The aim of the study
This study investigates the challenges HTU learners face in pronouncing final consonants in English words and identifies the underlying causes of these difficulties The results will offer insights into the pronunciation skills of HTU students and provide actionable recommendations for educators to enhance teaching methods Ultimately, the findings aim to increase students' awareness of proper pronunciation, enabling them to accurately articulate English word-final consonants.
Hypothesis
1 HTU learners have difficulties in pronouncing English word-final consonants
2 Their problems may be caused by mother tongue interference.
The scope of the study
This study analyzes the pronunciation of five consonants—/s/, /tʃ/, /ð/, /t/, and /p/—in selected words, revealing that these sounds are often pronounced with a Vietnamese accent The research identifies the challenges in articulating these consonants and explores their underlying causes, ultimately offering solutions to improve pronunciation.
Research method
The study aims to investigate whether HTU students struggle with pronouncing certain final consonants in English and to compare their pronunciation with the Received Pronunciation (RP) standard To achieve this, a variety of data collection methods were employed, including recording participants' pronunciation of specific words and observing their spoken English in classroom settings Methodological details are elaborated in Chapter 2 of Part Two.
Organization of the study
The study composes of three parts:
Part one, Introduction, includes the rationale, aims, research question, scope, method and organization of the study
Part two of the article, titled Development, is divided into two chapters Chapter one, Literature Review, outlines the theoretical framework pertinent to the research, covering fundamental concepts of phonetics, phonology, and articulatory phonetics It also provides a detailed examination of consonants, specifically focusing on English consonants and those under investigation, while concluding with a summary of previous research on consonant pronunciation Chapter two, the Study, details the study's context, participants, methodology, findings, and discussion.
Part three, Conclusion, summarizes the findings and gives suggestions for improving
English final pronunciation for HTU students.
LITERATURE REVIEW 9
Phonetics
Phonetics is the scientific study of human speech sounds, focusing on their physical characteristics It encompasses three primary branches: articulatory phonetics, which examines how speech sounds are produced; acoustic phonetics, which analyzes the sound waves created; and auditory phonetics, which explores how sounds are perceived by the ear These distinct areas allow for a deeper understanding of the complexities of human communication (Jack C.R et al, 1997).
Articulatory phonetics focuses on the production of speech sounds, categorizing them based on factors such as lip and tongue positioning, mouth openness, and vocal cord vibration.
Acoustic phonetics focuses on how speech sounds travel through the air, generating slight disturbances known as sound waves These sound waves can be analyzed using various instruments to measure their specific characteristics.
Auditory phonetics deals with how speech sounds are perceived by the listener,
Phonology
Phonology is the study of the systems and patterns of speech sounds in a language, focusing on distinctive sounds that convey meaning differences (Ladefoged, 2001:23) It identifies phonemic differences, where variations in sounds, such as in the words "white" and "right" or "cat" and "bat," can change word meanings, indicating that these sounds belong to different phonemes.
“bat”) differ in only a single sound
"Phonology deals with the speakers‟ knowledge of the sound system of a language It is into two branches: (1) segmental phonology and (2) suprasegmental phonology" (Skandera
Phonology focuses on the interpretation and organization of sounds within specific languages In the context of English phonology, it examines the patterns and systems of vowels, consonants, and suprasegmental features It's important to note that when discussing vowels and consonants in phonology, we are referring to the actual sounds produced in speech, rather than the corresponding letters used in spelling.
The phonology of a language encompasses the rules governing the variations of underlying sounds, known as phonemes, which can change based on their contextual usage In phonemic transcription, we represent a word without detailing the predictable pronunciation variations dictated by these phonological rules.
2001) The variants of the phonemes that occur in details phonetic transcriptions are known as allophones They are generated as a result of applying the phonological rule to the underlying phonemes
This study investigates the pronunciation challenges faced by HTU students with five specific English consonants in the final position It examines their articulation issues, focusing on how they utilize their speech organs to produce these sounds Additionally, the research incorporates a detailed theoretical framework based on articulatory phonetics to support its findings.
