Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
REFERENCE
Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
REVIEWS 505
and chapter 3 examines variation in performance in different communi-
cative contexts. Chapter 4 reviews research on intelligibility, setting the
stage for examining teaching priorities discussed in chapters 6–8, and
chapter 5 examines the role of phonological transfer. Chapter 6 provides
arguments for a Lingua Franca Core (LFC), chapter 7 discusses teaching
priorities in light of accommodation theory, and chapter 8 suggests
changes in pronunciation teaching and teacher education.
The book has many strengths, including its serious attempt to address
the role of intelligibility and its well-argued framework, supported by
data, for a common core in pronunciation teaching. Teaching for
intelligibility entails limiting pedagogical goals. In a field that has been
notoriously data poor and anecdote rich, Jenkins has made a major
contribution by basing her proposed curriculum on research data about
actual breakdowns in NNS-NNS talk. Her data suggest that segmental
errors (errors in individual sounds) are often more serious than
suprasegmental (rhythm and pitch) errors, although the most serious
breakdowns involve both kinds of errors. Various aspects of the proposed
LFC curriculum are certain to arouse controversy, particularly the
significantly increased role for segmentals and sentence focus, and the
significantly decreased role for many suprasegmentals (e.g., rhythm,
weak forms, and final intonation). However, the strength of the pro-
posed LFC curriculum is its basis in actual data on miscommunication.
Like all innovative books, this one will provoke both further thinking
and disagreement. For instance, the book strongly dismisses the impor-
tance of the NS model in international communication, arguing that
English’s “L1 speakers have . . . forfeited the right to dictate standards of
pronunciation for L2 use” (p. 16) because they are outnumbered by
NNSs of English. If by this she means that NSs do not have the right to
determine norms for communication that does not involve them, there
can be no disagreement. However, numbers have never really deter-
mined pronunciation models, and therefore native varieties seem likely
to remain an important factor in determining appropriate models. In
addition, the assertion that the NS model should have no role in setting
standards ignores the fact that many learners, especially immigrants,
need to communicate with NSs.
Whatever the goals of learners, pronunciation teaching urgently
needs a more carefully prioritized curriculum. This provocative and
exciting book makes a valuable contribution in that direction.
JUDY B. GILBERT
Orinda, California, United States
JOHN M. LEVIS
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa, United States