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This paper attempts a preliminary analysis of the phonological processes that affect vowels and consonants in Kɨβwanɉi language. Specifically, the paper examines the role played by these phonological processes in preserving the configuration of the phonologically possible word or morpheme in Kɨβwanɉi by using a Non-linear Approach (Autosegmental Phonology Theory). The findings reveal that the distribution of consonants is restricted in Kɨβwanɉi and the canonical syllable structure of Kɨβwanɉi is CV but not limited to $V$, $C$, $CV$ and $CGV$. Syllables are conditioned by phonological sequential constraints (PSCs) that govern the sequence of segments in the language. These constraints serve as the mechanism through which the native speakers are able to recognize words by applying phonological rules that are in conspiracy. It is also revealed that the rules are ordered with respect to the satisfaction of the structural descriptions that allow more than one rule to apply.

Abstract
This study investigated the perception and production of English unrounded vowel minimal pairs /ɑ/ – /ɜ/; /æ/ – /ɑ/ and /i/ – /ɪ/, by a group of twenty native ki-Swahili speaking children averaging 9.9 years of age, who learned English through classroom instruction. The study was conducted in a typical foreign language acquisition (FLA) context. All the children participated in vowel perception and production tests. The findings revealed that the participants relied on their first language (L1) phonetic contrast knowledge when encoding vowel contrast. Moreover, factors that contributed to this problem of vowel contrast encoding included the size of the speakers' vowel inventory, their limited exposure to spheres for interacting with the language outside the classroom environment and their social setting. Although the participants in this study demonstrated better ability in their vowel production than in their vowel perception, the results confirm those challenges that have been associated with FLA perceptual studies and how a young speaker's first language significantly influences the child's acquisition of English.