Abstract:
The research attempts to account for the problematic Thai sounds produced by Sgaw Karen students in Tanowsri, Rachaburi province. The data exhibit seven phonological phenomena: 1) Complex onset deletion 2) Overgeneralization 3) Coda deletion 4) coda substitution 5) Vowel lengthening and 7) Vowel lowering. These phenomena are triggered by Sgaw Karen-Thai students’ adapting their native language into Thai. They facilitate their Thai phonemes and syllable structures into Sgaw Karen-Thai dialect. Consonants, vowels and syllable template in their native dialect are ultimately respected.