Today English Language is a global concern since it an omnipresent phenomenon. Most of the countries of the world communicate with one another only in this language. Global trade, business, research education and interaction is prompted in English language.In today's world when introduction of internet has created a new phenomenon called "global village. "Vitality of correct English pronunciation has increased manifold. Actually correct pronunciation has become an enigma for those countries where English is used as foreign language rather than the native or first one.
In most of the third world countries including Pakistan, this problem has become a serious one because the English language learners do not have any English speaking model. From the very beginning, the kids listen words from their teachers in wrong pronunciation. They join schools, colleges and universities but the English teachers and professors speak English in local style. The influence of their mother tongue, local languages and traditional languages remain dominated throughout their lives. Eventually they can not speak correct English in their later lives.
If we study phonetics which is a branch of scientific study dealing with pronunciation of sentences, or we study phonology which is scientific study dealing with pronunciation of words, we come to know that merely Theoretical level studies fail to work. Oxford university press has introduced Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary which no doubt helps in reshaping pronunciation of words but only at Theoretical level because experience speaks otherwise. Even if a person who masters all words in phonetic or phonological sense, cannot speak correct English because he fails to change his speech habits.
Our students who qualify their examinations in local colleges or universities face good number of problems in speaking. They can hardly communicate with the native speakers abroad. They cannot understand well what the native speaker speaks. Thus the problem lies in the listening skills as well. I would like to mention certain techniques or skills which definitely would help not only the students of the College but the general English language learners. And in this context my decade long experience to teach native English pronunciation to the Pakistani students would also speak an extra doze of knowledge.Today English Language is a global concern since it an omnipresent phenomenon. Most of the countries of the world communicate with one another only in this language. Global trade, business, research education and interaction is prompted in English language.In today's world when introduction of internet has created a new phenomenon called "global village. "Vitality of correct English pronunciation has increased manifold. Actually correct pronunciation has become an enigma for those countries where English is used as foreign language rather than the native or first one.
In most of the third world countries including Pakistan, this problem has become a serious one because the English language learners do not have any English speaking model. From the very beginning, the kids listen words from their teachers in wrong pronunciation. They join schools, colleges and universities but the English teachers and professors speak English in local style. The influence of their mother tongue, local languages and traditional languages remain dominated throughout their lives. Eventually they can not speak correct English in their later lives.
If we study phonetics which is a branch of scientific study dealing with pronunciation of sentences, or we study phonology which is scientific study dealing with pronunciation of words, we come to know that merely Theoretical level studies fail to work. Oxford university press has introduced Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary which no doubt helps in reshaping pronunciation of words but only at Theoretical level because experience speaks otherwise. Even if a person who masters all words in phonetic or phonological sense, cannot speak correct English because he fails to change his speech habits.
Our students who qualify their examinations in local colleges or universities face good number of problems in speaking. They can hardly communicate with the native speakers abroad. They cannot understand well what the native speaker speaks. Thus the problem lies in the listening skills as well. I would like to mention certain techniques or skills which definitely would help not only the students of the College but the general English language learners. And in this context my decade long experience to teach native English pronunciation to the Pakistani students would also speak an extra doze of knowledge.
Firstly the English language learners especially the pronunciation learners whether those are students, teachers, professors, officers or media persons need to rebuild their speech habits again. Changing speech habits means re-definition or re-assertion of use of tongue muscles.
They will have to revolutionize the use of their tongue muscles that they may be able to use the back part of their tongue rather than the front part. In Punjabi and Urdu language we speak with our front lips whereas in English language we need to learn the back part of our tongue. The simple word Kashmir in Pakistani style is spoken as "KUSHmeer" where as in English style the same word is spoken as Kashmir. The stress seems on the first part of the word.
Secondly, the language learner needs to be careful about the use of "R" sound. When this sound is preceded by Vowel sound - A, E, I, o, u - it becomes completely silent. For instance, the word brother is spoken as brDthe not brother. It means "R" sound was preceded by "e" sound thereby it became silent.
Thirdly the "R" sound when is succeeded by any vowel sound, its sound is multiplied. For an instance, in sound Rubber, "R" is succeeded by Vowel sound "U" thereby it's voice would greatly be enhanced.
Fourthly when the sound "M" and "N" come together, "N" sound becomes silent. For instance if we say, there are ten mice in cage, we say there a temice in the cage because the "N" sound would be ousted.
Fifthly many words of common use are either modified or deleted altogether. For example the word, Are would be pronounced as only a or e, have only as "v", had only as "d", has not as hasn't, have not as haven't, should not as shouldn't, can not as can't.
Lastly we need to follow pitch of sounds, some words are stressed and some are unstressed, some are spoken in higher pitch whereas some are spoken in lower pitch. Words when occur in connected speech, their way of pronunciation is drastically changed. In order to internalize the whole system of English pronunciation I would suggest the following:
The students need to make exercises of listening from native speakers and reading of what they listen. It means, they will make simultaneous exercises of reading. During this process, they would establish link between words and their sounds. They would also follow stress patterns of different words. And they should also make simultaneous exercises of listening and speaking. This process would greatly help in remoulding or re-designing the speech habits.
