Résumé:
The study explores the influence of Arabic and French on the English pronunciation in
English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Algerian universities. More particularly, it enquires
how first-year biology students from Echahid Cheikh Larbi Tebessi University have
difficulty with scientific terminology pronunciation during EMI lectures. Drawing on
language transfer theory, the study examines the patterns of phonological interference from
the students’ L1 (Arabic) and L2 (French). A mixed-method design combines four-session
class observations with a student questionnaire distributed through QR code. Observation
checklists provide for exploration of frequent types of pronunciation errors, including vowel
and consonant substitution, stress errors, and syllable reduction. Quantitative findings
indicate that most pronunciation difficulties are consistent with predictable transfer from
Arabic and French phonetic systems. Qualitative data from classroom interaction and
questionnaire responses also indicate students' lack of exposure to English scientific terms
and their employment of French equivalents. The dissertation concludes that language
transfer is a significant contributor to the pronunciation of EMI classes, with a plea for
targeted pronunciation in subject-specific English instruction. The findings have implications
for EMI policy implementation, teacher training, and material design in multilingual
educational settings.
