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So, are there any problems when a Malaysian talks to a non- Malaysian in

English?

IT IS IN THE WAY YOU SAY IT

Sunday July 31, 2011

Its in the way you say it

LET'S COMMUNIC8

By ALEX CUMMINS

While there may be a need to improve our pronunciation, there is no need to


speak with a different accent.

MALAYSIAN pronunciation and the Malaysian accent are easily recognisable to


anyone who has spent any time in the country or dealing with its people.

Whether its the wonderful way people here say the word love or the often
rising intonation at the end of an utterance; pronunciation of certain sounds and
Malaysian intonation differ from British or American English.

So, are there any problems when a Malaysian talks to a non- Malaysian in
English? Most of the time, they can communicate successfully, without too much
strain or misunderstanding (depending on the competency of both speakers of
course!). Speaking face to face is much easier because there are visual clues to
aid communication. However, when small changes of sound occur, for example,
on the phone, a whole host of problems can arise.

How can we improve our pronunciation to overcome such problems? And if not
just on the phone, how can we wow our colleagues and bosses with clear and
precise pronunciation?

Do I need to get rid of my accent?

To improve your pronunciation, there is no need to lose your Malaysian-ness. In


fact, a lot of people think that unless they speak with a kind of perfect BBC
English, they are speaking incorrectly.

Similarly, Malaysians often find difficulty in understanding people with non BBC
or Southern English pronunciation. I often hear people complain that they cannot
understand the Australian or Scottish persons slangs.

First of all, slang refers to vocabulary and not to pronunciation, so what you
mean is I cannot understand his/her accent. Secondly, there are lots of accents
which are difficult to understand even amongst native speakers so dont get
too worried. The question is: how can we communicate with our Malaysian
English accent across cultures? How can a Malaysian improve areas of his/ her
pronunciation in order to communicate more effectively?

Areas of weakness

So what are some of the problem areas for Malaysians when it comes to
pronunciation?

Vowel Sounds

Often vowel sounds pose a problem for Malaysian speakers. This can be because
of the confusion between long and short vowel sounds like:dark (long) and
duck (short), or simply the fact that some sounds can be fairly similar like:
man and men.

Consonant Clusters

Words like asked and crisps pose considerable trouble for Malaysian
speakers. They rarely appear in any of the languages spoken in Malaysia and

involve some serious tongue twisting. Malaysian speakers of Tamil often find
these easier than Malay or Chinese language speakers.

Word stress

Stressing a word incorrectly can disrupt the flow of speaking. A word like
infamous is usually stressed on the second syllable in Malaysia, whereas
correct stress should be on the first syllable (infamous means well known for
something bad- not the opposite of famous by the way!)

Intonation

A lot of meaning can be conveyed by intonation, pitch and stress. All languages
use this to convey meaning. However, for non- native speakers, doing this
appropriately in English can be difficult. Take, for example, the phrase thank
you. You would probably think that someone uttering thank you should be
happy or appreciative.

Change the tone a little and we can create a completely different meaning
behind the words, however: angry, disappointed, sarcastic or even ecstatic. Its
not just the words we use, but the way that we say them which creates the
message.

How can I improve?

So, what is the best way to improve pronunciation?

You come across a new word at work. Lets imagine the word is deterioration.
You need to use it at a presentation which is coming up. How do you say it? Well,
the best thing that you can do would be to check an online dictionary (like
www.macmillandictionary.com). Not only does this provide you with the phonetic
transcript which looks like /dtrire()/, but it also gives you an actual
recording of a native speaker saying the word. If you can read the phonetic
transcript then you can even use a good English dictionary. Note that the
apostrophe symbol () is used to show where the main stress in the word is.

Buy a book to help guide you through sounds that you find difficult (I
recommend English Pronunciation in Use Intermediate, Hancock, Cambridge
University Press 2003) and make sure that you use the CDs to help model your
pronunciation.

Listen to a recording of a native speaker (or someone with very clear


pronunciation) on the radio or TV. Record yourself saying the same thing and
then listen back comparing yourself and the model recording.

For those extra difficult words and sounds, try and find out (by using a book like
I suggested above, for example) how to produce the sound in terms of the
mouth: the shape of the tongue, the position of the lips and the jaw. Where does
the sound come from? Practise in front of the mirror, so that when you say
thoroughly, you know what your, tongue, lips and mouth are doing.

Practise listening to a range of English accents being spoken. If your work


involves having to speak to people from Aberdeen or Mumbai, get used to their
accent. The more exposure you have to different accents, the easier it will be to
communicate.

Good clear pronunciation impresses people and inspires confidence. Dont set
yourself unrealistic targets though. Oh and try saying this Irish wristwatch.

Alex Cummins is a trainer with the Professional Development Unit of the British
Council in Kuala Lumpur.

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