INTRODUCTION
Statement of problem
English is spoken by twenty percent of the global population and is the most widely studied foreign language In Vietnam, the demand for English has surged, especially after its accession to the World Trade Organization, as it is essential for attracting foreign investment and boosting the economy English education has evolved, now starting at the age of eight, and the number of foreign language centers is rapidly increasing, with English being the most sought-after language among learners.
Vietnam is increasingly recognizing the vital role of English communication, particularly in the context of the 4.0 technological era As English becomes a core subject in schools, its teaching is expanding, with numerous English centers emerging in major cities Despite the growing necessity for English in education and career prospects, many Vietnamese struggle with proper pronunciation Foreigners often note that while many Vietnamese can speak English, few achieve intelligible pronunciation, hindering effective communication Mastering English pronunciation is as crucial as developing listening, speaking, and spelling skills, as pronunciation errors can lead to significant challenges in professional settings Since the late 1980s, English teaching in Vietnam has evolved, especially with the adoption of the communicative approach, which aims to enhance students' oral communication skills through a more interactive curriculum.
The differences in consonant pronunciation between English and Vietnamese create significant challenges for Vietnamese learners Many Vietnamese speakers frequently make errors with English consonants, highlighting the importance of mastering these sounds for effective communication Consonants play a crucial role in determining syllable tone, making it essential for learners to understand their classification to pronounce words accurately Despite early exposure to English, many university students struggle with pronunciation, particularly with consonants, leading to self-doubt in conversations with native speakers This struggle not only hampers their learning experience but also impacts their future job prospects.
At Lac Hong University, the focus on teaching English to language major students has intensified, particularly regarding pronunciation and communication skills First-year students receive instruction in basic pronunciation, and the university actively promotes practice through classroom activities, English clubs, and competitions Despite these efforts, many students struggle with English consonant pronunciation, largely due to a lack of systematic phonics education in high school and limited access to pronunciation practice, especially for those from rural areas Consequently, the pronunciation and speaking test results for first-year language majors often fall short of expectations.
Research in pronunciation primarily targets consonant sounds, aiming to identify challenges faced by first-year English major students to improve their accuracy in English consonant pronunciation.
Purpose of the study
This study aims to identify and analyze the challenges faced by first-year students at the Faculty of English Language (FEL) at Lac Hong University in pronouncing English consonants The findings will offer valuable insights to English as a Second Language teachers, helping them address and mitigate future issues related to consonant pronunciation Ultimately, the research seeks to minimize the negative impacts on the learning process that students in these courses frequently encounter.
Objectives of the study
This article aims to highlight the common consonant pronunciation errors made by FEL students, addressing their challenges in this area It focuses on methodological issues, theoretical assumptions, and key findings Additionally, the research provides essential insights for practitioners on the importance of accurate consonant pronunciation.
Significance of the study
This study is significant as it explores the challenges faced by first-year FEL students in pronouncing English consonants Without this research, students may remain unaware of the underlying causes of their pronunciation errors, which, if left unaddressed, can become ingrained and hinder overall pronunciation improvement Additionally, the findings may offer valuable insights for FEL teachers, guiding them in the development and selection of effective instructional techniques to enhance the teaching of English consonant sounds.
Research questions
This study aims at answering two following questions
1 What are common errors in pronouncing English consonants of FEL first-year students?
2 What are the difficulties pronouncing English consonants that FEL first year students face?
Scope of the study
This study examines first-year English students at Lac Hong University, representing a group with limited English learning experience Despite involving approximately one hundred participants from three classes of the 2021 cohort, the research required significant time and effort for data surveying, collection, and analysis.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Consonants in English
According to Peter Roach (2000), the English language comprises 24 consonants, which include /p/, /b/, /m/, /f/, /v/, /t/, /d/, /n/, /l/, /ʃ/, /ʧ/, /ʤ/, /k/, /g/, /r/, /h/, /w/, /j/, /θ/, /ʒ/, and /ŋ/ These consonants are classified based on two criteria: manners of articulation and place of articulation, as illustrated in the accompanying table.
