This page commemorates the 80th anniversary of the school's tradition and 30 years of development.University of Social Sciences and Humanities
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
O–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Nguyen Dang Nguyet Huong
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONSONANT COMBINATION PRONUNCIATION
ENGLISH AMONG ENGLISH-SPEAKING VIETNAMESE
Major: Linguistics
Code: 62 22 02 40
ABSTRACT OF DOCTORAL THESIS IN LINGUISTICS
Hanoi - 2020
The project was completed at:
University of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vietnam National University, Hanoi
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lam Quang Dong
Introduction 1:...............................................................................
Introduction 2:...............................................................................
The dissertation will be defended before the Doctoral Dissertation Examination Committee at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
At ……… o'clock on ……… day of ……… month of 2020.
The thesis can be found at:
- National Library of Vietnam
- Information and Library Center, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
INTRODUCTION
1. The urgency of the topic
Today, as every country in the world faces the trend of globalization, Vietnam is no exception, gradually opening up and integrating in all aspects of economics, politics, culture, and society. This requires Vietnamese people to use foreign languages in general, and English in particular, extensively for communication and integration. The two most common forms of human communication are speaking and writing, with speaking playing a larger role in daily life. Because Vietnamese and English are two different languages, when communicating in English, Vietnamese people often encounter many problems with phonetics, grammar, vocabulary, etc. During the process of learning and teaching this foreign language to students, we have noticed that Vietnamese students have difficulty in understanding and using the language correctly according to native speaker standards. Some of these difficulties can be overcome with practice, but some are very difficult to overcome due to the differences between the two languages. These difficulties can perhaps only be overcome through diligent study, analysis, and scientific comparison of the fundamental similarities and differences that reflect the unique characteristics of these two languages in terms of phonological systems and syllable structure. Therefore, understanding the problems learners encounter, classifying them, identifying their causes, and finding solutions is always necessary.
To date, there have been some studies on the pronunciation characteristics of Vietnamese English learners, but they are quite scattered and often focus on minor aspects such as pronunciation errors, stress errors, and intonation errors of Vietnamese English speakers. These studies mainly focus on learners rather than those who are using English after training. Furthermore, due to the small number of participants in these studies, coupled with the fact that the evaluation of errors is often based on auditory perception, some research results are subjective, inaccurate, or unreliable. These are the fundamental reasons why we chose this topic and focused on the pronunciation characteristics of English consonant clusters among Vietnamese speakers.
2. Purpose and objectives of nresearch
2.1. Purpose
This study has three main objectives:
a) To identify the characteristics of English pronunciation in Vietnamese speakers, including all individual, momentary features at a given time in speech (phonetics) or abstract, generalized features (phonology) in order to understand and analyze the phonetic and phonological characteristics of English consonant clusters pronounced by Vietnamese speakers;
b) Explain the causes of these phenomena; and
c) Provide solutions and methods for improvement. This forms the scientific basis for the thesis to propose methods for correcting pronunciation in order to improve the quality of English teaching and learning for Vietnamese people.
2.2. Tasks
To achieve the above objectives, the thesis proposes the following scientific tasks to be addressed:
3. Scope and subject matter of the thesis
3.1. Scope
This thesis studies the pronunciation of English consonant clusters by Vietnamese speakers with a C1 level of English proficiency (according to the European CEFR framework). The Vietnamese speakers selected are those from the Northern dialect, and the native speakers used for comparison are those of New Yorkers.
3.2. Target Audience
The research subjects of this thesis are the pronunciations of English consonant clusters by 48 Vietnamese participants, both male and female, using the Northern dialect, with English proficiency at level C1. In addition, there are 12 American participants using standard American English.
4. Research Methodology
To address the aforementioned tasks, the following methods were employed during the implementation of this dissertation:
5. Structure of the thesis
Besides the Introduction, Conclusion, References, and Appendix, the thesis consists of 3 chapters:
Chapter 1Overview of the research situation and theoretical basis of the topic
This chapter presents two main issues. Firstly, it reviews previous works related to the topic, specifically research on English pronunciation worldwide and in Vietnam. Secondly, it presents the theoretical foundations of English-Vietnamese syllable characteristics, consonants and consonant clusters, comparative linguistics, and error analysis. This chapter also focuses on an overview of Vietnamese and English phonetics at the syllable structure level, as the author believes that pronunciation errors in English among Vietnamese speakers generally stem from differences in syllable structure and linguistic typology between the two languages.