Articulatory phonetics
Articulatory phonetics, a key branch of phonetics, focuses on the organs of speech and their role in producing speech sounds The term 'organs of speech' encompasses various parts of the human body involved in speech production, many of which primarily function in eating, chewing, swallowing, and respiration The vocal tract, excluding the lungs, is divided into the supraglottal and subglottal tracts, which play essential roles in articulating sounds.
The respiratory system is the primary source of power for nearly all speech sounds, as it pushes air from the lungs up through the windpipe into the larynx Here, air must pass between the vocal folds, which can either be apart for normal breathing or adjusted to create a narrow passage When the vocal folds are positioned to vibrate, the resulting sounds are termed voiced, whereas sounds produced with the folds apart are referred to as voiceless The vocal tract, which includes the air passages above the larynx, plays a crucial role in shaping the production of speech.
Articulators are the components of the vocal tract responsible for sound production These structures, which create the lower surface of the vocal tract, typically move towards those that comprise the upper surface, facilitating the formation of various sounds.
The upper surface of the vocal tract consists of several key components, including the upper lip, upper teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, and soft palate (or velum) The soft palate is a muscular structure that can be raised to block the nasal passage, preventing air from escaping through the nose Hanging from the lower end of the soft palate is the uvula, while the area between the uvula and the larynx is referred to as the pharynx.
The lower lip and specific parts of the tongue constitute the lower surface of the vocal tract, with the tip and blade being the most mobile sections The front of the tongue, located behind the blade, is the forward part of the tongue's body and rests beneath the hard palate when at rest The tongue's body can be divided into several sections: the center, which is partly beneath both the hard and soft palates; the back, located beneath the soft palate; and the root, positioned opposite the back wall of the pharynx.
Picture 1: The organs of speech
Articulatory phonetics focuses on the essential elements of speech production, including the air stream mechanism, vocal cord state, velum position, and the place and manner of articulation (Davenport & Hannahs, 1998) This study specifically examines consonants, emphasizing the three key features of consonants: manner of articulation, place of articulation, and voicing, which will be explored in greater detail.
Consonants
A consonant is a type of speech sound characterized by the airflow from the lungs being either completely blocked (STOP), partially obstructed (LATERAL), or released through a narrow opening that creates audible friction (FRICATIVE) Additionally, certain consonants known as NASALS involve blocking the airflow in the mouth while allowing it to escape through the nose.
A consonant is a speech sound that functions at the margins of syllables, produced when the vocal tract is either blocked or so restricted that there is audible friction (Crystal,
Consonants are articulated in two primary ways: through a partial closure that creates a narrow constriction, allowing the sound of air to pass through, or through a complete closure that results in total blockage This closing movement can involve the lips, tongue, or throat, leading to distinct sounds that differ significantly from the more open articulation of vowels In articulatory phonetics, consonants are defined as sounds produced in spoken language characterized by a closure or stricture of the vocal tract, which generates audible turbulence (Crystal, 2003:242).
Consonants are sounds produced with closed or nearly closed articulatory positions, which interrupt the flow of speech This creates perceptual and articulatory boundaries for units, such as words or syllables, that contain one or more vowels.
Consonants are produced by obstructing, restricting, or redirecting airflow in various ways and can be categorized based on vocal cord vibration, place, and manner of articulation Voiced consonants involve vocal cord vibration, while voiceless consonants do not However, the distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants is not always clear-cut, as the degree of voicing can vary depending on the consonant's position within a word (Kelly, 2000: 5-7).
Manner of articulation describes how different articulators work together to momentarily obstruct airflow before releasing it Consonants are categorized according to their manner of articulation into several types, including plosive, affricate, fricative, nasal, lateral, and approximant (Kelly, 2000).
Plosive a complete closure is made somewhere in the vocal tract, and the soft palate is also raised Air pressure increases behind the closure, and is then released „explosively‟
Affricates involve a complete closure in the mouth, accompanied by the elevation of the soft palate This creates increased air pressure behind the closure, which is released more gradually than in plosive sounds.