Table 2.1: Manners and places of articulation
Below is a table with examples about each consonant in English and corresponding words It will help us have a more specific overview of the 24 consonants
The differences in consonants between English and Vietnamese
English consists of 24 consonants categorized by voicing, manner of articulation, and place of articulation, with consonants appearing in initial, medial, or final positions (Roach, 1983) In contrast, Vietnamese features 30 consonants, including 22 initial and 8 ending consonants (Thuat, 1980) Among the ending consonants, there are 6 (p, t, k, m, n, ŋ) and 2 semi-consonants (or semi-vowels) Notably, semi-consonants can maintain the timbre of the final phoneme, leading to zero ending consonants, as seen in words like "má" and "lá." Additionally, they can alter the timbre of the final phoneme, resulting in ending consonants in words such as "mai" and "tai."
When comparing the consonant tables of English and Vietnamese based on articulation, the Vietnamese table is notably more detailed This is evident in the classification of consonants, where phonologists identify two primary modes: plosive and fricative Each mode is further divided into obstruent and sonant categories, with additional subdivisions into aspirated, unaspirated, voiced, and voiceless In Vietnamese, plosive consonants include aspirated t’, unaspirated voiceless t, ʈ, c, k, and unaspirated voiced b, d, along with sonant nasal m, n, ɲ, ŋ Conversely, English plosive consonants encompass both sonant plosive and affricative sounds, including p, b, t, d, g, k, m, n, and affricatives ʧ, ʤ Notably, while g is classified as a plosive in English, ɣ is categorized as a fricative in Vietnamese.
Vietnamese syllables exhibit distinct characteristics in their endings, with certain syllables like "má," "cho," and "I" maintaining the timbre of the primary phoneme, referred to as the zero consonant Additionally, due to articulatory closure, some syllables experience a change in timbre at the final phoneme, leading to two categories: semi-consonants such as /t/ in "tai" and /đ/ in "đau," as well as consonants like /n/ in "chân," /k/ in "khóc," and /t/ in "suốt."
According to Peter Roach, English consonants can appear in initial, medial, or final positions, and all consonants, except for /h/, are categorized as either fortis (strong) or lenis (weak) In contrast to English, the Vietnamese consonant chart is more detailed, featuring additional criteria for categorizing the manner of articulation while having fewer criteria for the place of articulation Phonologists focus more on tongue position in Vietnamese consonants, identifying categories such as Flat, Retroflex, and Dorsal, whereas English descriptions emphasize various articulators, including Palatal Alveolar, Alveolar, and Dental.
The fricative sounds in English and Vietnamese exhibit notable differences In Vietnamese, fricatives include voiceless sounds such as /f/, /s/, /ş/, /x/, and /h/, as well as voiced sounds like /v/, /z/, and /ʐ/ Additionally, the language features a lateral fricative /l/ In contrast, English includes unique fricatives such as the dental sounds /ð/ and /θ/, the alveolar fricatives /s/ and /z/, and the palato-alveolar fricatives /ʃ/ and /ʒ/ This distinction highlights the varied articulation and classification of fricatives between the two languages.
English contains consonants that are absent in Vietnamese, including the approximants /w/, /r/, and /j/ It's important to note that the consonants /k/ and /g/ in English are classified as velar plosives, while in Vietnamese, /k/ is a tongue plosive and /g/ is a tongue fricative Additionally, the Vietnamese consonant /ɲ/ does not have an equivalent in English These differences can lead to pronunciation challenges for Vietnamese learners, particularly with sounds like /ʧ/ and /ʤ/, especially among speakers with local accents from northern Vietnam.
Those are some comparisons made about the discrepancies between Vietnamese and English consonants.