Chapter 2Research methodology
This chapter focuses on describing the methods and steps involved in the research. The author delves into the reasons for selecting the vocabulary list, choosing the test subjects, the recording methods, and the steps for processing the recorded material. The explanations in this chapter will provide a deeper understanding of the methodological choices and research tools used in this thesis.
Chapter 3Characteristics of Vietnamese speakers' pronunciation of English consonant clusters at the beginning and end of syllables.
The characteristics of English consonant cluster pronunciation in Vietnamese speakers of English will generally be presented in the context of single words and words within a context. The author also delves into describing the pronunciation of English consonant clusters at different positions, as performed by different groups of researchers. In this chapter, the author focuses on describing and comparing the pronunciation of diphthongs and triplets at the beginning of syllables. Based on the collected data, the types of deviations in the pronunciation of English consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables by Vietnamese speakers are classified and described. Then, based on the analysis results, those deviations that can be corrected are identified, and corrective measures are proposed to achieve closer to standard pronunciation. This chapter also focuses on describing and comparing the pronunciation of English consonant clusters at the end of syllables by Vietnamese speakers, including diphthongs, triplets, and quadruplets; then, it delves into classifying the deviation variations and proposing measures to correct those deviations.
CHAPTER 1. Overview of the research situation and thematic basis
1.1. Overview of the research situation
1.1.1. Overview of research on the pronunciation characteristics of English consonants and consonant clusters worldwide.
The textbooks on the basic pronunciation characteristics of English consonants by Peter Roach (2009), Ladefoged and Johnson (2010), and Henry Rogers (2013) are considered a guide to consonant pronunciation.
Studies on English variations have been reviewed, such as in the European region with Allen's (2011) research on Spanish English; in the Asian region, with Fachun Zhang and Pengpeng Yin's (2009) and Liang Enli's (2014) research on consonant variations in Chinese English; Kota Ohata's (2004) research on Japanese English pronunciation; Jalal Ahmad and Mohammad Muhiburahman (2013), Jalal Ahmad (2011), Idriss Hassan and Elkhair Muhammad (2014) research on consonant errors of Saudi Arabian students; Ingrid Mathew (2005) research on Indonesian English; and Sarmah, Gogoi, and Wiltshire (2009) research on Thai English variations. Hung (2005), Deterding, Wong and Kirkpatrick (2008) studied the Hong Kong English variant, and Deterding (2003), Lim (2004) studied the Singapore English variant. The Vietnamese English variant was also mentioned by Hoang Thi Quynh Hoa (1965), Giang Tang (2005), and Lan Truong (2005).
Regarding consonant cluster errors, Fangchi-Chang (2004) studied the consonant cluster variant in Chinese speakers; Khanbeki and Abdolmanafi-Rokni (2015) studied the variant in Iranian speakers; and Yuliati (2014) studied Indonesian English when pronouncing consonant clusters.
1.1.2. Overview of research on the pronunciation characteristics of English consonants and consonant clusters in Vietnam
Studies on the pronunciation characteristics of English consonants in Vietnam have mostly focused on phonetic interference between the two languages. Miller (1976) studied and predicted English pronunciation errors of Vietnamese speakers, focusing on consonants. Pham Dang Binh (2003) "Survey of linguistic-cultural interference errors in the discourse of Vietnamese learners of English", Duong Thi Nu (2009) and Le Thanh Hoa (2016) all focused on some variations of English consonants in Vietnamese speakers.
Research on deviations from standard pronunciation and proposed solutions for application in foreign language teaching is also quite common in master's theses, such as the study by Nguyen Tan Loc (2009) on the consonants /θ/ and /ð/ of students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport; Vu Doan Thi Phuong Thao (2011) on correcting common English consonant pronunciation errors in second-year foreign language students at the University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Tran Thi Mai Dao (2003) on English consonant pronunciation errors of Vietnamese students; Dao Thuy Mai (2012) on some common errors of Vietnamese learners in Quang Ngai when pronouncing final consonants in English; Dao Thi Thuy Chi (2015) on common errors in English consonant pronunciation of first-year students from Nghe An and some ways to correct them; in addition, there is also a study on common pronunciation errors of non-language major students at Quang Binh University by Nguyen Tho Phuoc Thao.
