ABSTRACT Among several factors hindering the success of English language learning, the teaching of English vowel pronunciation to freshmen at Vinh Long College of Technical Education VLC
INTRODUCTION
Rationales
English is a global language that plays a crucial role in education, business, science, and popular culture, making it essential for knowledge transfer It is no longer exclusive to native speakers, as it serves as a lingua franca for diplomacy and international transactions To ensure sustainable economic development, the Vietnamese government prioritizes English language education, prompting students of all ages to strive for proficiency However, many Vietnamese learners face challenges, particularly with the pronunciation of English vowel sounds.
Vietnamese learners of English often lack explicit pronunciation instruction, leading many to learn the language without speaking it During their crucial pre-adolescent and adolescent years, when exposure to native pronunciation models is most beneficial, these students primarily rely on the Grammar Translation Method and reading-based approaches Despite efforts from the Ministry of Education, this gap in pronunciation practice persists.
Training’s reforms as well as devoted teachers’ efforts, such reforms may not benefit the learners’ pronunciation as much as it was expected
According to an official survey from 2006-2011 issued on October, 20 th ,
In 2011, a study by the Department of Students Administration and the Department of Academic Affairs at VLCTE revealed that 82% of graduates found employment in small and medium enterprises, while 18% secured positions in foreign-invested companies, largely due to their strong English skills This finding underscores the need for a revised English curriculum to better prepare students for the job market.
Generally, learners of English are required to have intelligible pronunciation
At Vinh Long College of Technical Education, I am deeply concerned about learners' poor pronunciation, particularly their vowel errors, which significantly hinder effective communication Despite my efforts to understand their speech, I often struggle due to these pronunciation issues This challenge has motivated me to explore the underlying causes of their difficulties, aiming to discover effective strategies for enhancing their vowel pronunciation I am confident that the findings from this investigation will lead to innovative teaching methods and ultimately help my students improve their English pronunciation skills.
Background to the study
1.2.1 The roles and problems of English vowels
Mastering spoken English is crucial for Vietnamese learners in today's globalized world, yet many struggle with vowel pronunciation, leading to a strong accent Despite the significance of English vowel sounds in effective communication, teaching and learning these sounds have received insufficient focus To enhance their English skills, students must learn to distinguish between English and Vietnamese vowel sounds, enabling them to communicate clearly with foreigners and ensure they are understood.
Vietnamese learners face challenges in English speaking and listening, not only at VLCTE but across various colleges and universities The diversity of English vowel sounds, influenced by dialects such as RP, British English, General American English, and Australian English, adds to this complexity Notably, RP, an artificial construct designed by linguists for teaching purposes, is rarely used in everyday communication This thesis primarily examines the vowel sound systems of RP and General American English, with a particular emphasis on RP in relation to British English, as these systems are relevant to Vietnamese educators and learners and align with the thesis's objectives.
Vietnamese learners often struggle with varying vowel pronunciations in English, particularly the distinction between stressed and unstressed vowels For instance, the word "recognise" can be pronounced as /rəkə'naɪz/, /rɪkə'naɪz/, or /'reko'naɪz/ Additionally, unstressed vowels in connected speech present significant challenges for these learners.
He could have done it
/hɪ kʊd əv dʌn ɪt/
Syllabic consonants also cause Vietnamese learners problems For example, /'teɪbəl/ or /'teɪbļ/, bottle /'bɒtəl/ or /'bɒtļ/, muddle /'mʌdəl/or /'mʌdļ/
The author selected this topic due to the common challenges students face in pronouncing English vowels Additionally, the investigation is particularly intriguing as there is a lack of empirical data at VLCTE regarding research on this subject.
1.2.2 English vowel teaching at VLCTE
At VLCTE, the instruction of vowel sounds is deemed optional, largely influenced by teachers' perspectives As a vocational college, VLCTE prioritizes practical technical skills, leading to a focus on grammar and reading comprehension in English exams Additionally, the lack of specialized training for teachers in pronunciation results in the neglect or omission of vowel sound instruction.
At VLCTE, the author, an experienced teacher, emphasizes the importance of proper pronunciation of English vowel sounds for effective communication Unfortunately, due to time constraints and insufficient practice, the teaching of vowel pronunciation is often overlooked, leading to challenges in students' listening and speaking skills, as well as strong accents.
Research questions
This study aims to explore the challenges associated with teaching and learning the pronunciation of difficult English vowel sounds, specifically within the context of VLCTE To guide this investigation, several research questions have been formulated.
(1) What vowels are considered problematic to the students at VLCTE?
(2) In what way and to what extent do teachers facilitate the teaching of vowels problematic to the students at VLCTE?
This study offers valuable insights for English teachers at VLCTE and EFL educators across Vietnam by addressing key questions and discussing the implications of its findings.
Significance of the study
This study aimed to enhance the pronunciation skills of first-year non-English major students at VLCTE by identifying challenging English vowel sounds and exploring effective solutions to address these issues.
The pronunciation of vowel sounds is essential in teaching and learning English, impacting both the production of these sounds and overall speaking and listening skills Therefore, understanding English vowel sounds holds significant theoretical and practical importance.