Major influences on pronunciation performance of English learners
English speakers can easily distinguish between various accents, such as Spanish, Arabic, German, French, or Vietnamese, indicating that the phonetic patterns of a speaker's first language influence their second language Avery and Ehrlich (1992) assert that a foreign accent is shaped by the learner's native language, which has its own unique phonemes, rules for word formation, and specific stress and intonation patterns Consequently, nonnative speakers' mispronunciations are not random but rather reflect the phonetic characteristics of their first language The native language's sound system can affect English pronunciation in multiple ways, as highlighted by Avery and Ehrlich (1992).
Learners may struggle with English pronunciation for several reasons First, they may encounter sounds that are absent in their native language, making it difficult to exercise the necessary mouth musculature for proper pronunciation Second, even if certain sounds exist in both languages, differing rules for blending these sounds into words can lead to pronunciation challenges Lastly, the stress and intonation patterns of a language, influenced by its rhythm and melody, can cause learners to inadvertently transfer the rhythm of their native language into English, further complicating their pronunciation.
Students often struggle to hear sounds not present in their native language's phoneme inventory, which can hinder their ability to produce and perceive English sounds Research by Avery and Ehrlich (1992) highlights that a student's native language significantly impacts their auditory and speech capabilities in English Many teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) may experience frustration when students consistently mispronounce words, seemingly unwilling to self-correct However, this issue arises because students interpret English sounds through the lens of their native language, leading them to hear familiar sounds instead of the correct English pronunciations.
An individual's prior experience with their first language significantly influences the learning of a second language, especially when the second language is learned after puberty Adults tend to acquire the phonological system of a second language differently than their first, as integrating new sounds requires adjustments to existing neural networks.
METHODOLOGY
Research design
This study employed a flexible qualitative approach, aligning with its research goals and enhancing relevance and value Qualitative research, as defined by David Silverman (2000) and Flick (2014), involves the collection and analysis of non-numerical data to gain insights into attitudes, opinions, and experiences This method was particularly suitable for exploring issues related to the pronunciation of English consonants, focusing on the accuracy challenges faced by students and teachers, as well as their attitudes and underlying reasons Additionally, the study concentrated on a specific group of students from The Faculty of English Language, rather than a broader population at Lac Hong University.
The research study utilized a survey with qualitative observation to capture the attitudes, preferences, and opinions of participants (Rea & Parker, 1992) Survey design is effective for providing descriptive summaries suitable for status description, evaluation, and development (Cohen, Manion, and Morrison, 2002) This approach clarified participants' perceptions of presentations and common techniques through diverse data collection methods Surveys encompass various procedures, including questionnaires, interviews, and observations (Griffee, 2012, p.53) Consequently, the survey design allowed researchers to visualize real-world situations, integrating findings with other data sources for reliable conclusions.
Population and sampling
This study focused on first-year English majors at Lac Hong University's Faculty of English Language, comprising approximately 100 students from three classes of the 2021 cohort, with a notably small proportion of female participants A key aspect of the study is the diverse backgrounds of the participants, who hail from various regions of Vietnam While most students dedicated their interests and efforts to mastering English, some came from privileged areas where exposure to natural English was prevalent, whereas others originated from regions with limited emphasis on the language Consequently, this led to a perceived, albeit minor, difference in proficiency levels among the participants.
Data collection
According to the theory of triangulation in scientific research, this investigation as well included three different types of data collection instruments to gain information with reliability
The first tool utilized in the research was observation, defined as closely monitoring someone or something over time to gather new insights (Merriam, 2002) This method is particularly effective in qualitative research, as it facilitates the collection of in-depth, firsthand data within a specific context (Dahlberg & McCaig, 2010) The researchers observed approximately one hundred students from three different classes of FEL English majors during their pronunciation classes, all held at the school Acting as complete observers, the researchers ensured they did not interfere with the students' activities or influence their emotions This observational approach allowed the researchers to draw conclusions about the students' preparation, visualize their presentation techniques, and document their use of presenting strategies A checklist with predefined categories and space for additional notes was employed during the observation process.
