Unveiling Sound Structures: A Qualitative Phonological Study of John Iremil Teodoro’s Translated Poem "The Pig"

English-translated literary pieces allow wider audience accessibility to experience raw emotions and explore poignant messages. John Iremil Teodoro is a prominent Filipino writer, literary critic, and cultural scholar from Antique province. His poem “The Pig,” written initially in Kinaray-a language with the title “Ang Baboy,” explores the themes of desire and vulnerability through the central metaphor of the speaker's willingness to become a pig for love and affection. This paper explores the phonological features evident in the poem and how these phonological features contribute to poetic writing style. The researchers employed close reading, phonetic transcription using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and stylistic analysis to uncover the phonological features evident in the poem. The analytical framework focused on phonological devices such as rhyme, alliteration, assonance, and consonance.  The findings show that the author employed free verse in his poem. Alliteration is used sparingly to strengthen the connection between the literal images and the persona’s metaphorical transformation. Assonance produced a pleasing auditory effect and, at the same time, enhanced the poem's sensual tone, reinforcing the themes of desire and affection. The use of consonance in the poem creates a tone that is both sensual and tender. In conclusion, John Iremil Teodoro's poetic voice is marked by tenderness, sensuality, and an unfiltered emotional appeal. Ultimately, “The Pig” is not only a romantic yearning poem but also a soundscape of emotional depth rendered through phonological artistry.