This study's findings can assist English teachers in enhancing their students' vowel pronunciation in real-life contexts, emphasizing the significance of this research.
This study highlights the importance of improving vowel sound pronunciation for students at VLCTE, which can enhance their motivation in pronunciation practice.
Scope of the study
The study focuses on first-year non-majored English students at VLCTE, emphasizing the Southern Vietnamese dialect It identifies that strong accents among Vietnamese English speakers stem from mispronouncing certain vowel sounds and omitting final consonants Due to time constraints, the research specifically examines problematic English vowel sounds that hinder effective communication, excluding other pronunciation aspects While both American and British accents are relevant, the study chooses to compare the British English sound system to the RP sound system, as it is deemed more suitable for the research objectives.
This thesis has notable limitations, primarily due to a restricted sample size of 170 non-English major participants who completed a questionnaire Additionally, only 30 students participated in the diagnostic tests, which further constrains the analysis A larger sample size would enhance the reliability and thoroughness of the findings, making it challenging to generalize the results to broader contexts.
This thesis examines the vowel sound systems of Received Pronunciation (RP) and British English, focusing on students from VLCTE who primarily speak the Southern Vietnamese dialect It is recommended that further research be conducted on consonants, consonant clusters, and other supra-segmental features to enhance the pronunciation skills of VLCTE students.
The study highlights significant issues in the perception and production of English vowel sounds, as revealed by statistical analysis It is highly recommended to utilize spectrographs, focusing on the acoustically relevant properties of speech sounds, to enhance the analysis.
Structure of the study
This thesis composes five chapters as follows:
Chapter I is an introduction, which contains the background of the study, reasons for choosing the topic, research questions, purposes of the study, significance of the study, and the outline of the study
Chapter II is a review of related literature, which provides the background on this study in which a definition of terms as well as a definition of vowels and the importance of pronunciation of vowels are mentioned An overview of the pedagogy on teaching pronunciation and techniques to teaching pronunciation of vowel sounds are also presented The next section examines the background of the
A spectrograph is an essential tool in acoustic phonetics that visually represents sound by displaying its component frequencies It produces a spectrogram on specialized paper, featuring a time scale on the horizontal axis and a frequency scale on the vertical axis The intensity of the sound is indicated by the darkness of the ink, with louder sounds appearing darker (Richards, 2002, p.498).
This article conducts a contrastive analysis of the vowel sound systems in English and Vietnamese, highlighting the pronunciation-related challenges and errors that Vietnamese learners encounter with English vowel sounds Additionally, it reviews previous studies relevant to this topic, providing justifications for the current research findings.
Chapter III is methods of investigation including sources of the data, population, samples, instruments for collecting data, data collection, data analysis
Chapter IV analyses and interprets the data It consists of statistical analysis of the data, non statistical analysis of the data, and the interpretation of the results of the data analysis
Chapter V presents the conclusions, implications and recommendations i
LITERATURE REVIEW
The background of the study
A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish between words, as defined by Richards et al (2002) For instance, the words "ban" and "bin" differ only in their vowel sounds, /ɔ/ and /ɪ/, making these sounds phonemes in English (Fromklin, 1993).
To distinguish phonemes from phones, slashes / / will be used to enclose phonemic segments or phonemic transcriptions of words and square brackets [ ] for phonetic segments or phonetic transcriptions (Fromklin, 1993, p.223)
2 When two or more sounds never occur in the same phonemic context or environment, they are said to be in complementary distribution (Fromklin, 1993, p.224) i
Allophones are defined as variants of a single phoneme within a language's sound system, as noted by Finegan (1994, p.54) These allophones do not function to differentiate words, making them noncontrastive in nature.
To native speakers, they seem to be the same sound despite their physical difference (Finegan, ibid)
Phonemes can be distinguished from allophones by understanding that a phoneme is an abstract unit in a language's sound system, representing a sound that does not have a fixed pronunciation The pronunciation of a phoneme varies based on its position within a word or utterance, while specific allophones are determined by their location in a word (Finegan, 1994, p.54).
Vowels are often pronounced longer in open syllables compared to closed syllables, and they tend to be lengthened further when followed by a voiced consonant rather than a voiceless one For instance, the vowel sound /aɪ/ in the word "advise" is longer than in "advice."
English vowels vary significantly across dialects, exhibiting numerous allophones The transcription of corresponding vowels can differ based on the specific dialect For instance, the LOT set includes words like "lot," which feature the /ɒ/ vowel in Received Pronunciation (R.P.) and /ɑ/ in General American The term "LOT vowel" denotes the vowel present in these words, representing a diaphoneme that transcends dialectal differences.
The following tables show the vowel phonemes of three standard varieties of English The notation system used here for RP is fairly standard 3
A lot of North American English speakers tend to make no distinction between [ɑ] and [ɔ] This is frequently called the cot-caught merger
In American English, speakers often merge the vowels in "merry," "marry," and "Mary," pronouncing them as homophones with the vowel sound [ɛɹ] In contrast, British English speakers maintain distinct vowel sounds, treating the [ɹ] as the start of a new syllable.