The questionnaire served as the second research tool, primarily aimed at gauging public opinion across various domains such as market research, political polling, customer service feedback, evaluations, opinion polls, and social science research (O'Leary, 2014) Researchers crafted questions related to their specific problem to gather accurate insights, requiring participants to provide information about their classes and genders while ensuring anonymity Utilizing a phenomenological design, the open-ended questions allowed participants to share their experiences in narrative form, resulting in detailed and precise information about the phenomenon The complete questionnaire, designed in Google Forms, comprised seven questions in English.
The Vietnamese translation was shared with a designated representative from each class, preferably the class monitor, for distribution among classmates The data collected focused on participants' previous and current experiences in learning English, their perceptions of the accuracy of their English usage, and their awareness of the factors that influence these aspects.
Interviews serve as a vital tool in qualitative research, allowing researchers to ask open-ended questions and record participant responses (Creswell, 2012) After conducting interviews, researchers typically transcribe the data for analysis, which helps uncover the stories behind participants' experiences and gather in-depth information They are particularly useful for following up on questionnaire responses to gain deeper insights (McNamara, 1999) In this study, in-person interviews were conducted with 30 randomly selected students, and although the questionnaire included open-ended questions, interviews were necessary to clarify and explore the information further Researchers developed interview questions based on notes from the questionnaire responses rather than using a predetermined set Additionally, four teachers specializing in speaking skills were interviewed, and a Google form with tailored questions was utilized, along with follow-up questions for further clarification.
Procedure
This research actually began on the time that the students also had started to a new learning semester The entire study was divided into three distinct and interconnected sections
The initial phase involved a ten-week observation period where students were assigned weekly presentation tasks In the final week, a Google form questionnaire was distributed to participants via the class monitor, allowing for immediate submission of responses upon completion Following the observation and questionnaire phase, interviews were conducted, starting with two student interviews, followed by interviews with the teacher.
Data analysis
The collected data from three instruments was analyzed using coding and grounded theory methods, simultaneously examining interview notes, observation checklists, and questionnaire responses (Auerbach & Silverstein).
In 2003, data collected from various instruments was initially recorded in a disorganized list and later categorized according to the research objectives Key words from responses were compiled, grouped by similar ideas, and named accordingly The frequency of these key words helped rank the aspects for further discussion Additionally, a comprehensive review of the checklist allowed the researcher to identify and categorize errors, with the severity of these errors determined by their quantity and frequency.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The most common errors in English consonant pronunciation
Research on the challenges faced by FEL students in English consonant pronunciation is limited, despite extensive studies on their grammatical, lexical, and spelling errors Notably, these students recognize their difficulties with consonant pronunciation, which significantly impacts their confidence in communicating in English.
This study aimed to identify and analyze the pronunciation challenges faced by first-year FEL students regarding English consonant phonemes Through questionnaires and interviews, students reported various difficulties in pronouncing mono consonants as well as double and triple clusters The researchers conducted an artefact analysis during practice sessions, which revealed three common errors made by FEL students.
Teachers observe that FEL students often mispronounce various English consonants, despite prior exposure in secondary and high school Many students remain unaware of these mispronunciations until they receive feedback from their teachers This issue can result in the formation of words with entirely different meanings, creating significant communication challenges as listeners struggle to comprehend the intended message.
FEL students often mispronounce English consonants due to spelling inconsistencies, leading them to incorrectly compare pronunciations across different words This misunderstanding arises because consonants can be pronounced differently depending on their context Observations and interviews reveal that students particularly struggle with the pronunciations of consonants such as /θ/, /ʃ/, /s/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /z/, /p/, /f/, and /ŋ/ The accompanying table highlights specific errors in the pronunciation of these consonants, showcasing examples from the experiences of first-year FEL students.
