to analyze the data gathered from the questionnaire. The analysis focuses on how the perceived usefulness and ease of use of X-SAMPA affect the attitudes of Hausa students towards adopting it for transcription purposes. The study also takes into account socio-cultural and contextual factors that could influence the acceptance and effectiveness of X-SAMPA in transcribing African languages.

Literature review

Wells (1999) proposes an expansion of the Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet (SAMPA) to include all of the symbols in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The author argues that there is a need for a code that can accurately transcribe phonetic sounds for computer-based speech recognition technology. Although there are several general-purpose coding systems available that can represent phonetic sounds, they may not have the complexity and detail required to represent all of the IPA's phonetic symbols.

The author then describes the limitations of the SAMPA code, which was created by European speech scientists and primarily used to represent phonetic symbols in computer programming languages. Wells notes that this system cannot represent all IPA symbols, particularly those with diacritics, and there is a need for a more comprehensive code that can represent both the basic phonemes and the various allophones present in different regional dialects and linguistic contexts.

To address this need, Wells proposes an extension to the SAMPA system that includes additional codes for all of the IPA's symbols, including diacritics and suprasegmentals. He suggests using a two-letter code system to identify each symbol, which could be easily integrated into existing computer programs and software. The extension also includes codes for tone and pitch accents, allowing for a more complete representation of intonation patterns. This updated code, known as X-SAMPA, has been widely adopted in the speech research community and is often used as an alternative to the IPA due to its compactness and ease of use.

The article proposes extending the SAMPA conventions to cover all remaining IPA symbols, including the Cardinal Vowel symbols and other symbols needed for the phonemic transcription of various languages such as Russian, Chinese, and Japanese, as well as Swedish, Welsh, and American English. The proposal suggests a minor revision and two-stage extension of the SAMPA conventions to provide frequently used symbols that can be directly accessed from the PC keyboard. Additionally, the proposed extension includes symbols for important English allophones or variants. Similarly, the article suggests the use of the remaining alphabetic keyboard symbols (ASCII 33..126) to provide an allocation for IPA symbols that are most widely useful of those not yet provided for by SAMPA. These include the alveolar tap, dark l, labiodental nasal, voiceless alveolar lateral fricative, labiodental approximant, voiceless labial-velar fricative, and voiceless uvular fricative

Overall, Wells' proposed extension to SAMPA is a significant contribution to the field of computational linguistics, as it provides a comprehensive coding system for accurately and efficiently transcribing phonetic sounds in computer programming. The proposed code is also flexible enough to allow for regional variations and diacritics, making it a valuable tool for linguists working with a wide range of languages and dialects. However, as this paper was published in 1999, it would be valuable to examine how the proposed extension has been adopted and implemented in the years since.

Application of X-SAMPA on Hausa phonemic inventory

The number of consonants in the Hausa language varies according to different sources. Newman (2000) and Jaggar (2011) report a range of 23 to 32 consonants. However, Sani (2005) and Yalwa (1993) state that Hausa has 34 consonants, including 26 primary consonants and 8 secondary consonants. Primary consonants consist of a single segment as a phoneme, while secondary consonants consist of two successive articulatory gestures produced as a single phoneme.

