Phonetics and Phonology Essay Question

1. Non-native speakers in Malaysia have problems in pronunciation,particularly certain consonant sounds.Discuss at least two consonant pronunciation problems and suggest ways to overcome the problems.

Requirement of the question : Discussion of any two consonant pronunciation problems among non-native speakers of English in Malaysia Appropriate solutions for the problems identified Supported with relevant examples

Problems : // and // all non-native speaker in Malaysia /l/ and /r/ mainly Chinese speakers Absence of /h/ and /j/ in initial position of words and /v/ and /w/ - mainly Indian speakers

Possible solutions : Demonstrate place and manner of articulation Practice : Minimal pairs drills,tongue twister,rhymes,jazz chants

Problems : Malay speakers /f/ often replaced with /p/ // often replaced with /s/ /v/ often replaced with /b/ /ks/ often replaced with /k/

Problem : Consonant clusters Inserting schwa in both initial and final consonant clusters E.g : pleasant - /pleznt/ not /pleznt/ breakable /brek / not /brek /

Possible solutions: Awareness raising with regard to the structure of consonant clusters. Practice pronouncing words with consonant clusters via drilling, rhymes, etc.

2. Aspects of connected speech have an impact in our daily communication.Discuss at least two aspects of connected speech with examples.

Requirement of the question : Definition 2 aspects of connected speech Explanation how they make an impact in our daily communication Relevant examples

Introduction In natural speech,we do not pronounce a word, stop ,then say the next word in the sentence Fluent speech flows with a rhythm and the words bump into each other To make the speech flow smoothly,the way we pronounce the end and the beginning of some words can change depending on the sounds at the beginning and the end of those words These changes are described as features of connected speech

Assimilation : The way sounds belonging to one word changes when occurring with sounds that belong to neighbouring words in rapid,casual speech

E.g : /t/ becomes /p/ before a bilabial consonant meat pie - /mi:p pa/ - light blue - /lap blu:/ : /d/ becomes /b/ or /g/ - good boy - gb b -good girl - gg gl Linking r : /r/ inserted in //, // and // if the following words begin with vowel

E.g : here are - /h / become /h r/ Four eggs - /f egz/ become /f regz/ media event - /mid vent/ becomes /midrvent/

Liasons : Combining of two sounds /d/ and /j/ to become one E.g : reduce - /r us/ :did you - /d/

Strong and weak form : In the phonology of stress-timed languages,the weak form of a word is a form that may be used when the word has no stress and which phonemically distinct from the strong form used when a word is stressed. E.g : The word and has a strong form [nd] and weak form [nd] [n],[nd],[n]

: The word to has a strong form [to] .weak form [t] before vowels and weak form [t] before consonants (or even before a vowe ,rep acing the t with a g otta sound or a f ap).

3.Accent of English in the world can affect your comprehension and communication with others.Discuss and provide relevant examples to support your answer.

Requirement of the question: Definition of accents of English Discussion the extend to which it affects one comprehension and communication with others Relevant examples

Introduction Languages have different accents.They are being pronounced differently due to the fact that these people are from different geographical places,social places,ages and backgrounds.Stress is an umbrella term to cover both accent (word stress) belongs to a word and prominence (sentence stress). Differences of accents refer to differences of pronunciation,stress,rhythm and intonation patterns. Connected speech contains both word accents (regardless of speaker) and prominence (because of the speaker).In speech the individua word accent is ike y to e su ordinated to the speakers choice of prominence.

Effects of accents from the perspective of comprehension : It becomes a communication barrier due to variation in pronunciation,stress,rhythm and intonation patterns.First language influence on second language pronunciation may lead to inappropriate stress placement that may cause non-comprehension A speakers accent is a cha enge for effective human communication if the istener is not familiar with the accent of the speaker.Some speakers are not able to distinguish between noun protest-pro-test and ver protest-pr-test, pronouncing oth as pro-test meaning that in their speech the phonological distinction has been lost.Inappropriate intonation can at times give rise not just to obscuration of the message but to a reception of a quite different message. Speaking with an accent affects ones communication and sometimes at its worst spoi s ones image.

Effects of accents from the perspective of communication: Accents affects on intelligibility because certain stressed vowels become unstressed and get assimilated with neighbouring consonants in rapid connected speech. People do not understand you because of variation in pronunciation,stress and intonation patterns. Frustration from having to repeat yourself all the time People focusing on your accent more than on what you are trying to say that the message you want to convey is lost May have negative impact on job performance,educational advancement and everyday life activities.