In most of the third world countries including Pakistan, this problem has become a serious one because the English language learners do not have any English speaking model. From the very beginning, the kids listen words from their teachers in wrong pronunciation. They join schools, colleges and universities but the English teachers and professors speak English in local style. The influence of their mother tongue, local languages and traditional languages remain dominated throughout their lives. Eventually they can not speak correct English in their later lives.
If we study phonetics which is a branch of scientific study dealing with pronunciation of sentences, or we study phonology which is scientific study dealing with pronunciation of words, we come to know that merely Theoretical level studies fail to work. Oxford university press has introduced Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary which no doubt helps in reshaping pronunciation of words but only at Theoretical level because experience speaks otherwise. Even if a person who masters all words in phonetic or phonological sense, cannot speak correct English because he fails to change his speech habits.
Our students who qualify their examinations in local colleges or universities face good number of problems in speaking. They can hardly communicate with the native speakers abroad. They cannot understand well what the native speaker speaks. Thus the problem lies in the listening skills as well. I would like to mention certain techniques or skills which definitely would help not only the students of the College but the general English language learners. And in this context my decade long experience to teach native English pronunciation to the Pakistani students would also speak an extra doze of knowledge.Today English Language is a global concern since it an omnipresent phenomenon. Most of the countries of the world communicate with one another only in this language. Global trade, business, research education and interaction is prompted in English language.In today's world when introduction of internet has created a new phenomenon called "global village. "Vitality of correct English pronunciation has increased manifold. Actually correct pronunciation has become an enigma for those countries where English is used as foreign language rather than the native or first one.
In most of the third world countries including Pakistan, this problem has become a serious one because the English language learners do not have any English speaking model. From the very beginning, the kids listen words from their teachers in wrong pronunciation. They join schools, colleges and universities but the English teachers and professors speak English in local style. The influence of their mother tongue, local languages and traditional languages remain dominated throughout their lives. Eventually they can not speak correct English in their later lives.
If we study phonetics which is a branch of scientific study dealing with pronunciation of sentences, or we study phonology which is scientific study dealing with pronunciation of words, we come to know that merely Theoretical level studies fail to work. Oxford university press has introduced Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary which no doubt helps in reshaping pronunciation of words but only at Theoretical level because experience speaks otherwise. Even if a person who masters all words in phonetic or phonological sense, cannot speak correct English because he fails to change his speech habits.
Our students who qualify their examinations in local colleges or universities face good number of problems in speaking. They can hardly communicate with the native speakers abroad. They cannot understand well what the native speaker speaks. Thus the problem lies in the listening skills as well. I would like to mention certain techniques or skills which definitely would help not only the students of the College but the general English language learners. And in this context my decade long experience to teach native English pronunciation to the Pakistani students would also speak an extra doze of knowledge.
Firstly the English language learners especially the pronunciation learners whether those are students, teachers, professors, officers or media persons need to rebuild their speech habits again. Changing speech habits means re-definition or re-assertion of use of tongue muscles.
They will have to revolutionize the use of their tongue muscles that they may be able to use the back part of their tongue rather than the front part. In Punjabi and Urdu language we speak with our front lips whereas in English language we need to learn the back part of our tongue. The simple word Kashmir in Pakistani style is spoken as "KUSHmeer" where as in English style the same word is spoken as Kashmir. The stress seems on the first part of the word.
Secondly, the language learner needs to be careful about the use of "R" sound. When this sound is preceded by Vowel sound - A, E, I, o, u - it becomes completely silent. For instance, the word brother is spoken as brDthe not brother. It means "R" sound was preceded by "e" sound thereby it became silent.
Thirdly the "R" sound when is succeeded by any vowel sound, its sound is multiplied. For an instance, in sound Rubber, "R" is succeeded by Vowel sound "U" thereby it's voice would greatly be enhanced.
Fourthly when the sound "M" and "N" come together, "N" sound becomes silent. For instance if we say, there are ten mice in cage, we say there a temice in the cage because the "N" sound would be ousted.
Fifthly many words of common use are either modified or deleted altogether. For example the word, Are would be pronounced as only a or e, have only as "v", had only as "d", has not as hasn't, have not as haven't, should not as shouldn't, can not as can't.
Lastly we need to follow pitch of sounds, some words are stressed and some are unstressed, some are spoken in higher pitch whereas some are spoken in lower pitch. Words when occur in connected speech, their way of pronunciation is drastically changed. In order to internalize the whole system of English pronunciation I would suggest the following:
The students need to make exercises of listening from native speakers and reading of what they listen. It means, they will make simultaneous exercises of reading. During this process, they would establish link between words and their sounds. They would also follow stress patterns of different words. And they should also make simultaneous exercises of listening and speaking. This process would greatly help in remoulding or re-designing the speech habits.
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