Phonotactic constraints, as defined by Finegan (1994, p.67), are the rules that outline permissible syllable structures within a language, determining what constitutes a possible syllable These sound sequences vary across languages and are strictly limited within each one In English, syllables can form various patterns of consonants and vowels, as illustrated in the example /ɪn ə prɪ-vɪ-əs tổp-tər/.
4 Phonotactics is the study of the possible phoneme combinations of a language (Roach, 2000, p.68) i
VC V CCV-CV-VC CVC -CVC From this example, English permits the following syllable types: VC, V, CCV, CV and CVC Some other permissible syllable types can be seen in monosyllabic words like past (CVCC) queen (CVCC) churned (CVCCC) and squirts (CCCVCCC)
English allows a greater variety of syllable types compared to other languages The most common syllable structure globally is the consonant-vowel (CV) pattern, followed closely by the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) structure, while the vowel (V) syllable type is also prevalent.
Onset consonant clusters, such as CC in English words like "try," "twin," and "stop," are relatively common across languages However, clusters of three consonants (CCC), as seen in words like "scream," "sprint," and "stress," are much rarer.
Problematic vowels are those that cause difficulties to S.V students in both speaking and listening
English vowels are crucial in the teaching and learning process, presenting unique challenges in TESOL Although vowel sounds vary across languages, English speakers can generally communicate effectively Variations in accents primarily stem from differences in vowel pronunciation.
Vowels are defined as speech sounds produced with an open mouth and without obstruction from the tongue or teeth According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a vowel allows for a continuous flow of air, as noted by Hornby (2005) Dale (1994) emphasizes that vowels are created with vibrating vocal cords and unrestricted airflow Roach (1998) succinctly describes vowels as sounds that permit air to flow freely from the larynx to the lips.
2.1.1.2 The number of English vowels
There is a disagreement among phoneticians as to the number of vowels that exist in English Here are some of the differences adapted from the five different dictionaries
No Vowel Example Example Example Example Example
1 /i:/ see /ɪ/ kid, bid, hymn /a:/ heart, start, calm /ɪ/ bit /i:/ bead
2 /i/ happy /e/ dress, bed /a/ act, map, lap /e/ bed /ɪ/ bit, did
3 /ɪ/ sit /ổ/ drap, bad /aɪ/ dive, cry, mind /ổ/ cat /eɪ/ date
4 /e/ ten /ɒ/ lot, odd, wash (BrE) /aɪə/ fire, tyre, buyer /ɒ/ dog (BrE) /ε/ bet, bed
5 /ổ/ cat /ʌ/ strut, but, love /aʊ/ out, down, loud /ʌ/ cut /ổ/ bat, bad
6 /a:/ father /ʊ/ food, good, put /aʊə/ flour, tower, sour /ʊ/ put /ɑ/ box, odd, father
7 /ɒ/ got (BrE) /i:/ fleece, see, machine /ε/ met, lend, pen /ə/ about /ɔ/ bought, dog
8 /ɔ:/ saw /eɪ/ face, day, steak /eɪ/ say, main, weight /i/ happy /oʊ/ boat, goat
9 /ʊ/ put /aɪ/ price, high, try /eə/ care, fair, wear /u/ actually /ʊ/ book, good
10 /u/ actual /ɔɪ/ choice, boy /ɪ/ fit, win, list /i:/ sheep /u/ boot, foot, student
11 /u:/ too /u:/ goose, too, blue /i:/ feed, me, beat /a:/ father /ʌ/ but, mud, brother
12 /ʌ/ cup /əʊ/ goat, show, no (BrE) /ɪə/ near, beard, clear /ɒ:/ dog (AmE) /ə/ banana, among
13 /3:/ fur /oʊ/ goat, show, no (GE) /ɒ/ lot, lost, spot /ɔ:/ four /ɚ/ shirt, murder
14 /ə/ about /ɒʊ/ variant in cold /əʊ/ note, phone, coat /u:/ boot /aɪ/ bite, buy, cry, eye
15 /eɪ/ say /aʊ/ mouth, now /ɔ:/ more, core, claw /3:/ bird /aʊ/ about, how
16 /əʊ/ go (BrE) /ɪə/ near, here, serious /ɔɪ/ boy, coin, joint /eɪ/ make /ɔɪ/ voice, boy
17 /oʊ/ go (AmE) /eə/ square, fair, various /ʊ/ could, stood, hood /aɪ/ lie /ir/ beer
18 /aɪ/ may /a:/ start, father /u:/ you, use, choose /ɔɪ/ boy /εr/ bear
19 /ɔɪ/ boy /a:/ lot, odd (GE) /ʊə/ sure, pure, cure /əʊ/ note (BrE) /ar/ bar
20 /aʊ/ now /ɔ:/ thought, law, north, war /3:/ turn, third, word /oʊ/ note (AmE) /ɔr/ door
21 /ɪə/ near (BrE) /ʊə/ cure, poor, jury /ʌ/ but, fund, must /aʊ/ now /ʊr/ tour
22 /eə/ hair (BrE) /3:/ nurse, stir /ə/ butter, about /ɪə/ real
23 /ʊə/ pure (BrE) /ɝ:/ nurse, stir, courage (GE) /eə/ hair (BrE)
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English for Advanced Learners
Collin Cobuild Essential English Dictionary
/uə/ actual /ʊə/ sure (BrE)
26 /u/ influence, stituation, thank you peculiar about, comma, common, father, standard
Table 2.1 The number of English vowels
Vowel sounds in English demonstrate significant dialectal variation, as noted by Avery and Ehrlich (1995) The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2005) identifies 14 pure vowels and 8 diphthongs, while the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (2008) lists 23 vowels in Received Pronunciation (R.P.) and 4 additional vowels for foreign words In General American, there are 19 vowels, along with 3 extra vowels for foreign terms, highlighting the complexity of English vowel sounds across different dialects (Roach, 1998).