Fricative when two vocal organs come close enough together for the movement of air between them to be heard
Nasal a closure is made by the lips, or by the tongue against the palate, the soft palate is lowered, and air escapes through the nose
Lateral a partial closure is made by the blade of the tongue against the alveolar ridge Air is able to flow around the sides of the tongue,
ApproximantVocal organs come near to each other, but not so close as to cause audible friction
The place of articulation refers to the specific area within the oral-pharyngeal vocal tract where constriction occurs, as well as the part of the tongue involved in creating these sounds This classification includes various types of sounds, such as bilabial, labio-dental, dental, alveolar, palato-alveolar, palatal, velar, and glottal (Kelly, 2000) Understanding these articulatory features is essential for analyzing speech production.
With regards to the place of articulation, the following table summarizes the main movements of the various articulators:
Bilabial Using closing movement of both lips
Labio-dental Using the lower lip and the upper teeth
Dental The tongue tip is used either between the teeth or close to the upper teeth
Alveolar The blade of the tongue is used close to the alveolar ridge
The blade (or tip) of the tongue is used just behind the alveolar ridge
Palatal The front of the tongue is raised close to the palate
Velar The back of the tongue is against the soft palate
Glottal The gap between the vocal cords is used to make audible friction,
1.4.1.3 The degree of vocal cord vibration
Voicing is a key characteristic used to categorize consonants It occurs when the vocal folds are positioned with the right tension, allowing air from the lungs to create vibrations This phenomenon, known as voicing, produces sounds classified as voiced.
Voiceless sounds are produced without the vibration of vocal folds In English, there are numerous pairs of sounds that differ solely in voicing, meaning they share the same place and manner of articulation For instance, the sounds /s/ and /z/ or /θ/ and /ð/ exemplify this distinction.
In the study of articulation, the concepts of fortis (strong) and lenis (weak) are crucial, particularly in spoken English Fortis sounds, which are unvoiced, require a more forceful airstream, while lenis sounds, which are voiced, are articulated with less force This distinction is especially important for English consonants that are produced similarly, differing only in voicing For instance, the pair /p/ (unvoiced and fortis) and /b/ (voiced and lenis) exemplifies this contrast (Kelly, 2000).
English dialects typically feature around 24 unique phonemic consonant sounds, categorized by voicing, place, and manner of articulation This classification is illustrated in Table 1, which organizes the sounds into rows based on places of articulation and columns according to manners of articulation.
Stops in English refer to sounds that block airflow through the mouth or nose, categorized into oral stops (plosives) such as [p, b], [t, d], [k, g] and nasal stops (nasals) like [m], [n], and [l] Additionally, English fricatives include [f, v], [θ, ð], [s, z], [ʃ, ʒ], and [h], while approximants are represented by [j], [w], [.1], and [I] Affricates, which combine a stop and a fricative with similar articulation, consist of two sounds in English: [tʃ] and [dʒ] For a comprehensive overview, refer to Table 1 summarizing English consonants.
Bilabial labio- dental dental Alveolar Post- alveolar palatal velar glottal
Table 1: Consonants of English, (Kelly, 2000)
(Table 1 shows the places and manners of articulation for consonants Whenever a cell has two consonants, the voiceless is placed to the left and the voiced is to the right.)
The consonants analyzed in this study can be categorized based on their manner and place of articulation Manner-wise, they include plosive or stop sounds like /p/ and /t/, as well as affricate /tʃ/ and fricative /ð/ When classified by place of articulation, they are identified as bilabial /p/, alveolar /t, s/, dental /ð/, and post-alveolar /tʃ/ Notably, /p/, /t/, and /tʃ/ are characterized as strong and long sounds.
In English, connected speech involves more than just pronouncing individual sounds; it encompasses the way phonemes interact within utterances During this process, sounds may undergo changes such as assimilation, elision, or linking For instance, the phoneme /t/ can assimilate to /p/ before a bilabial consonant, as seen in the phrase "He's a rather fat boy." Additionally, in the sentence "We arrived the next day," the /t/ is elided between the consonants /ks/ and /d/ This phenomenon also occurs when /p/ or /t/ appear within consonant clusters, highlighting the complexities of spoken English (Kelly, 2000).
Assimilation refers to the process where one sound transforms into another due to the influence of adjacent sounds An example of this is the transformation of the underlying [n] to [m] in the word "input," pronounced as [imput], or the change from [z] to [ʒ] in the phrase "does she," which is pronounced [dʌ ʒʃ].