Table 1: Shows the Hausa phonemes with both IPA and X-SAMPA representation

X-Sampa Symbol	IPA Symbol	Description	Orthography	Transcription
Consonant
Plosives
b	b	voiced bilabial plosive	bā̀ra ‘last year	b a: _L. r` 6 _H
b_<	ɓ	voiced bilabial implosive	ɓārā̀ ‘to peel’	b_< a: _H . r` a: _L
t	t	voiceless alveolar plosive	túdū̀ ‘hill’	t u _H . d u: _L
d	d	voiced alveolar plosive	dārā̀ ‘to laugh’	d a: _H. r` a: _L
d_<	ɗ	voiced alveolar implosive	ɗā́kī̀ ‘room’	d_< a: _H . k i: _L
k	k	voiceless velar plosive	kā̀zā́ ‘chicken’	k a: _L. z a: _H
k_>	kʼ	voiceless velar ejective plosive	ƙārā̀ ‘to increase’	k_> a: _H . r` a: _L
g	g	voiced velar plosive	gārā ‘wedding gifts’	g a: _H  r` a: _H
?	ʔ	voiceless glottal plosive	sā'ā̀ ‘hour’	s a: _H . ? a: _L
Affricates
ts_>	t͡sʼ	voiceless alveolar ejective affricate	tsārā̀ ‘arrange’	ts_> a: _H . r` a: _L
tS	t͡ʃ	voiceless palato-alveolar affricate	cār̃ā  ‘crowing’	tS a: _H  r a: _H
dZ	d͡ʒ	voiced palato-alveolar affricate	jār̃ī̀ ‘assets’	dZ a: _H . r i: _L
Nasals
m	m	bilabial nasal	mārā̀ ‘belly’	m a: _H  r` a: _L
n	n	alveolar nasal	nāmā̀ ‘meat’	n a: _H . m a: _L
N	ŋ	velar nasal	cân ‘there’	tS 6 N _F
Trills
r	r	alveolar trill	bárā̀ ‘begging’	b a _H . r a: _L
Tap or Flap
r`	ɽ	retroflex tap	rānā ‘sun’	r` a: _H . n a: _H
Fricatives
p\	ɸ	voiceless bilabial fricative	fārā̀ ‘to begin’	p\ a: _H . r` a: _L
s	s	voiceless alveolar fricative	sārā̀ ‘to cut’	s a: _H . r` a: _L
z	z	voiced alveolar fricative	zānā̀ ‘to draw’	z a: _H . n a: _L
S	ʃ	voiceless postalveolar fricative	shā̀rā ‘sweeping’	S a: _L . r` a: _H
h	h	voiceless glottal fricative	hājā̀ ‘goods‘	h a: _H. dZ a: _L
Approximants
j	j	palatal approximant	yârā ‘children’	j a: _F. r` a: _H
w	w	voiced labial-velar approximant	wārā̀ ‘to select out’	w a: _H. r` a: _L
J	ɲ	Voiced nasal palatal	kúnyā̀ ‘shyness’	k u _H J . j a: _L
Lateral Approximant
l	l	alveolar lateral approximant	lākā ‘mud’	l a: _H  k a: _H
Vowels
I	ɪ	near-close near-front unrounded	kirā̀ ‘calling’	k j I _H . r` a: _L
U	ʊ	near-close near-back rounded	ƙurā̀ ‘to stare’	k_> w U _H . r` a: _L
E	ɛ	open-mid front unrounded	tā̀re ‘together’	t a: _L. r` E _H
O	ɔ	open-mid back rounded	gōr̃ò ‘cola nut’	g w o: _H. r O _L
6	ɐ	near-open central	karā ‘stalk’	k 6 _H. r` a: _H
Long Vowels
i:	iː	long close front unrounded	ƙīrā̀ ‘smithing’	k_> j i: _H . r` a: _L
u:	uː	long close back rounded	ƙū̀rā ‘dust’	k_> w u: _L . r` a: _H
e:	eː	long close-mid front unrounded	ƙērā̀ ‘to forge’	k_> j e: _H . r` a: _L
o:	oː	long close-mid back rounded	kṑrā ‘to chase’	k w o: _L. r` a: _H
a:	aː	long open front unrounded	ƙārā̀ ‘to increase’	k_> a: _H . r` a: _L
Diphthongs
ai	a͡i	from open front unrounded to close front unrounded	râi ‘life’	r` ai _F
au	a͡u	from open front unrounded to close back rounded	sau ‘foot’	s au _H
Tone Markers
_H (high)	N/A		sau ‘foot’	s au _H
_F (falling)	^		râi ‘life’	r` ai _F
_L (low)	̀		nì ‘me’	n I _L

 

Relevance of X-SAMPA to African languages

Integrating X-SAMPA (Extended Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet) into linguistics courses can offer significant benefits to African language students. Firstly, adopting a standardized system for representing the sounds of speech through X-SAMPA can provide a consistent and uniform mode of communication for African language students with linguists and language researchers worldwide. This can promote efficiency and accuracy while helping to avoid conflicts that may arise due to language barriers.

Furthermore, X-SAMPA provides a more accurate and detailed representation of speech sounds compared to traditional writing systems. This is especially crucial in African languages, which are known for their complex and nuanced sound systems that are often challenging to represent using conventional writing systems. Thus, incorporating X-SAMPA can provide African language students with a more comprehensive and reliable tool to study and analyze the sounds of their languages.