Consonant sounds Examples of errors from observation and interview results
How to FEL studens tended to pronounce
/θ/ Is she? I thought she was thirty five
The knife was hidden in a sheath thought /thɔːt/ thirty /ˈthɜːrti/ sheath /ʃiːt/
/z/ It is an exact answer for this question exact /ɪɡˈsổkt/ /ɪɡˈzổkt/
/p/ There’s a splendid holiday in Paris splendid /ˈsblendɪd/
Table 4.1: Common errors in consonant pronunciation
The pronunciation of initial, medial, and final consonants among FEL students was notably inadequate Observations and interviews with both students and teachers highlighted frequent errors across all three positions of English consonants Additionally, students' artifacts reflected similar mispronunciations of consonant clusters An analysis of the observations and student feedback led to the creation of three tables that outline the most prevalent mistakes in pronouncing mono consonants, as well as double and triple clusters at initial, medial, and final positions.
/θ/ thanks thing thick think three
/dʒ/ job general June jeep Jerry joke
/ʃ/ ship she shoe sheet shop sheep shampoo
/sɪp/ /si/ /suː/ /siːt/ /sɑːp/ /siːp/ /sổmˈpuː/
/p/ people pen pear peach poppy pack
/ˈbiːpl/ /ben/ /ber/ /biːtʃ/ /ˈbɑːpi/ /bổk/
/tʃ/ chair cheese chicken cheap cherry
/cher/ /chiːz/ /ˈchɪkɪn/ /chiːp/ /ˈcheri/
/pl/ play plenty plan plug
/sp/ speech special spin spicy
/sbiːtʃ/ /ˈsbeʃl/ /sbɪn/ /ˈsbaɪsi/
Table 4.2: Errors in pronouncing initial consonants
Students face significant challenges in pronouncing the consonant sounds /θ/, /dʒ/, /ʃ/, /p/, and /tʃ/ Notably, first-year students often substitute the sound /θ/ with the Vietnamese sound /th/ and replace /dʒ/ with /tr/.
Many first-year Vietnamese students struggle with English consonant sounds, often pronouncing /ch/ as /tʃ/, /ʃ/ as /s/, and /p/ as /b/ This mispronunciation occurs because these sounds are unfamiliar to them, as certain English consonants like /θ/, /dʒ/, and /ʃ/ are not present in their native language.
The Vietnamese sound system presents challenges for first-year English majors, particularly with consonant clusters Many students frequently mispronounce initial consonant clusters, such as /pl/ in "play," which is often pronounced as /bl/, and /sp/ in "special," commonly pronounced as /sb/.
According to the question and interview, mispronouncing in both mono consonants and clusters at initial place is quite much
/məˈsiːn/ or /məˈchiːn/
/dʒ/ object danger urgent engineer
/ˈɜːrgənt/ or /ˈɜːrtrənt/ /ˌentrɪˈnɪr/ or /ˌengɪˈnɪr/
/sp/ hospital respond respect correspond suspect
Table 4.3: Errors in pronoucing medial consonants
The analysis reveals that first-year students commonly struggle with the pronunciation of medial consonants, particularly the sounds /ʒ/, /z/, /θ/, /ʃ/, /dʒ/, and /p/ Many students fail to differentiate between /z/ and /s/, as well as /ʃ/ and /s/, often substituting /z/ and /ʃ/ with /s/ due to the absence of these sounds in the Vietnamese consonant system Additionally, medial sounds such as /θ/, /ʒ/, and /dʒ/ are frequently mispronounced as /th/ and /tr/, further highlighting the challenges posed by the lack of these sounds in their native language Moreover, students encounter difficulties with medial clusters, often mispronouncing double clusters like /sp/ in "hospital" as /sb/.