Received Pronunciation (RP) features 12 monophthongs, 8 diphthongs, and 5 triphthongs According to Kenworthy (1992), there are 11 vowels and 5 diphthongs Avery and Ehrlich (1995) identify 12 vowels in General American English, which includes 3 complex vowels (diphthongs) Celce-Murcia (2002) suggests that North American English comprises 11 vowels and 3 diphthongs.
The main difference between vowels and consonants is in their different distributions (Roach, 1998, p.10) According to Avery and Ehrlich (1995, p.28), four characteristics should be discussed in describing English vowels:
1 Tongue height-whether the tongue is high or low in the mouth Its height consists of four main degrees (close, close-mid, open-mid, open)
2 Frontness/ Backness of the tongue-whether the front or the back of the tongue is involved Different parts of the tongue involving in the production of a vowel allow us to classify it as front, central and back vowels
An overview of methodologies in teaching pronunciation of vowels
2.2.1 Why to teach pronunciation of vowels
The teaching and learning of English vowels are crucial due to their significant role in pronunciation Variations in accents among native English speakers from different regions primarily stem from differences in vowel sounds (O’Connor, 1998, p.24).
English vowels exhibit significant variation across different dialects, with speakers from regions like Australia, America, and Scotland pronouncing the vowel sound in the word "see" differently, yet all are easily recognized as /i:/ It is crucial for EFL/ESL learners to focus on these differences in vowel sounds (O’Connor, 1998, p 79).
2.2.2 The goal of pronunciation: intelligibility
Kenworthy (1992) defines intelligibility as the ability of a listener to understand spoken communication in a specific context This means that students must be able to comprehend and meaningfully engage in oral interactions Intelligibility is synonymous with terms like "understandability" and "comprehensibility." Today, it is widely recognized that achieving intelligibility is the primary objective in language learning.
Intelligible pronunciation is crucial for effective listening According to Celce-Murcia et al (2002, p.8), the aim of teaching pronunciation to EFL learners is not to achieve native-like speech but to ensure clarity in communication Clear and accurate pronunciation enhances conversational comfort for both speakers and listeners, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings.
Since pronunciation is a complex and important part of learning and teaching process, teachers need to set goals and aims they want to achieve with their students
As “perfect accents are difficult if not impossible to achieve in foreign language" i
Teachers should focus on enhancing their students' communication skills to ensure they are easily understood by others According to Kenworthy (1992, p.13), a speaker's intelligibility increases as the listener becomes more adept at accurately identifying the words spoken.
2.2.3 The importance of pronunciation of vowels in EFL teaching and learning
Pronunciation, especially of vowel sounds, is crucial in English teaching and learning, as it significantly enhances intelligibility and comprehensibility Effective vowel pronunciation directly impacts learners' communicative competence and performance, making it essential for successful communication Therefore, studying vowel phonemes is a fundamental task that all English language students must prioritize, given that vowels are the core component of syllables.
2.2.4 What model of pronunciation to teach and learn
When teaching English pronunciation, it's essential to consider the various accents, including British, American, and Australian English While course books often use the Received Pronunciation (RP) accent as a model, only about three percent of the British population speaks with this accent naturally (Kelly 2000, p.14) Therefore, incorporating RP in English lessons for Vietnamese learners may not be necessary.
Vietnamese EFL learners often prefer a specific variety of English, such as British or American English Teachers should prioritize the model they are most frequently exposed to, as it is sensible to adopt the English they hear most often (O’Connor, 1998) Harmer (2001) notes that the choice of pronunciation is less critical since the differences among inner circle varieties are minimal Educators should use the variety that aligns with their own language use The primary goal of pronunciation teaching should focus on achieving clear and comprehensible pronunciation (Brown, 2000) Therefore, learners should not strive for a particular accent but rather develop their own accent that approximates a standard variety Ultimately, since there is no definitive model for accent teaching, teachers should empower students to select their own target model, provided it is widely understood (Kelly, 2002).