1.1.3. Evaluation of existing studies
It can be said that these studies have initially established a theoretical framework for the pronunciation characteristics of English consonants in Vietnamese speakers through language contact and interaction. However, these studies have only focused on individuals who are still learning the language and have not yielded many results regarding phonetic parameters, instead concentrating on recorded errors based on auditory perception. The Northern dialect also seems to have received less attention in studies on pronunciation variations. Studying the pronunciation characteristics of highly proficient foreign language speakers by recording their pronunciation and evaluating it through phonetic parameters, then finding ways to correct variations (if any), is a new research direction that has not been widely focused on by researchers. A significant drawback of the studies mentioned here is that those on pronunciation only address a small aspect of phonetics – phonology – with a relatively small number of participants, fewer than 20. The research results obtained also lack many experimental elements for comparison, and are mostly based on auditory perception. Recent studies have used experimental methods, but mainly focused on learners at training institutions, and no studies have focused on individuals with high foreign language proficiency after formal training. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies is quite limited, failing to create a significant database to illustrate the characteristics of English pronunciation in Vietnamese speakers in general. This also hinders the generalization of the phenomena discussed in the research. Therefore, the doctoral candidate chose this topic with the desire to systematically and in-depth study the characteristics of consonant cluster pronunciation in English among Vietnamese speakers, pronunciation variations, the causes of these variations, and to propose solutions for them.
1.2. Theoretical basis
To establish the theoretical basis for our research, we relied on theories of English-Vietnamese syllable characteristics, consonant and consonant clustering, comparative linguistic pronunciation, and error theory and error analysis. These are all fundamental theories for conducting the research steps.
1.2.1. Theories on the characteristics of syllables in American English and Vietnamese
1.2.1.1Vietnamese syllables
The theory of Vietnamese syllables focuses on the basic phonetic and phonological characteristics of Vietnamese syllables; the structure of Vietnamese syllables; and the types of Vietnamese syllables.
1.2.1.2.English syllables
The differences between TV pronunciation and American English pronunciation are summarized as follows:
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TV syllable |
American English syllables |
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Characteristic |
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Structure |
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1.2.2. Theory of consonants and consonant clusters
1.2.2.1.The concept of consonantsand the speech production process
From a phonetic perspective, consonants are considered “sounds produced by the complete or partial closing of the articulatory apparatus, causing the exit of air to be completely or partially obstructed” (David Crystal, 2008: 103). From a phonological perspective, this author also defines consonants as “units that function as initial or final sounds, both for single consonants and consonant clusters.” From these definitions, consonants are typically described based on three characteristics: articulatory mode, articulatory position, and tonal characteristics.
Three fundamental elements can be mentioned in the process of speech production in general and consonant production in particular: airflow structure, sound production, and articulation.
1.2.2.1.1. English consonants
In this study, we rely on the view of Lagefodge (2010), and the notion that the total number of English consonants consists of 25 consonants at the beginning and end of syllables.
1.2.2.1.2. Vietnamese consonants
In this study, we relied on the research of Doan Thien Thuat (1980) and Kirby (2011), inheriting knowledge about initial consonants of syllables, medial consonants, and final consonants.
1.2.2.1.3. English-Vietnamese consonant interference
Interference between the two phonological systems is evident in the initial and final consonant systems. It can be observed that the difference in final consonants between English and Vietnamese is much greater than the difference in initial consonants. Therefore, one of the researchers' assumptions is that pronouncing final consonants in general, and final consonant clusters in particular, will pose more difficulties for Vietnamese speakers of English.
1.2.2.2. Consonant clusters
JC Catford (1988) defines consonant clusters as “sequences of consonants appearing in sequence at the beginning or end of a syllable”. Ladefoged & Johnson (2011) provide a more specific definition that a consonant cluster is a group of consonants that are adjacent and do not have any vowels in between. Consonant clusters in English can appear at the beginning, middle, and end of a syllable, but in monosyllabic words, there are only two positions: the beginning and the end.
1.2.3. Theory of Comparative Linguistics
1.2.3.1. Concept and Role of Comparative Linguistics
Comparative linguistics is a subfield of linguistics that aims to study languages in comparison to identify similarities and differences between them.
1.2.3.2. Source Language (Original Language) and Target Language
The source language, also known as the original language, is generally understood as the mother tongue, the first language that a person encounters and uses in their life; it is considered the first language and is denoted as L1. The target language is defined by Nguyen Thien Giap (2012:288) as "the language that a person is learning, different from the learner's first language or mother tongue", and is usually denoted as L2.
