A Phonological Analysis of the Pronunciation of the Rhotic Sound in Word-Final Positions in Joko Widodo’s English Speech at Ecosperity Week 2023

Amelia, Gea and Saehu, Andang and Sariyati, Ice (2026) A Phonological Analysis of the Pronunciation of the Rhotic Sound in Word-Final Positions in Joko Widodo’s English Speech at Ecosperity Week 2023. IDEAS Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 14 (1). pp. 2778-2789. ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) 2548-4192 (Online)

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Abstract

Despite extensive studies on Indonesian-accented English pronunciation, limited research has specifically examined the realization of word-final /r/ in authentic international speeches delivered by Indonesian political leaders. This study analyzes the realization of the /r/ sound in word-final position in President Joko Widodo’s English speech at Ecosperity Week 2023 to identify the phonological patterns of Indonesian speakers’ interlanguage in the context of international communication. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, data were collected through nonparticipant observation of a 10 minutes audio-visual speech and analyzed through phonetic transcription based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), classification of rhotic and non-rhotic patterns, and interpretation using interlanguage theory. A total of 15 word-final /r/ tokens were identified and examined. The findings reveal that 12 of the 15 tokens exhibit rhotic realization, indicating a dominant tendency to retain the /r/ sound, while the remaining tokens show non-rhotic variations, including glottal substitution and deletion. These patterns reflect strong phonological transfer from Indonesian as the first language, particularly in words with high lexical load, whereas non-rhotic realizations emerge in specific contexts due to articulatory reduction and prosodic factors. The novelty of this study lies in its focus on word-final rhoticity in an authentic international speech by a seventh president. The findings demonstrate that Joko Widodo’s English pronunciation represents a dynamic interlanguage phonological system rather than strict adherence to nativespeaker norms. Furthermore, the study confirms that intelligibility plays a more significant role than native-like pronunciation in ensuring effective communication in international speech contexts.

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