2.2.5 History of pronunciation teaching in the world
The teaching of vowel pronunciation and pronunciation correction has seen limited approaches and theories throughout history Celce-Murcia et al (2002, p.2) identify two primary approaches in modern language teaching: the intuitive-initiative approach and the analytic-linguistic approach, which integrate traditional methods with contemporary techniques.
This approach emphasizes that learners acquire the target language by listening and imitating its rhythms and sounds, without explicit explanations It relies on the availability of high-quality models and listening materials to ensure correct pronunciation Modern technologies, including video tapes, CDs, DVDs, and computer-based programs, facilitate this learning process.
The analytic-linguistic approach enhances the intuitive-initiative method by incorporating various tools and information, including the phonetic alphabet, articulatory descriptions, vocal charts, and contrastive information These resources support essential skills such as listening, imitation, and production (Celce-Murcia et al., 2002, p.2).
This article emphasizes the use of contrastive minimal pairs drills to address problematic sounds in the target language for learners It highlights the availability of interactive software and websites that can effectively present this explicit information.
In the current integrative approach, pronunciation is viewed as an integral component of communication, rather than an isolated drill and practice sub-skill i
Pronunciation is practised within meaningful task-based activities Learners use pronunciation-focused listening activities to facilitate the learning of pronunciation Two common approaches to teaching pronunciation mentioned by Tench
(1984), Dalton and Seidlhofer (1994) are Approaches of Bottom-up and Top-down
The Bottom-up approach emphasizes the importance of accuracy from the outset of a course, guiding teachers to instruct learners using the smallest and most concrete elements of pronunciation This method involves progressing from individual consonants and vowels to more abstract concepts, such as intonation and thought groups.
The top-down approach emphasizes understanding contextualized sounds in connected speech, guiding learners from larger elements of pronunciation, such as intonation and thought groups, down to individual sounds.
Hewings (2004) advocates for a method that elevates the role of pronunciation in language teaching, particularly in classes where it is often overshadowed by grammar and vocabulary By integrating pronunciation with other language components, such as linking vocabulary to pronunciation and exploring the connections between grammar and pronunciation, teachers can enhance the overall language learning experience.
A contrastive analysis of Vietnamese and English vowels
Contrastive analysis has long been acknowledged as valuable in foreign language education, as noted by Le and Van Su (2005, p.44) This approach highlights the tendency of learners to transfer the structures and meanings from their native language to the target language during the learning process.
Comparing and contrasting L1 and L2 is crucial for avoiding repeated mistakes in language learning (Le Van Su, ibid) Understanding the similarities and differences between the two languages enables teachers to anticipate students' challenges and address errors effectively This knowledge allows educators to make informed decisions about what and how to teach Additionally, vowel pronunciation is a significant factor in the foreign language learning process, as EFL learners often encounter pronunciation issues that can impede their ability to acquire the target language These challenges typically arise from the differences between their first language and the target language.
English and Vietnamese are languages with phonological contrasts based on vowel quality and quantity, respectively English is a 12-vowel system (Roach,
English features a tense long vowel and lax short vowel contrast, while Vietnamese has a 13-vowel system that distinguishes between long and short vowels The differences between English and Vietnamese extend beyond the size of their vowel systems to include the phonetic qualities of the vowels.
2.3.1 Distinctive features of Vietnamese vowel system
The vowel systems of English and Vietnamese exhibit notable differences, particularly in articulation In Vietnamese, the tongue position is generally higher and tenser compared to the articulation of English approximants Additionally, vowel lengthening in Vietnamese is not phonemic, distinguishing it further from English vowel characteristics.
Vietnamese features three unique vowels: [ʌ], [ɤ], and [ɯ] The vowel [ʌ] resembles the "u" in "but," while [ɤ] is similar to an accented schwa "a" as in "ago." The vowel [ɯ] can be described as a "grinning 'oo'" sound, akin to the "u" in "zoo," produced by saying [u] and then unrounding the lips as if making a "mirthless grin" (Tran, Ngoc Dung, p.2).
2.3.2 Distinctive features of English vowel system
English vowels differ from the eight cardinal vowels, as they are primarily diphthongized and produced with less energy than Vietnamese vowels In English, vowel lengthening is phonemic, contrasting with Vietnamese Unique English vowels include /ổ/ and /i:/.
2.3.3.The contrastive phonology transcription of English and Vietnamese vowels
The table below is adapted from Roach (1998, pp.10-19), Nguyen, Hong Qui et al (1992, pp.10-13)
/i:/ high front unrounded, long vowel sound The tongue is rather high and the lips are spread It occurs in all positions eel, receive, sleep x
The vowel sound /ɪ/ is a high front, unrounded, short vowel characterized by loosely spread lips and a slightly retracted front tongue This sound can be found in various positions within words, as demonstrated in examples like "limb," "mix," and "swim," which are articulated similarly to "lim," "mí," and "xít."
The /ε/ sound is a mid front unrounded vowel, produced with the tongue raised but not as high as the /ɪ/ sound It can appear in various positions, except in open syllables The mouth is slightly open when articulating this sound, as seen in words like "red," "chest," and "bed," where the tongue is positioned lower than in the English /e/ sound, as in "rét," "chén," and "bét."