1.2.33. Language Interference
Interference is a term originating from physics, referring to the phenomenon where two or more waves reinforce or weaken each other when they meet at the same point. When used in linguistics, this term refers to the interaction during linguistic and cultural exchange between two or more communities. Thus, although interference is not always due to the influence of the mother tongue, the most fundamental basis for interference remains knowledge of the source language. Many linguists have applied the theory of comparative analysis to foreign language teaching and learning. Lee (1968) asserted that the comparative analysis method is the most effective approach to language teaching; and teachers today need to understand this method to identify similarities and differences between languages.
1.2.4. Theory of Error Analysis
Error analysis, based on comparative analysis, identifies differences and predicts learning difficulties based on comparisons with L1. The theory of error analysis is fundamental to addressing errors in second language acquisition. This research focuses on the unique characteristics of high-level Vietnamese speakers in pronouncing English word combinations; in other words, I concentrate on studying deviations from the norm and propose corrective methods. Essentially, this is the theory of error analysis, correction, and prevention in language teaching; and this theory determines the assessment of the standardization and deviation of variations.
1.2.41. Concepts and steps of error analysis
There are two approaches related to errors: the comparative analysis approach and the error analysis approach.
1.2.42. Definition and classification of errors
There are many different definitions of error, but in this study, we use the definition of Richards and Schmidt (2013: 2001) in the Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics: “An error (in the spoken or written form of a foreign or second language learner) is the use of a linguistic unit (such as a word, a sentence, a grammatical unit, a speech act, etc.) in a way that a native speaker or proficient speaker would consider incorrect or due to insufficient learning.” With many different perspectives on error classification, we choose the view of Richards and Schmidt (2002) classifying errors into transfer errors, target-object errors, and development errors.
1.2.4.3. Types of phonetic interference errors
Weinreich (1953) classified interference into sub-distinctive interference, supra-distinctive interference, re-distinctive interference, and phoneme substitution interference.
1.2.4.4.Lpronunciation error
Pronunciation errors fall into two main categories: phonetic errors and phonological errors. Phonetic errors are errors that fail to accurately represent the phonetic characteristics of a phoneme in the target language, allowing native speakers to easily recognize the foreign accent but without misunderstanding the meaning of the vocabulary and the content of the utterance. Phonological errors are pronunciation errors that fail to accurately represent the phonological criteria of a phoneme in the target language, leading to misunderstanding of the meaning of the word and the message conveyed by the speaker.
1.2.4.5. Causes of Errors
When conducting surveys, studies indicate that learners make errors due to various reasons. Odlin (1989) divided the causes of errors into two groups: errors due to structural factors and errors due to non-structural factors.
1.3. Summary
An in-depth study of the research landscape and theoretical foundations has revealed research gaps that this thesis should focus on. Most comparative studies focus on written text errors and lack empirical comparisons with native speakers, relying largely on the subjective perceptions of researchers. This has created a gap in language research in general, particularly regarding pronunciation errors. Studies on pronunciation only address a small aspect of phonetics – phonology – with a relatively small number of participants. The research results obtained also lack significant empirical data for comparison, relying mostly on auditory perception. Recent studies have used experimental methods, but primarily focus on learners at educational institutions, while no studies have yet focused on individuals with advanced foreign language proficiency after formal education. The number of participants in these studies was quite limited, failing to create a substantial database to illustrate the English language characteristics of Vietnamese speakers in general. This also hindered the generalization of the phenomena discussed in the research.
CHAPTER 2. RESEARCH METHODS
To conduct the research, the graduate student chose a research approach combining two methods: direct observational analysis (from auditory articulation, direct observational notes, and classical phonological analysis) and experimental research (phonological analysis using instruments). These two methods are not interchangeable but complement each other, enabling the graduate student to verify and validate the hypotheses formulated, as well as the findings obtained through direct observational and auditory articulation analysis. These are the two key methods of the research, and subsequently, during the error analysis process, the graduate student used comparative analysis to identify deviations and substantiate the conclusions reached.
2.1. Methods of describing phonetics and phonology through auditory perception.
2.1.1. Building a word table
The words selected in the survey are monosyllabic words. This study focuses only on the pronunciation of consonant clusters within a single syllable and does not delve into polysyllabic cases. The survey was constructed with monosyllabic words to examine the pronunciation of consonant clusters at the beginning and end of syllables, in two cases: single words and words within a context. At the beginning of the syllable, consonant clusters fall into two categories: 2-consonant and 3-consonant clusters. At the end of the syllable, consonant clusters fall into three categories: 2-consonant, 3-consonant, and 4-consonant clusters.
