Pronunciation

UNDERSTANDING VARIABILITY OF ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

 By Norhenriady

Abstract

English language has many variables especially in pronunciation system. It is influenced by segmental and supra segmental aspects. Indonesian people use English as a second language. They sometime get some difficulties to pronounce (to spell) English with their tongue. This is natural because English is not the first language. Besides English and Indonesian language have some differences with English language in linguistics system. This article will explain some aspects and factors that influence the language especially in pronunciation system, and some differences in pronounce vowel, consonant and diphthong between English and Indonesian as second language learners.

Key words: pronunciation, second language learner,       

 Pronunciation

In the language teaching, pronunciation is the way a certain sound or sounds are produced. It stresses more the way sounds are perceived by the hearer (Longman dict. of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics). According to AMEP Resource Centre (2002), pronunciation refers to the production of sounds that we use to make meaning. It includes attention to the particular sounds of a language, aspects of speech beyond the level of the individual sound, such as intonation, phrasing, stress, timing, how the voice is projected and expressions that are closely related to the way we speak a language.

Aspects of Pronunciation

Segmental aspects

Segmental is the particular sounds of a language in vowel, consonant and diphthong.

Supra-segmental aspects

Supra-segmental aspects are aspects of speech beyond the level of the individual sound, such as intonation, stress, and rhythm.

(AMEP Resource Centre at rescentr@nceltr.mq.edu.au)

Second Language Learners in Pronunciation

Among the traditional conceptions of second language learning is the idea that children learn second language in natural environments more easily than to adults under similar circumstances. There are basically three considerations that are relevant to this idea:

Biological

Proponents of the biological argument believe that a child’s is more “plastic” and should be more receptive to certain aspects of language acquisition, especially in the area of pronunciation. Some researchers claim that pronunciation is dependent on early maturing neural circuits that control the organs used for speech.

 This is in part why some researchers claim that after puberty, languages have to be learned through a conscious, and that foreign accent cannot be overcome easily after this time.

Cognitive 

The cognitive argument claim that adult’s superiority in the domain of abstract thought should give them the edge over children in L2 pronunciation.

Affective

Affective or emotional differences between children and adults are also refuted to have a crucial influence on second language learning. Children are generally less inhibited about mimicking sounds than are adults, and this may positively affect their pronunciation. (O’grady W., 1992: 436)