This paper firstly compares and contrasts the phonetic and phonological systems of English and German and then goes on to describe some frequently occurring problems concerning pronunciation and non-native accents of German ESL students. Some of the factors leading to the problems that will be scrutinized are interference of German, learners’ attitudes and insufficient knowledge of phonetics and phonology systems of the English language, among others.
Moreover, the concept of what is commonly referred to as the aptitude for (phonetic) mimicry will be illuminated and discussed from different viewpoints, taking into account the origin of the term and its applicability to linguistics, particularly within the fields of phonetics and phonology.
One of the objectives of this paper will thus be to determine possible factors affecting learners’ pronunciation competence and to examine to what extent formal instruction in phonetics and phonology can alleviate certain pronunciation difficulties. To that end, a small-scale study was designed and conducted at the University of Cologne with first- and second-year English students, five of whom had not yet taken the Practical Phonetics & Phonology (PPP) course that forms an obligatory part of the English Studies Bachelor’s Degree Program and five who had taken it during the previous semester and had passed the end-of-module exam.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1.1. THE ENGLISH AND GERMAN PHONETIC AND PHONOLOGICAL SYSTEMS COMPARED
1.2. COMMON ERRORS AND POTENTIAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS
2. THE APTITUDE FOR PHONETIC MIMICRY
2.1. MIMICRY AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PHENOMENON
2.2. INNATE OR ACQUIRED? A DECADES-LONG DEBATE
3. EMPIRICAL RESEARCH AND TEACHING APPROACHES
3.1. PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN OF THE SMALL-SCALE STUDY
3.2. EVALUATION OF THE RESULTS
3.3. TEACHING PRONUNCIATION: SHIFTS IN EDUCATIONAL TRENDS
4. CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Focus Areas
This paper investigates the factors influencing learners' pronunciation competence in English as a foreign language, specifically examining whether formal instruction in phonetics and phonology enhances learners' language awareness and accuracy. It explores the debate surrounding the innateness of phonetic mimicry versus the impact of practice and training.
- Contrastive analysis of English and German phonetic/phonological systems.
- The role and definition of "phonetic mimicry" in linguistic acquisition.
- Empirical study comparing instructed and non-instructed students.
- The impact of language awareness and attitude on accent reduction.
- Pedagogical shifts towards learner-centered and intelligibility-focused pronunciation teaching.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. The English and German Phonetic and Phonological Systems Compared
“Any study of transfer must naturally provide a detailed consideration of cross-linguistic differences” (Odlin 1989: 129) and a cross-linguistic comparison of sounds in two languages should invariably include descriptions of the phonetics as well as the phonology of the native and target languages (Brière 1968). Additionally, contrastive analyses ought to take into account the cross-linguistic frequency of the sounds that are being contrasted: some sounds are extremely common, whereas other are significantly rarer and thus prove more difficult to master for non-native learners of that language. That is to say, there appears to be a rough correlation between the frequency of a sound or a certain phonological rule and their relative difficulty for L2 learners (Maddieson 1984). Bearing all this in mind, a few basic definitions will be laid down first.
Keeping matters rather simple, Davis (1998: 4) defines phonetics and phonology as follows:
Phonetics is that part of linguistics in which we study the physical characteristics of the sounds which we hear in languages. It is interested in how we produce these sounds in the mouth, nose, throat and lungs, and in how the ear and the brain perceive and interpret them. Phonology is the study of how particular languages use these sounds, e.g. what combinations of consonants a language allows at the beginning or end of a word or syllable, which sounds have a restricted distribution in the language, how some sounds affect neighbouring sounds in that language etc.
Chapter Summary
INTRODUCTION: The introduction establishes the foundation for pronunciation acquisition, highlighting the shift from innate "gift" theories to the role of exposure and instruction.
1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: This chapter contrasts English and German phonetic systems and discusses common error categories and phonological interference.
2. THE APTITUDE FOR PHONETIC MIMICRY: This section explores mimicry as both a biological and linguistic phenomenon, debating its nature as an innate trait versus an acquirable skill.
3. EMPIRICAL RESEARCH AND TEACHING APPROACHES: This chapter details a study conducted at the University of Cologne regarding formal phonetic instruction and evaluates modern trends in pronunciation pedagogy.
4. CONCLUSION: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that motivation, awareness, and practice are critical factors in overcoming foreign accent constraints.
Keywords
English as a Foreign Language, Phonetics, Phonology, L2 Acquisition, Phonetic Mimicry, Language Aptitude, First Language Transfer, Contrastive Analysis, Pronunciation Training, Intelligibility, Metalinguistic Awareness, Articulatory Phonetics, Foreign Accent, Pedagogical Trends, Language Interference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work examines the factors that influence English pronunciation among German learners, specifically evaluating the impact of formal phonetic instruction compared to intuitive learning.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The paper covers cross-linguistic phonetic differences, the aptitude for phonetic mimicry, the role of L1 transfer, and modern pedagogical shifts in pronunciation teaching.
What is the central research question?
The study aims to determine the extent to which formal instruction in phonetics and phonology can alleviate pronunciation difficulties and whether an interconnection exists between phonetic mimicry ability and pronunciation accuracy.
What methodology was employed?
A small-scale empirical study was conducted at the University of Cologne involving ten German-speaking students, divided into a group with formal training and a group without, using pronunciation tasks and questionnaires.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections address the theoretical framework of phonetic transfer, the interdisciplinary concept of mimicry, the design of the study, and an evaluation of results regarding vowel and consonant production.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include L2 acquisition, phonetic mimicry, language aptitude, first language transfer, and articulatory phonetics.
Does the study conclude that native-like pronunciation is purely innate?
No, the paper argues that while some innate aptitude exists, native-like proficiency or at least significant improvement is largely the result of motivation, training, and linguistic awareness.
Why did the study involve only female participants?
To control for potential variables such as gender, which is occasionally cited as a factor in language learning aptitude, the researcher limited the study to a single gender.
How did students in the instructed group view the IPA?
They generally found it useful but sometimes described it as a "blessing and a curse," as it permanently altered their mental lexicon to automatically process word transcriptions.
What does the author conclude about the "vanilla RP" model?
The author suggests that adhering to a single model like "vanilla RP" is increasingly seen as outdated, with current trends moving towards global conversational competence and intelligibility.
- Quote paper
- Anna Lynn Dolman (Author), 2020, Overcoming the pronunciation barrier. The aptitude for phonetic mimicry and German ESL students' linguistic awareness, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/593683