2.1.2. Selection of examiners
The native-speaking test subjects consisted of 12 Americans, 4 men and 8 women, born, raised, and currently living in New York City, USA. This group was test subject group number 1, consisting of 12 test subjects designated as EM01, EF02, EM03, EF04, EF05, EM06, EF07, EF08, EF09, EM10, EF11, EF12 (where E denotes native speakers, F denotes women, and M denotes men).
To investigate variations in consonant clusters, Vietnamese participants were selected based on their English proficiency at level C1 according to the European CEFR framework. Of the 48 participants, 18 were male and 30 were female. 24 had spent at least two years studying abroad and had achieved the minimum level required for admission to a master's or doctoral program; of these, 12 used English daily in their work (5 hours or more), while the rest used it less frequently (less than 5 hours). The remaining 24 participants also had a C1 level but studied domestically and were grouped according to their daily English usage. Participants were selected using a "convenient sampling" method due to objective limitations in the data collection process. Within this group, the participants were divided into 4 subgroups comprising 48 participants, designated from VF01 to VF48 (where V stands for Vietnamese, F for female, and M for male).
2.1.3. Recording method
The examiners were scheduled for recording according to their time and work schedules. Each examiner was given a vocabulary list before recording and was asked to pronounce each word slowly three times, while for words in the speech stream, the examiners only read them once, in a relatively quiet environment.
2.1.4. Processing audio recordings using auditory perception.
The process of audio recordings using auditory perception is carried out in two steps: direct observation while the researcher is recording and listening to the recording afterward.
2.2.Real phonetics methodexperiment
2.2.1. Praat software
Speeches were recorded using a ZOOM H2n Handy Recorder digital audio recorder, then digitized using the Praat program at a sampling rate of 22,050 Hz, 16 bits, as .wav files. The acoustic parameters of consonants were extracted from speech analysis programs, specifically the Praat software in this study.
The audio files were then extracted in stereo and converted to mono before analysis. For each audio file, Praat software was used to split it into individual words and words within a sentence. For individual words, each pronunciation was numbered from 1 to 3, corresponding to three pronunciations. Accordingly, the wordblackFor example, when pronounced by the first American male examiner, it will be labeled as EM01_black_1, EM01_black_2, EM01_black_3 respectively; and for words in a sentence, additional symbols will be added.SThe sentence is assigned as EM01_Sblack_1. The recorded audio materials will be listened to again, and pronunciation variations will be identified through auditory perception. The results obtained through auditory perception will then be compared with results from speech analysis software to measure intensity and duration for each case, ultimately leading to a conclusion about the standard deviation of the test subjects.
2.2.2.Boardparameterexperimental phonology
The study is based on parameters related to the intensity, duration, and onset time of the VOT sound.
2.2.3. Experimental processing of audio recordings
After the pronunciations have been divided into individual pronunciation token files, they will be analyzed, breaking down into components including consonant clusters, vowels, and determining the timing of vocal sound onset. Based on this process, parameters for consonant cluster pronunciation will be measured, especially those related to average intensity, duration, and VOT.
2.3 Comparison Method
The method of comparing Vietnamese pronunciation with the standard English pronunciation of native speakers (in this study, the New Yorker accent of British and American English) was used to find variations in the pronunciation of English consonant clusters by Vietnamese speakers.
2.4 Statistical Techniques
In addition to the methods mentioned above, several statistical techniques were used in the process of writing this thesis to describe and classify, thereby providing evidence to support the arguments in each chapter of the thesis.
2.5. Summary
In this study, the author used a combined approach of auditory-perceptual phonetic-phonological description and experimental phonetics. These two methods are not interchangeable but complement each other, providing the most comprehensive perspectives on pronunciation characteristics in general.
Chapter 3. CHARACTERISTICS OF VIETNAMESE SPEAKER PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH CONSONANT COMBINATIONS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF SYLLABLES
3.1. Pronunciation of English consonant clusters by Vietnamese speakersin general
3.1.1. Pronouncing English consonant clusters in individual words
For individual words, the group of initial trisyllable consonant clusters has the lowest rate of deviation (0.7% in the case of the /skw-/ cluster), indicating that Vietnamese speakers pronounce these clusters closest to native speakers; meanwhile, the group of final quadruple consonant clusters has the highest rate of deviation (92.4% in the case of the /-lpts/ cluster).