Additionally, learning X-SAMPA can be quite beneficial for language research, especially in linguistics courses that cover research methodologies and techniques. X-SAMPA can assist students in transcribing and analyzing speech data that they collect during fieldwork, enabling them to compare and contrast sound systems across diversified languages. Finally, African language students who become language teachers may find X-SAMPA useful as it can help them instruct pronunciation and phonetics to their students, including identifying and correcting errors in pronunciation or explaining the production of unfamiliar sounds.

Methodology

The research was conducted among final-year Hausa language students from the Department of Languages and Cultures at the Federal University, Gusau and the Department of Nigerian Languages at Usmanu Danfodiyo University. The respondents were selected via convenience sampling for this study. The respondents were chosen from the final-year students of the Hausa language at both universities. This investigation was conducted according to ethical guidelines. Participants were informed of the objectives of the study and their right to privacy. Participation was purely optional. Respondents received electronic questionnaires via email and WhatsApp. The data were analyzed by the research objective.

Data collection

The data for this study was collected using questionnaires, which were distributed electronically to the selected participants. The respondents completed the questionnaires and returned them to the researcher for analysis.

Data analysis

Figure 1: Students’ level of familiarity with phonetic transcription

Figure 1 illustrates that 10% of the respondents, or 5 individuals, have never utilized phonetic transcription, while 20% or 10 respondents have used a basic form of phonetic transcription. Additionally, 70% or 35 respondents have extensively used phonetic transcription, indicating that the students are acquainted with traditional transcription methods.

Figure 2: Students’ familiarity with X-SAMPA

Out of 50 respondents who participated in the study, it was observed that a mere 10 of them were familiar with X-SAMPA, accounting for merely 20% of the total. On the other hand, a significant proportion of respondents, 40 to be precise, were not acquainted with X-SAMPA, which makes up a considerable 80% of the sample size.

Figure 3: X-SAMPA familiarity ratings of the students

In a survey conducted among a pool of participants, it was found that 37 out of 50 respondents hold a good comprehension of the X-SAMPA system, accounting for 77% of the sample. However, 13 respondents out of the same group demonstrated a lack of clarity regarding the X-SAMPA system, making up 25% of the sample distributed accordingly as depicted in Figure 3.

Figure 4: Students’ justification for considering X-SAMPA

According to the survey, 15 individuals comprising 30% of the sample expressed a desire to acquire proficiency in a straightforward and streamlined method for transcribing African languages. In contrast, 25 participants representing 50% of the population sought to enhance their comprehension of the fundamental principles of phonetics. Lastly, 10 respondents, accounting for a total of 20%, exhibited interest in learning new skills, as depicted in Figure 4.

Figure 5: Benefits of employing X-SAMPA in the phonetic transcription of African languages

This result indicates that X-SAMPA is perceived as highly beneficial for African language phonetic transcription. Almost all respondents (90%) affirmed that X-SAMPA represents a standard and uniform system that accommodates diverse languages and contexts. Meanwhile, a minority of respondents (10%) concurred that X-SAMPA is more user-friendly and easily mastered compared to alternative phonetic transcription systems.

Figure 6: Students’ recommendations of X-SAMPA to fellow students studying African languages

As illustrated in Figure 6, it was found that 20% of the total respondents (10 individuals) were inclined towards recommending X-SAMPA to fellow students, whereas 80% of the total respondents (40 individuals) exhibited a high level of inclination towards providing recommendations for X-SAMPA within a rating scale of 1 to 5.

Figure 7: Essential resources and training necessary for proficient utilization of X-SAMPA

As depicted in Figure 7, most respondents, specifically 80%, indicated a preference for written guides or tutorials as a means of training. In contrast, a smaller percentage of the respondents, specifically 10%, preferred practice exercises or assignments and expert feedback and guidance, respectively to effectively utilize X-SAMPA for phonetic transcription, the respondents acknowledged the necessity of the provided resources or training.

Figure 8: Barriers Expected by Students While Learning X-SAMPA

According to Figure 8, 80% of the sample group, consisting of 40 respondents, believed that a lack of time or opportunity to practice would be a barrier when learning to use X-SAMPA. On the other hand, 10% of respondents felt that the complex syntax or rules of X-SAMPA posed as obstacles to their learning experience, while another 10% cited difficulty in remembering the symbols as a challenge.