Elision is the leaving out of a sound or sounds in speech For example, in rapid speech in
English, suppose is often pronounced as [spouz], factory ['fổktri],( Richard et all, 1992: 121)
Review of previous research
There have been a number of studies about Vietnamese‟ difficulties in pronouncing
English consonants Important findings were drawn and become a valuable basis for this research
In her 1996 analysis, Osburne examined a case study of a Vietnamese native speaker who immigrated to the United States in 1972 She concluded that, alongside cluster reduction, there is an optional deletion of single syllable-final consonants, particularly fricatives, which is characteristic of Vietnamese L1 speakers.
Vietnamese learners of English often exhibit specific pronunciation patterns influenced by their native language They tend to replace unfamiliar English final consonants with similar sounds from Vietnamese, omit difficult sounds entirely, and simplify final consonant clusters Additionally, due to the non-rhotic nature of Vietnamese, the /r/ sound is typically absent at the end of English syllables.
In the article “Common pronunciation problems of Vietnamese learners of English”
Tam (2005) identified two primary issues in the pronunciation of Vietnamese learners: sound omission and sound confusion She highlighted that Vietnamese speakers often omit final consonant sounds in English, primarily due to the influence of their native language, where ending sounds are frequently "swallowed." The research findings illustrate the mispronunciation challenges faced by the study's informants.
Thao (2007) in the paper "Difficulties for Vietnamese when pronouncing English: Final
Research indicates that Vietnamese speakers often do not pronounce English word-final consonants in a native-like manner Their attempts to articulate these consonants typically involve omitting them, adding a schwa sound, or substituting them with phonemes that are more familiar from their native language.
In the M.A Thesis „A Study on Pronunciation of Some English Consonants by
Vietnamese‟ by Hanh (2007) also concluded that main problem relating to pronunciation by
Vietnamese are either the mispronunciation or sound omission, especially when the consonants are in the final position
Previous studies have focused on the general challenges Vietnamese learners face in pronouncing English consonants; however, they did not specifically address the difficulties encountered with certain consonants by students from central provinces in Vietnam This research aims to investigate whether HTU students struggle with the pronunciation of five selected consonants—/s, tʃ, ð, t, p/—when these sounds appear in the final position.
THE STUDY 23
Research questions
This research analyzes the pronunciation of five English consonants—/s, tʃ, ð, t, p/—by HTU students in their final position, aiming to identify any challenges they face in producing these sounds The study is designed to address specific questions related to these pronunciation issues.
1 Do the subjects under study have problems in pronouncing consonants: /s, t ʃ , ð, t, p/ in word final?
2 What are the causes of their mispronunciations?
Data collection instruments
To gather data for the study, the researcher created two tasks for informants to read aloud, which were recorded The first task involved reading a list of 34 distinct words that feature five selected consonants at the final position These words were sourced from the "Lifelines" pre-intermediate book by Tom Hutchinson, published by Oxford University Press, serving as the primary syllabus for first-year English major students at HTU.
In the study, sounds are often produced in utterances rather than as isolated words To investigate this, the author created Task 2, which consists of ten sentences incorporating words from Task 1 The participants were instructed to complete Task 2 similarly to Task 1, allowing researchers to assess whether they encounter similar challenges when producing utterances compared to single words The selected words used for data collection are detailed in the Appendix.
Data collection procedures
Data collection was conducted through observation and audio recordings Informants were instructed to read aloud 34 prepared words three times and 10 sentences once during Task 1, with their readings directly captured on a recorder This recording took place in a classroom at HTU in November 2009, shortly after the informants began their studies at the university.
During the study, I observed subjects speaking English naturally in the classroom without their awareness, meticulously documenting my findings in a notebook At the time of this observation, I had already taught the informants for approximately 30 hours.
The study analyzed the pronunciation of five selected consonants by participants in natural classroom settings versus recorded speech, using an articulatory phonetics framework It highlights the frequency and nature of mispronunciations, providing insights into how these consonants are articulated differently in various contexts.
The subjects
The study involves a random selection of 10 female freshmen majoring in English at HTU, aged between 18 and 19 years The participants were chosen based on their order numbers in the attendance register, and their identities are coded as A1 through A10 for confidentiality.