Among the two-consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables, /mw-/ is the most difficult for Vietnamese speakers, with 84.7% mispronouncing it, followed by /ʃm-/ (75.7%), /bl-/ (60.4%), /lj-/ (42.4%), and /sv-/ (29.9%). The three-consonant clusters have the lowest overall mispronunciation rate, with /str-/ being the most common at 34.7%, followed by /smj-/ (33.3%), /spl-/ (8.3%), and /skw-/ (0.7%). For clusters at the end of syllables, the four-consonant clusters have the highest mispronunciation rates, respectively: /-lpts/ (92.4%), /-ntθs/ (82.6%), and /-ksθs/ (70.1%). The group of three consonant clusters had the second highest percentage of standard deviation (/-lnz/ 78.5%, /-kts/ 77.1%, /-fθs/ 63.9%, and /-ntʃt/ 54.2%), and the group of two consonant clusters had the lowest percentage of standard deviation among the clusters at the end of syllables (/-ðd/ 88.2%, /-lm/ 74.3%, /-tʃt/ 47.2%, /-pθ/ 42.4%, /-ndʒ/ 20.1%).
3.1.2. Pronunciation of English consonant clusters in conversational English
Similarly, with words in the language, /skw-/ is also the combination that Vietnamese speakers pronounce closest to the standard pronunciation of native speakers, and /-lpts/ is the combination that causes the most difficulty for Vietnamese test-takers (95.8% mispronounced it).
3.1.3. Pronouncing English consonant clusters according to word group position
According to the research results, both initial and final syllable combinations have fairly similar standard deviation rates, with combinations of 3 consonants and 4 final consonants showing significantly higher standard deviation rates compared to the other groups.
3.1.4. Pronunciation of English consonant clusters by group of test-takers
The survey results showed that, among the four groups of respondents, group 4 (respondents who studied domestically and used English extensively) had the highest percentage of pronunciation closest to native speakers, while group 3 (respondents who studied abroad and used English less frequently) had the highest percentage of pronunciation deviations from standard pronunciation.
3.2.Pronunciation characteristics of English initial syllable combinations in Vietnamese.
3.2.1. Duration of initial consonant clusters in syllables
Through observation, it can be seen that the duration of initial consonant clusters in American English ranges from 80 ms to 175 ms for the first consonant in a cluster; and from 82 ms to 122 ms for the second consonant in a cluster.
The duration of initial consonant clusters in Vietnamese pronunciation ranges from 67ms to 200ms for the first consonant in a cluster, and 48ms to 124ms for the second consonant in a cluster. For clusters beginning with stop consonants and fricatives, Vietnamese pronunciations are noticeably longer than native speakers' pronunciations. However, for clusters beginning with lateral and nasal sounds, American pronunciations are longer than Vietnamese pronunciations. Similarly, clusters beginning with lateral and nasal sounds also exhibit shorter durations within spoken language compared to individual word pronunciations.
The survey revealed that among the four groups of Vietnamese test-takers, the group of Vietnamese students studying domestically and using English extensively (group 4) had the highest near-standard rate in terms of duration, followed by the group of Vietnamese students studying abroad and using English extensively (group 2). Groups 3 and 5, consisting of test-takers with less English usage, had higher deviation rates from the standard compared to the other two groups.
When considering the duration of individual words and words within a discourse, we can also observe a difference: the duration of two-consonant clusters within a discourse is generally shorter than the duration of individual words, while the duration of three-consonant clusters within a discourse is generally longer.
3.2.2. Intensity of initial consonant clusters in syllables
It can be observed that, between duration and intensity, duration is more stable and has a more definite value than intensity. Therefore, it can be concluded that in the case of pronouncing consonant clusters, duration parameters have a higher degree of distinctiveness than intensity parameters.
Accordingly, the group of examiners who received training abroad and used English frequently (group 2) had the highest percentage of pronunciation intensity closest to that of native speakers.
3.2.3. Common pronunciation errors of English initial syllable combinations among Vietnamese speakers.
3.2.4. Variations in the pronunciation of English initial syllable combinations by Vietnamese speakers.
These variations will be presented according to each consonant cluster designed in the vocabulary table. In each case, the variations will be listed, compared, and evaluated to determine whether they are phonological or phonetic errors, and whether they affect communication in practice.
The discrepancy in the highest proportions of sounds according to the sinusoidal graph above is mainly due to the influence of the mother tongue (transferred), and the learner's self-application of their existing English knowledge to expand their pronunciation with new words (target words).