/ổ/ low front unrounded vowel The front tongue is rather low and the mouth is more open than for the
/ε/ sound It may occur only in closed syllables cat, hat, mask drank, branch x
/a:/ low back rounded vowel sound
The back of the tongue is slightly raised The mouth is open It occurs in all positions heart, cart, farce, pardon x
/ɔ/ a low back rounded vowel sound
The back of the tongue is slightly raised and the mouth is open It may occur only in closed syllables not, got, hot x
/ɔ:/ mid back rounded vowel sound
The back of the tongue is positioned halfway up, while the mouth remains less open and the lips are rounded This configuration is present in the four vowel sounds: corn, war, terror, and the "x" sound.
/ʊ/ high back rounded short vowel
The central and back part of the tongue is elevated to a position slightly above half-closed, while the lips remain rounded This articulation often occurs in closed stressed syllables, as seen in words like "should," "pull," and "hook," which are pronounced similarly to "bu," "hút," and "sút."
/u:/ high back rounded long vowel
The back of the tongue is rather high and the lips are very closely rounded It occurs in all positions food, shoed, cruel x
The sound /ʌ/ is a low central unrounded vowel produced with the tip of the tongue touching the base of the lower teeth and unrounded lips This sound does not appear in open syllables and can be found in words such as "fun," "butter," and "lunch," which are articulated similarly to the Vietnamese words "phân," "bất," and "lân."
/ə/ mid central unrounded short vowel sound The central part of the tongue is higher than for /ʌ/
The lips are unrounded It occurs in all unstressed positions along, manner articulated in the same manner ờ, mờ x This sound does not occur in Southern Vietnamese
The diphthongs are made by starting with the vowel in the first part of the diphthongs and then moving the tongue
/aɪ/ put your tongue in the position for /a/ and then quickly raise it toward the front of your mouth buy, high, line articulated in the same way bai, lai
/aʊ/ move your tongue from /a/ upward and make your lips round now, house articulated in the same way nào, hao
/ɔɪ/ raise your tongue from /ɔ/ toward the front of your mouth boy, soy articulated in the same way bói, sói i
Contrastive analysis of syllable structures between English and Vietnamese
Understanding the similarities and differences in syllable structures between English and Vietnamese is crucial for effectively teaching and learning English vowels Mastery of these aspects can significantly enhance language acquisition.
A syllable is defined as a speech unit that minimally includes one vowel and can maximally consist of a vowel preceded and followed by consonants or consonant clusters (Richards, 2002, p.543) For instance, the word "introductions" contains four syllables: "in-tro-duc-tions."
The English syllable structure consists of an onset, nucleus, and coda, as described by Roach (1998) and Finegan (1994) For instance, in the word "bed" (/bed/), the onset is represented by /b/, the nucleus by /e/, and the coda by /d/.
Both onset and coda may be empty, forming a vowel-only syllable, or alternatively, the nucleus can be occupied by a syllabic consonant
2.4.2 The syllable structures in English language
Many pronunciation issues among ESL students stem from their difficulty in producing various syllable types in English, which has a more intricate syllable structure compared to other languages.
Table 2.4 A typical structure of an English syllable i
In this structure, the peak can stand alone to make a syllable like the word
“a”, whereas the onset and the coda must go with its nucleus or peak, it cannot stand alone English also has many other different syllable structures:
Table 2.5 Different structures of English syllables 7
@ syllabic consonant (the nucleus of a syllable)
2.4.3 The syllable structures in Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is classified as a monosyllabic language, where each syllable functions as an independent unit with its own meaning, in contrast to English, which is a stress-timed language Additionally, Vietnamese is a tonal language, meaning that variations in pitch can alter the meaning of words.
Vietnamese syllable structures differ significantly from those in English As noted by Doan, Thien Thuat (1999, as cited in Ha, Thanh Bich Loan, 2005), each Vietnamese syllable serves as a complete unit with its own meaning, although not every component of the syllable carries meaning The structure of a Vietnamese syllable is composed of four main parts, with tone being the first.
(thanh dieu), (2) onset, and (3) peak, and (4) coda
7 Cited in Ha, Thanh Bich Loan (2005) i
Since Vietnamese tones do not affect Vietnamese learners’ pronunciation of English vowel sounds, from now on, we do not discuss Vietnamese tones any longer
Vietnamese C V C English a a V Ah! la l a CV shout an a n VC safe lan l a n CVC orchid trung £ u η CVC middle
Table 2.7 Different structures of Vietnamese syllables 8
From table 2.5 and table 2.7, there are some similarities and differences between Vietnamese syllable structures and English syllable structures
(10) CVCCCC Only English mono-syllables are referred
Table 2.8 Comparison of English and Vietnamese syllable structures
Vietnamese syllable structures align with English in four primary forms: (1) V, (2) CV, (3) VC, and (4) CVC This similarity provides an advantage for Vietnamese learners in pronouncing these syllables effectively.