/z/ size wise noise prize please plays apples potatoes kilos bananas
/θ/ mouth Math sheath breath moth
/maʊt/ or /maʊth/ /mổt/ or /mổth/ /ʃiːth/
/dʒ/ edge age village college large
/t/ and /d/ brushed watched walked cleaned closed
/sk/ mask multitask risk desk
Table 4.4: Errors in pronoucing final consonants
Final consonants pose significant challenges for FEL students when pronouncing English consonants, as highlighted in the analysis and interviews Vietnamese lacks ending consonant sounds, leading to frequent mispronunciations of /z/, /θ/, /ŋ/, /tʃ/, and /dʒ/ in final positions Notably, the /z/ sound is often confused with /s/ due to their similarities Additionally, incorrect verb forms in past tenses are common, exemplified by phrases like “my friends and I laughed (/lổfɪd/) a lot when we joined (/dʒɔɪnɪd/) Sue’s party last night.” FEL teachers noted that this issue is quite serious, with many students struggling to memorize the rules for -ed endings in verbs, despite their efforts to learn them.
/ɪd/ is easy to remember so I put this -ed ending sounds to all verbs in past tenses”, a FEL first-year major said in the interview
Final consonant pronunciation, particularly of double and triple clusters, remains a challenge for first-year students Mispronunciations, such as /kst/ in words like /next/ or /context/ being pronounced as /skt/, are common While students generally manage medial clusters well, they struggle significantly with final clusters Teachers have noted this issue, with one stating, “My students could not distinguish the final consonant sounds, so they frequently messed up these sounds.”
The analysis of observations and interviews revealed that first-year FEL students frequently mispronounce mono consonants and consonant clusters across all positions The data presented in the three tables highlight common errors, particularly with sounds such as /z/, /θ/, /ŋ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /ʃ/, /ŋ/, /t/, and /p/ Notably, students struggled with the accurate pronunciation of initial and final consonants, indicating challenges with both mono consonants and clusters.
FEL teachers identified several reasons for students' pronunciation challenges, particularly with English consonant sounds that are unfamiliar in the Vietnamese sound system First-year students struggle with final consonant sounds, which are absent in Vietnamese, leading to mispronunciations as they often substitute these sounds with familiar Vietnamese consonants This issue is evident in both mono consonants and consonant clusters, with errors frequently occurring in single words and becoming more pronounced in longer sentences where clusters form between words Observations and interviews with first-year students highlight these pronunciation difficulties.
Between November and February, we offer affordable prices that are lower than those of other companies You can easily compare our rates to see the savings.
A: But I don’t want to go in February I’d prefer (pronounced as /brɪˈfɜːr/) April (pronounced as /ˈeɪbrəl/).”
Extracts from “New pronunciation 2_coursebook” and student interviews
Mispronouncing and skipping sounds are common issues faced by FEL students in English pronunciation, as identified through observation, artifact analysis, and interviews The primary focus is on consonant sounds, as vowel omissions are rare Observations revealed that missing consonant sounds predominantly occur in the medial and final positions The following tables illustrate the errors related to missing medial and final consonant sounds made by first-year FEL students.
/s/ and /z/ classroom sister casting cosmetic
/dɪˈkɪpʃn/, /dɪˈsɪpʃn/, or /dɪˈrɪpʃn/
Table 4.5 : Common missing medial consonant sounds
Students’ perceptions of difficulties in pronouncing English consonants
Despite ample practice time before college, FEL students exhibit a high level of consonant pronunciation inaccuracy Most participants rated their pronunciation as adequate, though they often experienced pauses and false starts, while a few acknowledged limited pronunciation skills Various factors contribute to mispronunciation, leading to numerous causes of errors Teachers noted that, aside from a few exceptional cases, pronunciation mistakes, particularly with consonants, are prevalent among FEL students Based on questionnaire responses, interviews, and observations, three primary issues have been identified that hinder first-year FEL students' proficiency with English consonants.
