International Journal of English Linguistics; Vol. 9, No. 4; 2019 ISSN 1923-869X E-ISSN 1923-8703 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 332 Vowel Epenthesis in Loanword Integration: A Study of English Consonant Cluster at Onset Muhammad Asad Habib 1 & Arshad Ali Khan 2 1 Department of English Language and Literature, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan 2 Institute of Communication and Cultural Studies, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan Correspondence: Muhammad Asad Habib, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: masadlhr29@gmail.com Received: May 10, 2019 Accepted: June 4, 2019 Online Published: July 12, 2019 doi:10.5539/ijel.v9n4p332 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v9n4p332 Abstract This study examines the process of vowel epenthesis used by the Punjabi speakers to integrate the English consonant cluster at onset position of the syllable. English and Punjabi are two different phonological system where English allows consonant cluster and complex consonants at onset while Punjabi only allows complex consonants. Hence for the integration of syllables with consonant cluster, Punjabi speakers have to insert a vowel to make the consonant configuration according to Punjabi phonotactics. The data for this study are collected from recordings of focus group discussions, interviews and video clips. The data are analyzed by using CV phonology and Distinct Feature theory. The results suggest that Punjabi speakers insert vowels to modify the English consonant clusters according to Punjabi phonological environment. Thus, they add another vowel node and resyllabify the consonant clusters. The mid central /ə/ vowel is the default epenthetic vowel while in some cases /e/ is also used before the consonant clusters. Keywords: epenthesis, anaptyxis, prothesis, resyllabify, declusterize, phonotactics 1. Introduction This study examines the use of vowel epenthesis by the Punjabi speakers into the unrecognized consonant clusters of English words at the onset position. The study also inspects the resyllabification process used by the Punjabi speakers in order to declusterize the English syllables. The analysis of the data enfolds that the Punjabi speakers change the syllable structure of the English words and use the epenthesis of vowel as a modification strategy. This epenthesis of the vowel before and in the consonant cluster is due to the influence of Punjabi syllable typology. Hence, the mother tongue influence is also evident. The contact between English and Punjabi language necessitates the borrowing of words from one language to another. In this regard, English language due to its colonial past and being the official language of both Pakistan and India has a major share in this exchange. Punjabi language has taken a lot of words from English and integrated it in to Punjabi lexicon. The integration of these words is done at phonological, morphological, syntactic and orthographical levels. On the phonological level, one of the common strategies used by Punjabi speakers is the epenthesis of vowel in consonant clusters. Among all the languages spoken in Pakistan, Punjabi is spoken and understood by majority of the people. Punjabi language is graded among the top twenty most spoken languages of the world (Comrie, Matthews, & Polinsky, 1996). Punjabi is an international language and its speakers are found in almost all parts of the world. It is extensively spoken in India and Pakistan. In Pakistan more than 54% population speak Punjabi as their native language. There are 92,721,700 speakers, majority of which lives in area of province Punjab (Baart & Baart-Bremer, 2001), however, in India, 29,258,970 people use Punjabi as their first language. The scripts used by speakers of Punjabi in India and Pakistan are different. In Indian side of Punjab, the script used by the Punjabi speakers is called Gurmukhi while in Pakistani Punjab Shahmukhi is used. Although, Punjabi is spoken widely yet it lacks prestige and status in Pakistan. Punjabi is not the medium of instruction and it is not taught or encouraged. The situation in Indian side of Punjab is different where Punjabi is given the status of one of the official languages by the state. Punjabi is taught and encouraged. In Pakistani side,