Since the age of 12, all individuals have been learning English, beginning in the 6th grade, despite facing challenges due to inadequate learning facilities in various districts of Ha Tinh province Their primary learning aid has been a cassette player While they demonstrate proficiency in written English tasks, their spoken English skills are lacking, often marked by mispronunciations Additionally, their understanding of phonetics is limited.
The study subjects demonstrate compatibility in age, gender, and proficiency in both their mother tongue and a foreign language This indicates that the vocabulary employed for recording is appropriate and aligns with their level of competence.
Analytical framework
This section introduces an analytical framework that outlines the articulation and variants of each consonant examined, based on Received Pronunciation (RP) This framework will serve as a basis for analyzing the pronunciation of the subjects involved in the study.
A plosive sound is created when there is a complete closure in the vocal tract, with the soft palate elevated This closure allows air pressure to accumulate behind it, which is subsequently released explosively (Kelly, 2000).
A complete description of a plosive consonant involves four key phases of its production The first phase, known as the closure phase, occurs when the articulators come together to create a stricture Next, in the hold phase, the airflow is temporarily halted as the air is compressed The third phase, called the release phase, involves the articulators moving apart to allow the built-up air to escape Finally, the post-release phase encompasses the events that take place immediately after the release of the plosive.
When /p/ is produced, the total closure is made using both lips The soft palate is raised /p/ is voiceless and fortis It happens as in pen, lip, happen
The consonant /t/ is articulated by pressing the tongue blade against the alveolar ridge, while the soft palate is raised This voiceless and fortis sound is exemplified in words like "hat" and "hotter."
/t/ becomes bilabial before bilabial consonants /p/, /b/, and /m/;
/t/ assimilates to /k/ before /k/ or /g/ as in that cat;
/t/ and /j/ coalesce to form / tʃ/ as in didn‟t you
Affricatives are produced by creating a complete closure in the vocal tract, with the soft palate elevated This closure allows air pressure to build up behind it, which is then released gradually.
The /tʃ/ sound is produced by positioning the tongue tip, blade, and sides against the alveolar ridge and teeth, creating a closure that builds air pressure When this pressure is released, it generates a distinct friction sound, accompanied by a raised soft palate This voiced and lenis sound can be heard in words such as "church," "teacher," "cheap," and "watch."
When producing fricatives, two vocal organs come so close together that the movement of air between them can be heard as in /ð, s/
The alveolar fricative /s/ is articulated with the soft palate being raised and the tongue blade makes light contact with the alveolar ridge /s/ is a fortis or voiceless
Dental fricatives, such as /ð/, are produced by lightly placing the tongue tip against the back of the upper front teeth while raising the soft palate This sound is voiced and lenis, and it is frequently omitted in clusters during formal speech.
Data analysis
The analysis of data reveals the degree of mispronunciation for five specific sounds, ranked from highest to lowest This evaluation is framed within the context of articulatory phonetics, as discussed in the Literature Review.
Table 3 presents the number of informants who mispronounced the five consonants under study The percentages are calculated using the formula a = (b * 100) / c, where 'a' represents the percentage of each sound mispronounced by each subject, 'b' indicates the actual count of mispronounced sounds by each subject multiplied by 100, and 'c' is the total number of each sound produced across both tasks, multiplied by the ten subjects involved.
Table 3: Mispronunciation across the subjects
The table reveals that all subjects struggle with pronouncing English word-final consonants, with 80% mispronouncing all five consonant sounds, while 20% mispronounce three out of the five.
The mispronunciation of the five studied consonants was mostly sound omission and sound deviation which is shown in the following table 4 and 5 below
Table 4: Sound omission made by informants
In the production of isolating words, the frequency of sound deviations surpasses that of sound omissions, indicating that informants made efforts to pronounce the words correctly but ultimately struggled Their mispronunciations are evident in the following examples.
1 /ð/ is usually pronounced like /t h / in Vietnamese or /z/ or sometimes /θ/
2 /tʃ / is mispronounced as /s, ʃ , t/ and /c/ in Vietnamese
The study reveals that the mispronunciation rate of the final /ð/ sound is the highest among the five sounds analyzed Participants A1 and A2 frequently confuse the voiced /ð/ with /z/, while A2, A7, and A8 often mix it up with the voiceless /θ/ Notably, A6 pronounces the consonant /ð/ in words like "bathe," "breathe," and "smooth" as /θ/ with an added schwa Most subjects, except A2 and A7, correctly pronounced /ð/ in "clothe," although A1, A2, and A3 articulated it as /z/, and A5 and A3 produced it as /zə/ Additionally, "with" was pronounced as /wiz/ by 40% of participants, /wiθ/ by another 40%, and /wis/ by 20%.