3.2.5. Deviant variations in the pronunciation of English initial syllable combinations by Vietnamese speakers according to the group of participants.
The standard deviation rates in the pronunciation of English initial syllable combinations by Vietnamese speakers, calculated across different groups of participants, yielded results consistent with measurements of duration and intensity. Group 4 had the lowest rate of pronunciation deviation, meaning their pronunciation was most similar to that of native speakers. Meanwhile, group 3, consisting of those who studied abroad, had the highest rate of deviation, followed by groups 5 and 2.
3.3. Characteristics of English final syllable combinations spoken by Vietnamese speakers
3.3.1. Duration of final consonant clusters in syllables
The survey revealed a significant difference in the pronunciation duration of final consonant clusters between native and Vietnamese speakers. All groups of Vietnamese respondents tended to pronounce final consonant clusters with longer syllables more accurately than native speakers. The rate of deviation was lowest among respondents who studied English domestically and used it for an extended period, compared to the other three groups.
For example, in the case of a four-consonant cluster at the end of a syllable, the average duration of pronouncing a single word ranges from 69ms to 162ms, while the duration of pronouncing words within a speech stream ranges from 48ms to 160ms.
However, when compared with the pronunciation of Vietnamese respondents, it is easy to see that the duration of pronunciations of both individual words and words in speech is greater than that of native speakers. On average, the duration of pronunciation of individual words by Vietnamese respondents ranged from 94ms to 235ms, while the duration of pronunciation of words in speech ranged from 96ms to 157ms.
3.3.2. Intensity of final consonant clusters in syllables
We found little difference in the intensity of pronunciation of consonant clusters at the beginning of syllables. The average intensity of word pronunciation within speech flow was generally greater than the average intensity of single word pronunciation. The range of single word pronunciation intensity for American experimenters was between 55dB and 68dB. That range for word pronunciation within speech flow was between 59dB and 69dB.
When compared to the pronunciation of Vietnamese respondents, this difference was not significant. On average, the intensity of individual word pronunciation by Vietnamese respondents ranged from 61dB to 69dB, while the duration of word pronunciation within speech ranged from 62dB to 74dB. The majority of native-speaking respondents pronounced words with lower intensity compared to Vietnamese respondents with higher English proficiency.
3.3.3. Common pronunciation errors of final syllable combinations in English among Vietnamese speakers and solutions.
Compared to the initial syllable combinations, the error rate of the final syllable combinations among Vietnamese test-takers is quite similar. In addition, Vietnamese speakers also exhibit several deviations from the standard, as follows:
3.3.4. Variations in the pronunciation of final syllable combinations in English by Vietnamese speakers
These variations are presented according to each consonant cluster designed in the word table. For each case, the variations are listed, compared, and evaluated to determine whether they are phonological or phonetic errors, and whether they affect communication in practice. It can be observed that the number of variations in clusters is much greater at the end of syllables. In this study, the author only highlights a few cases of clusters with many variations. The remaining cases can be found in the appendix.
3.3.5. Deviant variations in the pronunciation of final syllable combinations in English among Vietnamese speakers, according to the group of participants.
From the graph, we can see that the distribution of standard deviations in the pronunciation of consonant clusters is relatively even, concentrated in groups 2, 3, and 5; group 4 accounts for a small proportion.
3.4. Explaining the causes
In addition to the causes already mentioned in the section on the intensity and duration of consonant clusters at the beginning and end of syllables, through surveys and quick interviews with researchers, the author of this thesis also found some specific causes, including:
3.5How to fix it
Based on the analysis results from the previous sections, combined with our experience in teaching English, we propose the following error correction methods:
CONCLUDE
To study the pronunciation characteristics of English consonant clusters in advanced Vietnamese speakers, I applied theoretical foundations of comparative linguistics at the phonetic-phonological level, theories of errors (such as active transfer, negative transfer, and types of phonetic-phonological interference), and described some basic concepts of phonetic-phonological analysis. To analyze and describe errors, I applied descriptive analysis methods using sensory perception combined with speech analysis methods using phonetic analysis software such as Praat and Speech Analyzer. From this, we drew the following conclusions:
1. The phonetic and phonological differences between the second language (English in this study) and the mother tongue (Vietnamese for the participants) give rise to various types of transfers and interference at the phonetic and phonological levels, leading to variations in the pronunciation of English by Vietnamese speakers that deviate from the standard.