Figure 9: Students' willingness to participate in workshops or training programs for X-SAMPA usage 9[2]

This indicates that all 50 respondents who participated in the study possess a keen interest in participating in workshops or training sessions aimed at facilitating their understanding and application of X-SAMPA, as depicted in the visual representation provided in Figure 9. This outcome serves to highlight the students' eagerness and enthusiasm in enhancing their comprehension of novel ideas related to phonetics and phonology.

Research findings

The research findings underscore the importance of X-SAMPA as a tool for phonetic transcription of African languages, particularly Hausa. However, the study revealed that many Hausa language students were not familiar with X-SAMPA, but were open to learning it because of its standardized system and user-friendly approach.  

The research found that the biggest anticipated barrier to learning X-SAMPA was a lack of time or opportunity to practice, but most participants expressed interest in attending workshops or training sessions to improve their knowledge of X-SAMPA.

The study highlights the potential for X-SAMPA to be widely used in phonetic transcription of African languages, especially Hausa. Its standardized system and ease of use make it an efficient tool for researchers and language teachers. However, the study also identified a need for further resources, such as written or video tutorials and practice exercises, to help more learners become proficient in X-SAMPA.

Although there are some differences in symbols for certain phonemes in Hausa between IPA and X-SAMPA, the study concludes that the use of X-SAMPA can help overcome these challenges. X-SAMPA provides a standardized and simplified transcription system for Hausa that can be utilized across various research works, making it crucial for speech recognition, engineering, and other research purposes.

In conclusion, X-SAMPA provides a simplified and standardized transcription system for the Hausa language, making it a relevant tool for accurate and consistent transcription. The study recommends that researchers in this field consider utilizing X-SAMPA to improve the quality of transcription and promote consistency in research works.

Recommendations

It is recommended that the research findings be utilized to enhance transcription methods for language documentation and speech research in African languages. This will result in improved language documentation and analysis with increased efficiency and accuracy.  The study highlights the importance of increasing awareness and knowledge of X-SAMPA among Hausa language students. This can be achieved by providing workshops, training sessions, and additional resources, such as tutorials and practice exercises, to overcome the barrier of a lack of time and opportunity to practice. These efforts would not only improve the proficiency of learners in X-SAMPA but also promote its wider usage and adoption in the field of African language phonetic transcription. Overall, the findings of this research emphasize the potential of X-SAMPA as an essential tool for language teaching, linguistic research, and speech technology development. The recommendations made by this study can guide educators, researchers, and developers to integrate X-SAMPA into their work, leading to increased accuracy and consistency of transcription in the study of Hausa and other African languages.

Reference

Davis, F.D. (1986) A Technology Acceptance Model for Empirically Testing New End-User Information Systems: Theory and Results. Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Jaggar, P. (2011). The role of comparative/historical linguistics in reconstructing the past: what borrowed and inherited words tell us about the early history of Hausa, Hausa loans and inherited forms. In B. Rossi., & A. Haour, (Ed.) Being and Becoming Hausa: Interdisciplinary perspectives (pp. 38-58). Leiden: Brill.

Llc, B. (Ed.). (2010). Sampa: Sampa Chart, Sampa Chart for English, X-Sampa, Conlang X-Sampa.

Newman, P. (2000). The Hausa language: An Encyclopedic Reference Grammar. New Haven & London: Yale University Press.

Sani, M. A. Z. (2005). An Introductory Phonology of Hausa. Kano: Benchmark Publishers Limited.

Schuh, R.G., Yalwa, L.D. (1999), “Hausa”, in Handbook of the International Phonetic Association. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK,

 Wells, J.C. (1999) "Computer-coding the IPA: a proposed extension of SAMPA" (PDF). UCL Phonetics and Linguistics. University College London. Retrieved 05 April 2023 https://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/sampa/ipasam-x.pdf

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[1] For more details, see. Davis, F.D. (1986) A Technology Acceptance Model for Empirically Testing New End-User Information Systems: Theory and Results. Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

[2] No body attempted the Question 10: Any additional comments, feedback or questions about X-SAMPA.

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