COURSEWORK 2

4.0 Explanation of possible causes for the pronunciation problem.

4.1 Introduction
Pronunciation is one of the most difficult problems facing ESL students. ESL refers to
people whose first language is not English. According to Oxford Students Dictionary of English
(2001), pronunciation means, the way in which a language or a particular word or sound is said or
a persons way of speaking a language. Baker (1992) claims that, pronunciation is very important
and learners should pay attention as early as possible since it is definitely the biggest thing that
people notice when a person is speaking.
As we finish doing our research for this group task, we find that there are basically three
problem areas in pronunciation faced by the subject that are sounds (vowels/consonants), stress
(word stress/sentence stress/linkage) and intonation (rising tune/falling tune).
4.2 Possible causes for the pronunciation problem.
4.2.1 Sounds
Possible cause: The age factor, mother tongue interference and phonetic ability.
Chitravelu,N.,Sithamparam,S.,& Teh S.C. (1995) defined sounds as, spoken language and
the sound system varies between languages. The subject as non-native speakers of English often
use their mother tongue (first language) as a starting point in learning new language which is why
she/he may have problems producing sounds of English words. It may be difficult for him/her to get
used to the new English Phonemes. The use of the first language as a guideline to learning English
also lmits how phonemes are produced or heard that make him/her hard to distinguish different
pronunciations. For example, the subject have difficulty pronouncing the word blue /blu/ instead of
saying blue, he says belu.
4.2.2 stress
Possible cause: The amount of exposure.Speakers first language has a stress pattern that is
unlike English.
Word stress
The most common error that the subject commits is to put the emphasis on the wrong
syllables or on the wrong words. The Englishclub.com that we find in the internet, states two very
simple rules about word stress as one word has only one stress and we can only stress on vowels,
not consonants. In English, certain syllables are stressed when sounding out words and certain
words are stressed when speaking sentences. Generally, there are three stress levels recognized in
word stress that are primary stress (the syllable given most prominence), secondary stress (the
syllable given some prominence) and unstressted syllable(the syllable given almost no
prominence at all). For example, the word memorial is pronounced with the primary stress on mo
and secondary stress on me. The subject pronounced it wrongly where listeners are likely to
misunderstood what we say if we put the emphasis on the wrong syllable.
Sentence stress
According to Chitravelu,N.,Sithamparam,S.,& Teh S.C. (1995), sentences, like words, also
make use of stress to communicate meaning. The subject had the difficulty to identify the three
concepts in sentence stress that are marked and unmarked, stress-time rhytm and content
words and structured words. He/she tend to pronounce content words too quickly without the
necessary stress. For example,
Marked and unmarked sentences
I want her. (unmarked)
I want her. (marked, probably the speaker wants her and not somebody else)
Linkage of sounds
The subject tends to pronounce each words in sentences by pausing and pronouncing each
word clearly as he/she thinks it will make the communication succeed. He/she didnt realize that
there are some words when link together as sentences is said in one breath force. For example,
the sentence there are would sound like dera not der are.
4.2.3 Intonation
Possible Cause: The standard patterns of intonation in English for the various meanings in
communication always complicate the subject.
Intonation is the rise and fall of your voice while you are speaking as defined in the Oxford
Students Dictionary of English (2001). Whether the voice rises or falls or remains flat depends upon
the meaning, and especially the feeling the speaker wants to convey. In other words, intonation and
sentence stress are connected to each other to determine comprehension. For example, there are
specific intonation patterns to express emotion or to ask questions. Titulo B.P. (2003) claims that,
even if you pronounce each word clearly, if the intonation is not standard,the meaning probably will
not clear, leading to a loss of some comprehension. For example, the sentence they cant come
on Friday which the subject tend to stress wrongly. When we use the negative form cant we tend
to stress the fact that it is the negative form by also stressing cant.
5.0 Conclusion
As a conclusion, this project was one of the way to expose us the importance of
pronunciation skill. Only by putting them into practice will make these fundamental principals into
our own as the saying goes practice makes perfect, we will be on the road to master clear
communication and receive numerous benefits.