Vietnamese learners of English can leverage their native language's pronunciation similarities to facilitate easier English word pronunciation, a phenomenon known as positive transference However, these learners often encounter challenges with syllable structures in English that are not present in Vietnamese.
Some common problems of vowel pronunciation
2.5.1 Common problems with English vowels
ESL/EFL students frequently struggle with vowel distinctions due to the greater number of vowels in English compared to other languages Avery and Ehrlich (1995) highlight that the variation in vowel counts can lead to confusion, with Longman’s Advanced American Dictionary (2007) listing 21 vowels, including diphthongs, while Roach (1998) identifies 20 vowels, comprising 7 short vowels, 5 long vowels, and 8 diphthongs In contrast, Vietnamese has only 13 vowels and 3 diphthongs (Doan Thien Thuat, 2007) This discrepancy contributes to the challenges faced by students from various countries in mastering English vowel sounds.
Problem 1: - Confusion of similar sounds, e.g /ɪ/ and /i:/ Tense vs lax vowels
/i:/ vs /ɪ/ as in “beat” and “bit”
/eɪ/ vs /e/ as in “bait” and “bet”
/u:/ vs /ʊ/ as in “boot” and “book”
The difference between tense and lax vowel pairs in English frequently causes difficulties for ESL learners, who often pronounce both vowels in a pair the same way, resulting in a sound that falls between the two This inability to distinguish between tense and lax vowels can lead to misunderstandings in communication.
/e/ vs /ổ/ as in “bed” and “bad”
/ʌ/ vs /a:/ as in “cut” and “car” i
Some learners produce all four vowels in a similar manner which can cause a lot of misunderstandings
Foreign language students frequently encounter challenges with English vowel pronunciation, particularly with the sounds /e/, /ɔ/, /ʌ/, and /ɒ/ This confusion often leads to misunderstandings, especially when differentiating between words like "bet," "bed," "bat," "but," and "pot." Many learners tend to produce these vowel pairs similarly, which can hinder effective communication.
2.5.2 Some common English vowel pronunciation problems facing Vietnamese students
Vietnamese is primarily a monosyllabic language, with most morphemes consisting of a single syllable, while English is polysyllabic, featuring words that typically range from one to five syllables This fundamental difference presents significant challenges for Vietnamese learners in mastering English pronunciation and producing vowel sounds Consequently, it is common for these learners to encounter typical errors when articulating English vowel sounds.
The vowel sound systems of Vietnamese and English differ significantly, with many vowels present in English that are absent in Vietnamese and vice versa According to Roach (2000), English features 20 vowels, including 8 diphthongs, while Vietnamese has 13 vowels and 3 diphthongs (Doan, Thien Thuat, 2007) The absence of long vowels in Vietnamese makes the concept of long vowel sounds unfamiliar to Vietnamese learners.
The Vietnamese alphabet represents a single sound per letter, unlike English, where one letter can signify multiple sounds This leads to significant discrepancies between English spelling and pronunciation, as English spelling patterns are often inconsistent and unreliable for guiding pronunciation (Dale, 1994, p.139) For instance, the letter 'a' can represent five different sounds in words such as "hate," "father," "have," "any," and "saw."
The pronunciation of vowels is crucial in the process of learning a second language (L2) A teacher who understands the similarities and differences between the sound systems can anticipate challenges and assist students in achieving accurate pronunciation in the target language.
According to Baker (1982) and Avery and Ehrlich (1995, p.156), Vietnamese speakers often have errors as follows:
- confuse /ʌ/ vs /ɔ/ (in A.E) beat -bit, seat-sit put-food, pull-fool bed-bat, bet-bat hut-hot, but-pot
Table 2.9 Vietnamese speakers’ common types of errors
2.5.2.1 Some problematic English sounds to Vietnamese learners and their causes
Pronunciation issues often arise from the differences between a learner's native language and English, particularly when the two sound systems vary significantly These problems can occur when the target language distinguishes between sounds that are not differentiated in the learner's first language.
Listed here are the English vowels which might cause pronunciation problems to Vietnamese EFL learners and their reasons
2.5.2.1.1 Pairs of tense and lax vowels /ɪ/ and /i:/, /e/ and /eɪ/, /ʊ/ and /u:/
Avery and Ehrlich (1995) highlight that Vietnamese learners face challenges in mastering English vowel sounds Although they can distinguish various Vietnamese vowels, the English tense/lax vowel pairs often lead to confusion This difficulty arises because they tend to apply their native vowel system to English, resulting in mispronunciations of distinct vowel pairs, such as in the word "heat."
/hi:t/ and hit /hit/) with the same manner, since in Vietnamese language, the long vowel /i:/ does not exist and they tend to replace the long vowel /i:/ in heat with /ɪ/
As a result, this problem can cause misunderstandings
These pairs of tense and lax vowels pose difficulties for Vietnamese learners because of the following reasons:
The Vietnamese vowel system features numerous distinctions, which often leads students to pronounce the two vowels in each pair identically, neglecting the differences between tense and lax vowels This lack of distinction can result in misunderstandings.