Only participant A5 accurately pronounced the word "smooth." Most subjects failed to correctly articulate this consonant because they did not make light contact with the back of their upper front teeth using the tip of their tongue, nor did they protrude their tongue tip between their upper and lower teeth, resulting in incorrect pronunciation.
The phoneme "p" has three distinct allophones: it is aspirated in "pen," unaspirated in "happy," and non-aspirated with incomplete release in "stop." When "p" is unaspirated, the airflow from the vocal cords does not produce a sound similar to "h," while in the case of a non-released "p," the airflow is completely halted.
Most informants exhibited a lack of aspiration in word-final /p/ sounds, resulting in a weaker pronunciation (A5, A7) Instead of an explosive release of air after total closure, some informants produced /p/ as a voiced /b/ (A7, A9) or even as /s/ (A10) Additionally, informant A5 pronounced /p/ as /f/.
The alveo-palatal affricate /tʃ/ is produced by positioning the tongue tip, blade, and rims near the alveolar ridge and side teeth, creating a distinct friction sound However, many speakers struggle to articulate this sound correctly, as noted by Kelly.
In 2000, following a complete closure, air is released slowly, leading to audible friction; however, some speakers (A1, A3, A5) were unable to produce this friction The data indicates that the sound /tʃ/ was pronounced as /c/ in Vietnamese, with examples showing that "teach" was articulated similarly to "tích" and "ich" was pronounced like "ích."
Vietnamese Besides, /tʃ/ was made as /s/ in much by A5 and A8 and /t/ by A3, A4, A5 and
In the analysis of /t/ sounds across two tasks, most instances were omitted, with the /t/ pronounced similarly to Vietnamese, lacking strong aspiration in word-final positions by informants A1, A3, A4, A5, and A6 Notably, A2, A3, A4, and A5 produced /t/ as /s/ Among the ten informants, A9 demonstrated the best pronunciation, rarely misarticulating the target sounds or other final consonants.
Among the five sounds analyzed, the confusion surrounding the final /s/ in the word "list" was minimal, with only A2 pronouncing it as /z/ The majority of participants articulated it accurately Nevertheless, the /s/ sound, like other consonants examined, was frequently omitted in connected speech.
In connected speech, most consonants were omitted, with only those at the end of sentences pronounced Among the studied words, only "trip map," "cat," "smooth," and "march" were articulated, although /ð/ in "smooth" was pronounced as /ðə/ and /t∫/ in "march" as /t∫ə." All informants produced /p/ and /t/ without aspiration, lacking explosive air release Data analysis revealed that 100% of subjects omitted final consonants.
In a recent study on sound retention, participants exhibited a notable tendency to forget final sounds, with 21 out of 34 sounds in the word list being dropped This was followed by the A2 group, which omitted 18 sounds, and the A6 group, which dropped 15 Interestingly, groups A7 and A9 retained these sounds but often mispronounced them A key observation was that consonants ending with the letter 'e'—such as in "breathe," "bathe," "escape," and "clothe"—were consistently followed by a schwa sound.
The omission of target consonants at the end of words poses a significant challenge for the subjects of the study, as they tend to "swallow" sounds, a common habit in Vietnamese Furthermore, the data indicates a lack of phonological rules, such as assimilation, elision, or r-linking, during their natural and rapid English speech.
Discussion and findings
Research findings indicate that all subjects struggle with pronouncing the consonants /s, ð, p, tʃ, t/ at the end of words, both in isolation and within sentences HTU learners tend to substitute these unfamiliar English sounds with similar ones from their native language or omit challenging sounds altogether, with sound omission being particularly common Notably, consonant sounds present in Vietnamese are frequently dropped by the participants The consonant /ð/ shows the highest mispronunciation rate at 90%, highlighting it as the most difficult sound for HTU students to articulate.