Learning a second language presents significant challenges, particularly when a learner's native language influences their pronunciation For Vietnamese learners, the unique mouth shapes and tongue habits associated with their mother tongue can lead to difficulties in articulating English sounds This interference often results in mispronunciations of vowels and consonants, hindering effective communication with native speakers Below are three key ways in which the mother tongue impacts students' ability to pronounce English consonants.
Vietnamese speakers often struggle with English consonant pronunciation due to the differences in phonetic structures between the two languages Vietnamese phonemes are typically isolated and do not combine, leading to challenges with consonant clusters such as "bl," "tl," "dr," "sk," and "fr," which are absent in Vietnamese Consequently, students frequently apply Vietnamese pronunciation rules when encountering unfamiliar English consonants, often substituting them with similar-sounding Vietnamese sounds A teacher noted that many first-year students instinctively switch to a consonant they believe resembles the Vietnamese equivalent when they cannot recall the correct pronunciation This approach is problematic, as certain English consonants, such as /z/, /θ/, /dʒ/, and /ʒ/, do not exist in Vietnamese and have distinct pronunciations Observations and teacher interviews reveal that these sounds are commonly replaced by Vietnamese consonants, highlighting the need for targeted pronunciation practice.
How FEL students replace to Vietnamese consonant sounds and examples
/z/ often pronounced as /d/ or /x/ in
Vietnamese lazy /ˈleɪdi/ easy /ˈiːdi/ or /ˈiːxi/ exact /ɪɡˈxổkt/ times /taɪmx/ buzz /bʌx/
/θ/ often pronounced as /th/ in
Vietnamese thumb /thʌm/ mouth /thaʊθ/ healthy /ˈhelthi/
/dʒ/ often pronounced as /ch/, /tr/ or /gi/ in Vietnamese agenda /əˈtrendə/ or /əˈchendə/ object /ˈɑːbtrekt/, /ˈɑːbtrekt/ or /ˈɑːbgiekt/ village /ˈvɪlɪch/ general /ˈgienrəl/, /ˈchenrəl/ or /ˈtrenrəl/
/ʒ/ often pronounced as /x/ or /s/ in Vietnamese casual /ˈkổsuəl/ or /ˈkổxuəl/ massage /məˈsɑːx/ or /məˈsɑːs/ television /ˈtelɪvɪxn/ or /ˈtelɪvɪsn/ measure /ˈmesər/ or /ˈmexər/
Table 4.8: Errors of consonant phoneme replacement
First-year FEL students often struggle with pronouncing English consonants, particularly final consonants, as observed through various methods including interviews and artifact analysis Nearly all instances of missing sounds in their speech were linked to consonants, especially at the end of words This issue is largely influenced by their native Vietnamese language, where final consonants are typically not pronounced Teachers frequently remind students to articulate final sounds during speaking practice, highlighting that students tend to skip these sounds to simplify their pronunciation.
“I cannot still manage to pronounce exactly and clearly final consonant sounds despite my practice, so I choose to skip them and do not care much about them”
First-year FEL students often struggle with the pronunciation of final sounds such as /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/ in plural nouns, possessives, contractions, and third-person singular present tense verbs Many students reported that omitting these sounds made speaking English feel more convenient, as focusing on them could slow down their speech and make conversations less engaging For example, phrases like “What’s the prize?” were pronounced as /wʌt/ instead of /wʌts/, and “This parcel contains seven apples just picked from a tree” saw /contains/ pronounced as /kənˈteɪn/ rather than /kənˈteɪnz/, with /apples/ pronounced as /ˈổpl/ instead of /ˈổplz/ Additionally, the /ɪz/ ending was frequently dropped, with words like matches pronounced as /mổtʃ/ instead of /mổtʃɪz/, and chances as /tʃổns/ instead of /tʃổnsɪz/.
Many students, including seniors, frequently make the mistake of omitting the -ed ending sound in past tense verbs Observations and interviews reveal that, aside from a few students who correctly pronounce the -ed ending as /ɪd/, most tend to overlook the sounds /t/, /d/, and /ɪd/ One student expressed, “It’s really hard to memorize the rules of pronouncing –ed sounds, so I often ignore them.”