The vowels produced in this context are shorter than their English counterparts and lack tongue movement during articulation, leading to a neglect of vowel length Consequently, this affects the pronunciation of pairs such as "beat" and "bit."
“seat”- “sit” are pronounced the same
2.5.2.1.2 Pairs of front vowels /e/ and /ổ/
Avery and Ehrlich (1995) highlight that Vietnamese learners often struggle to differentiate between the English vowel sounds /e/ and /æ/, as found in the words "bed" and "bad." This confusion arises because these sounds do not appear distinct to Vietnamese speakers, unlike to native English speakers It is crucial to distinguish between /e/ and /æ/ (e.g., "bet" vs "bat") not to achieve native-like pronunciation, but because these sounds can change the meaning of words, making them essential for effective communication.
Vietnamese speakers often struggle to distinguish between the sounds /e/ and /ổ/, as they tend to pronounce these vowels identically According to Avery and Ehrlich (1995), students frequently do not lower their tongue and jaw sufficiently to produce the /ổ/ sound correctly Additionally, Roach (1998) notes that English learners commonly make pronunciation errors with diphthongs, which can hinder their speaking proficiency.
Vietnamese EFL students often struggle with producing diphthongs, particularly distinguishing between the sounds /e/ and /eɪ/, as heard in the words "bet" and "bait." This challenge contributes to a "foreign" accent characterized by the incorrect production of pure vowels instead of the appropriate diphthongs.
Vietnamese speakers often struggle with English triphthongs, which combine diphthongs with the sound /ə/ According to Roach (1998), triphthongs are challenging to pronounce and recognize The primary difficulty for S.V learners arises from the minimal vowel movement in contemporary English, particularly in casual speech This leads to issues in distinguishing words like "lie."
/laɪ/ from liar /laɪə/ This distinctive feature also causes a lot of problems to S.V speakers
Guidelines for pronunciation error diagnosis
A diagnostic profile sheet is essential for each student, serving as a permanent record of their strengths and weaknesses (Avery & Erhlich, 1995, pp 175-176) This tool enables teachers to prioritize and organize information about their students' pronunciation, facilitating the selection of appropriate items for class work.
Avery & Erhlich (1995, p.177) group errors in pronunciation of English vowels into four main categories: substitution, articulation, length and reduction i
1 Substitution is the replacement of a different vowel for the appropriate one, e.g., Vietnamese learners substitute /ɪ/ for /i:/ so that beat sounds like bit
2 Articulation refers to whether the vowel is being articulated properly, e.g., do Vietnamese learners often produce English /u:/ with lips rounded?
3 Length refers to the appropriate length in the production of a vowel, e.g., is /i:/ longer than /ɪ/? Are stressed vowels longer than unstressed one?
4 Reduction refers to the reduction of vowels in unstressed syllables, e.g., is the second vowel in a word such as “campus” pronounced as schwa?
This study will analyze errors in the production of English vowels, adhering to the Pronunciation Error Diagnosis Guidelines established by Avery & Erhlich.
Previous related studies on vowels
In his M.A thesis named “A Longitudinal Study of The Acquisition of
American English Vowels” Andrea Vergun (2006) made use of the Speech Learning
The study explores how a second language learner modifies their pronunciation while acquiring a new language It focuses on three specific vowels: one new sound (/ổ/) and two similar sounds (/o, u/), as perceived by a native Spanish speaker.
Ha, Thanh Bich Loan (2005) in her research entitled “The Role of Basic
Pronunciation Knowledge in the Teaching and Learning of English at Information Technology College - Ho Chi Minh City” referred to the pronunciation problems of
Vietnamese learners often face challenges in pronunciation, particularly with vowels While efforts have been made to identify their concerns, needs, and motivations for improvement, there is a lack of focus on addressing the specific types of pronunciation errors made by Vietnamese speakers This gap highlights the need for more targeted teaching strategies to enhance vowel pronunciation in language learning.
In her thesis entitles “Pronunciation Problems Faced by First-Year English
Learners at Mekong University-Pedagogical Implications”, Nguyen, Thi Kim Ba
(2005) attempted to introduce the overview of pronunciation errors that native speakers of Vietnamese might make when using English orally She didn’t go into further discussion of English vowels problematic i
All the researchers, despite their varied studies, focused on identifying issues related to non-native English pronunciation, particularly concerning vowel sounds The significance of vowels in pronunciation is often overlooked, highlighting the need for greater emphasis on their importance.
Summary
This chapter offers a comprehensive literature review on English pronunciation teaching, focusing on the English and Vietnamese vowel sound systems It highlights the significance of mastering English vowel pronunciation and examines the factors influencing the acquisition process The chapter also discusses various teaching methodologies for vowel sounds and conducts a contrastive analysis of the Vietnamese and English sound systems to identify common pronunciation errors made by Vietnamese learners Additionally, it addresses prevalent challenges faced by students globally, with a specific emphasis on Vietnamese students A brief overview of pronunciation teaching approaches and relevant prior studies underscores the necessity of this research Overall, this literature review aims to systematically and scientifically elucidate the primary issues students encounter in acquiring English vowel pronunciation.