In terms of sound deviation, a key observation is that the final /p/ and /t/ sounds are not aspirated Additionally, there is frequent confusion between voiced and voiceless sounds, particularly between /p/ and /b/, as well as /ð/ and /θ/.
Vietnamese speakers often mispronounce the English sound /ð/ as /z/, /θ/, or /t h/ due to several factors Firstly, the sound /ð/ is absent in the Vietnamese language, making it challenging for students to master its articulation, which requires the tongue tip to make light contact with the back of the top front teeth Additionally, the visual similarity of the letters, particularly "th," leads students to default to their native pronunciation This confusion is further compounded by the fact that "th" can represent both /ð/ and /θ/, resulting in additional mispronunciations among learners.
In the study of /p/ and /t/ sounds, participants exhibited pronunciation patterns similar to Vietnamese coda rules, resulting in nearly complete omission of /p/ and /t/ at the end of words Additionally, some informants mistakenly identified the voiceless /p/ as the voiced /b/.
The /tʃ/ sound, represented by the letters "ch" in Vietnamese, differs in articulation; the tongue tip, blade, and rim press against the alveolar ridge and side teeth, with the front of the tongue raised, creating audible friction when air is released This sound can be challenging for Vietnamese learners, leading to frequent mispronunciation.
The study revealed that participants did not articulate the final sounds /p/, /t/, and /tʃ/ with sufficient strength, leading to a lack of audible friction in the pronunciation of /tʃ/ Additionally, the /p/ and /t/ sounds were not aspirated strongly enough, resulting in a softer articulation than intended.
The /s/ sound is a common and relatively easy sound to pronounce in English, leading to a greater awareness among learners Consequently, the number of errors involving the final /s/ in word lists is minimal, with A2 learners occasionally confusing it with /z/ However, since /s/ remains a foreign consonant for these informants, they still struggle with pronunciation errors in full sentences.
The tendency for HTU students to omit English word-final consonants is influenced by the similarity of these sounds to Vietnamese consonants, which are often "swallowed" in the Vietnamese language Despite having transcriptions for the words, students still mispronounced them, with some consonants being pronounced as entirely different sounds, such as A8 and A2 pronouncing final consonants as /s/ This suggests a lack of familiarity with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), a fundamental aspect of phonetics Even with preparation and conscious effort to pronounce these sounds, students struggled to speak automatically in class While some could articulate individual words correctly, they often failed to produce coherent utterances and vice versa.
The study revealed that many participants struggled with pronouncing five specific consonants at the end of words, exhibiting issues such as sound omission and deviation Compared to the analytical framework, the majority of informants failed to produce these consonants accurately Notably, the voiceless stops /p, t/ and the fricative /tʃ/, which are similar to sounds in Vietnamese, were recognized as the equivalent codas /p, t, c/ in their first language.
Vietnamese features only six final consonants (/p/, /t/, /k/ (c/ch), /m/, /n/, /N/ (ng/nh)) and two final semivowels (/i/ (i/y), /u/ (o/u)), while English allows nearly all consonants to appear at the end of words, excluding /h/, /w/, and /j/ As a result, HTU students often omit or reduce unfamiliar English consonants to those present in Vietnamese, leading to a distinctly "Vietnamese" pronunciation of English This mispronunciation stems from negative transfer from their first language (L1) to their second language (L2), carelessness in articulation, or a lack of phonetic knowledge.
In summary, final consonants in English are crucial for conveying word meanings, as demonstrated by pairs like "white," "wife," and "wine." They also significantly influence grammatical aspects such as singularity, plurality, and verb tenses Failure to accurately produce these final consonants can hinder effective communication, leading to misunderstandings among speakers.
The analysis of the English pronunciation of HTU students reveals that they encounter similar difficulties as many Vietnamese learners, indicating systematic errors However, solutions to these challenges exist Emphasizing the importance of phonetic instruction, it is crucial to engage students in practicing pronunciation outside the classroom to enhance their skills effectively.
It is important to acknowledge that the collected data may include pronunciation errors influenced by psychological factors such as anxiety and external noises While observing students' performance in class, the researcher's ability to identify mistakes may be limited compared to a native speaker, potentially leading to misunderstandings Additionally, the researcher's prior knowledge of the students' language competence may cause her to overlook unclear or incorrect speech However, these observations can still serve as partial evidence to support findings from student recordings, aiding the researcher in drawing conclusions from the study.