2. The differences between English and Vietnamese are reflected in the structure and function of syllables, and the system of segmental and suprasegmental units. However, in this study, I focus on the differences in the pronunciation of consonant clusters among the four groups of test-takers compared to the group of native speakers in the case of initial and final consonant clusters of syllables.
For individual words, the group of initial three-syllable consonant clusters has the lowest rate of deviation, indicating that Vietnamese speakers pronounce these clusters closest to native speakers; meanwhile, the group of final four-syllable consonant clusters has the highest rate of deviation.
Similarly, with words in the language, /skw-/ is the combination that Vietnamese speakers pronounce closest to the standard pronunciation of native speakers, and /-lpts/ is the combination that causes the most difficulty for Vietnamese test-takers.
According to the research results, both initial and final syllable combinations have fairly similar standard deviation rates, with combinations of 3 consonants and 4 final consonants showing significantly higher standard deviation rates compared to the other groups.
Among the four groups of respondents, group 4 (respondents who studied domestically and used English extensively) had the highest percentage of pronunciation closest to native speakers, while group 3 (respondents who studied abroad and used English less frequently) had the highest percentage of pronunciation deviations from standard pronunciation.
3. Regarding the pronunciation of initial consonant clusters in syllables.
The survey revealed that among the four groups of Vietnamese respondents, the group of Vietnamese who studied domestically and used English extensively (group 4) had the highest near-standard rate in terms of duration, followed by the group of Vietnamese who studied abroad and used English extensively (group 2). Groups 3 and 5, consisting of respondents with less English usage, had higher deviation rates from the standard compared to the other two groups.
There was not much difference in the intensity of pronunciation of initial consonant clusters in syllables. Accordingly, the group of test-takers with overseas training and frequent English use (group 2) had the highest percentage of pronunciation intensity closest to that of native speakers.
Besides differences in the duration and intensity of consonant clusters, based on auditory perception, we found that Vietnamese speakers, even at a high level of English proficiency, still exhibit some deviations from standard pronunciation in consonant clusters, such as consonant substitution, vowel addition, and consonant omission.
4. Regarding the pronunciation of final consonant clusters in syllables.
The survey revealed a significant difference in the pronunciation duration of final consonant clusters between native and Vietnamese speakers. All groups of Vietnamese respondents tended to pronounce final consonant clusters with longer syllables more accurately than native speakers. The rate of deviation was lowest among respondents who studied English domestically and used it for an extended period, compared to the other three groups.
There was not much difference in the intensity of pronunciation of initial consonant clusters in syllables. Accordingly, the group of examiners with overseas training and extensive English usage (group 2) had the highest percentage of pronunciation intensity closest to native speakers. The majority of native-speaking examiners pronounced with lower intensity compared to Vietnamese examiners with a high level of English proficiency.
Besides differences in the duration and intensity of consonant clusters, Vietnamese speakers, even at a high level of English proficiency, still exhibit some deviations from standard pronunciation when it comes to final consonant clusters in syllables, such as omitting consonants, replacing consonants, and reversing the order of the clusters.
5. With the variations mentioned above, I also offer solutions to address problems in pronouncing consonant clusters, such as providing learners with knowledge of phonology and phonetics; using articulatory diagrams to compare the differences between English and Vietnamese phonemes; using pronunciation software; and developing exercises through activities specific to pronunciation.
LIST OF SCIENTIFIC WORKS BY THE AUTHOR
RELATED TO THE THESIS
1. Nguyen Dang Nguyet Huong (2018), “Standard English or Global English in English Teaching and Learning”,Language and Life Magazine(270), pp. 60-65
2. Nguyen Dang Nguyet Huong (2019), “Fossilization – the case of Vietnamese people using English as an intermediate language”,Language and Life Magazine(283), pp. 54-60
3. Nguyen Dang Nguyet Huong (2019), “Consonant clusters simplification – the case of Vietnamese speakers of English”,Language Magazinelanguage and life(291), pp. 78-82
4. Nguyen Dang Nguyet Huong (2020), “Initial consonant clusters with 's' - the case of Vietnamese speakers of English”,Language Magazinelanguage and life(298), pp. 135-140
5. Nguyen Dang Nguyet Huong (2020), “Characteristics of Vietnamese speakers' pronunciation of English consonant clusters – The case of four-consonant clusters”,Journal of Lexicography and Encyclopedia(65), pp. 119-125
Author:ussh
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