Students often demonstrate pronunciation challenges in class, such as saying "called" as /kɔːl/ instead of /kɔːld/, "walked" as /wɔːk/ instead of /wɔːkt/, and "invited" as /ɪnˈvaɪt/ rather than /ɪnˈvaɪt ɪd/.
Many students find the final /dʒ/ sound confusing, as observed in interviews where nearly all participants omitted it in final positions The /ʤ/ sound, a voiced combination of /d/ and /ʒ/, poses pronunciation challenges for Vietnamese speakers, particularly first-year FEL majors While some students substitute it with familiar Vietnamese sounds like /ch/, /tr/, or /gi/, others completely skip the sound For instance, they pronounce /change/ as /tʃeɪn/, /large/ as /lɑːr/, and /arrange/ as /əˈreɪn/, instead of the correct pronunciations /tʃeɪndʒ/, /lɑːrdʒ/, and /əˈreɪndʒ/.
FEL students face significant challenges in improving their pronunciation of consonant clusters—initial, middle, and final—due to the absence of such clusters in the Vietnamese consonant system This difficulty persists even among senior students Interviews with FEL teachers revealed that many students often skip one or two consonants in a cluster when unsure of the correct pronunciation Common errors noted include pronouncing /ft/ in /gift/ as simply /f/.
In phonetics, certain consonant clusters can be pronounced differently, leading to common errors For example, the cluster /t/ or /st/ in words like /cost/ may be pronounced as /s/ or /t/ Similarly, the /fr/ cluster in /fruit/ can be articulated as /f/ or /r/ Additionally, the /pt/ cluster in /attempt/ might be pronounced as /p/, /t/, or even omitted entirely These pronunciation errors are particularly prevalent in triple clusters, such as /kst/ in the word /context/, which may be pronounced simply as /st/.
/t/ or /s/, /spr/ as in /sprout/ pronounced as /pr/, /sr/ or /r/ ; or /rst/ as in /thirsty/ pronounced as /st/ or /rt/
A common issue with consonant clusters is the insertion of the sound /ə/ between two consonants, which creates an unnecessary syllable This problem frequently occurs with the clusters /s-/, /p-/, and /b-/, while /k-/ and /f-/ clusters are less common but still exhibit this phenomenon Although not widespread, this issue tends to affect students with strong local accents, as evidenced by observations and interviews.
How FEL students actually pronounced əˈ Target pronunciation /bl/ The wind blows (/bəˈləʊ/) away the clothes in the yard
She just bought a black (/bəˈlổk/) and white Chanel dress
/pl/ This plant (/pəˈlổnt/) was just formed last month
/fr/ There are some fried (/fəˈraɪd/) chickens and fresh (/fəˈreʃ/) juice for dinner
/skr/ The script (/skəˈrɪpt/) of this movie is written by a well-known author
Table 4.9: Some errors of consonant/syllable redundancy
The analysis of student artifacts revealed mispronunciations of consonant clusters, primarily occurring in longer sentences and conversations rather than in isolated words Examples from student interview records illustrate these errors.
Today features beautiful weather with a clear blue sky and warm sunshine We visit a restaurant to enjoy delicious pho, complemented by fresh herbs and crunchy bean sprouts.
/səˈpraʊts/ or /spəˈraʊts/).”
The primary issue with consonant clusters among students stems from insufficient knowledge and practice in pronunciation Despite being aware of their mistakes, many students continue to struggle with accurately pronouncing these clusters.
“How to pronounce clusters exactly is always the first dilemma that first-year majors have to face, and it also takes a lot of time to improve their cluster pronunciation.”
The pronunciation of these clusters is unfamiliar to me While a few students demonstrate strong pronunciation skills, the majority in my class tend to pronounce clusters either too quickly or too slowly.