Correct pronunciation is crucial for effective communication, as final consonants in words significantly impact their meanings Mispronouncing these consonants can result in misunderstandings and hinder the communication process Therefore, English teachers must recognize the importance of teaching the accurate pronunciation of word final consonants.
The study reveals that all participants face challenges in pronouncing the targeted consonants, primarily characterized by sound omission, sound deviation, and schwa addition Participants often omit the studied sounds, replace them with similar Vietnamese sounds, or add schwa to facilitate pronunciation Among these issues, sound omission is identified as the most significant problem affecting their speech clarity.
Implications
Learning a foreign language is a long-term endeavor that necessitates accurate pronunciation for effective oral communication Vietnamese learners, including HTU students, often face significant challenges in mastering English sounds, as many of these sounds are absent in the Vietnamese language.
Teaching English pronunciation is crucial and should be prioritized from the onset of language learning English teachers must emphasize the significance of correct pronunciation, encouraging students to dedicate more time to mastering it right from the start.
When designing or choosing materials for pronunciation, it is essential to consider the learners' goals, whether they aim for a native-like accent or prioritize intelligibility in international communication Typically, the selected accent should be easily understood by the widest audience possible, especially those who do not speak that specific language.
To improve HTU learners‟ pronunciation of English consonant in word final, first of all, the teachers should help students be aware of the significance of final sounds
To reduce language interference, teachers must offer learners a comprehensive overview of consonant sounds, focusing on their manner and place of articulation, as well as the variants of each phoneme Additionally, it is essential to consider the unique characteristics of the Vietnamese language.
To overcome the limitations in phonetic knowledge, it is crucial for teachers to prioritize correct pronunciation instruction and address any teaching-induced errors Educators should not only cover theoretical aspects of pronunciation but also encourage students to practice both isolated words and connected speech Engaging students actively in learning proper pronunciation and providing ample opportunities for practice are essential for their improvement.
The learning environment at HTU presents challenges for students studying English, as there are limited opportunities to interact with native speakers To enhance their exposure to diverse English accents, students are encouraged to utilize multimedia resources.
HTU learners face challenges in pronouncing final English consonants due to language differences; however, their English competence can be significantly improved through consistent practice.
The findings of this paper could be useful for teachers of English at HTU in improving their students‟ English final consonant pronunciation in particular and pronunciation in general.
Limitations and suggestions for further study
While this study successfully addresses the research questions regarding HTU pronunciation of English final consonants, it does have certain limitations.
The study is limited to only five English consonants in word-final positions, which restricts the exploration of issues like consonant clusters and sound linkage Additionally, the findings may lack generalizability due to the small sample size of just ten informants Incorporating a survey could enhance the validity of the research by addressing unavoidable factors such as anxiety and nervousness, which may have affected the authenticity of the recorded sounds.
To validate the findings, a comprehensive experimental study is essential Additionally, investigating how HTU learners utilize intonation and other elements of connected speech in their English communication would be beneficial.
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1 Makes [meiks] 12 Smooth [ smu:] 23 each [i:t∫]
2 Yes [jes] 13 Clothe [ klouð] 24 watch [wɔ t∫]
3 House [haus] 14 With [wið] 25 match [mổ t∫]
4 Box [bɔ ks] 15 Trip [trip] 26 Cat [kổt]
5 Miss [mis] 16 Keep [ki:p] 27 Late [leit]
6 Course [kɔ :s] 17 Stop [stop] 28 Light [ lait]
7 Class [kla:s] 18 Map [mổp] 29 tonight [tə‟nait]
8 Price [prais] 19 Escape [ik‟skeip] 30 Past [pa:st]
9 Police [pə'lis] 20 Jump [ dʒʌ mp] 31 Boat [but]
10 Bathe [beið] 21 Teach [ti:t∫] 32 Fruit [fru:t]
11 Breathe [bri:ð] 22 Much [mʌ t∫] 33 what [steit]
1 The course starts in March
3 You watch TV too much
4 Each professor will teach us a subject
5 I often bathe with soap to make my skin smooth