Understanding Speech and Articulation

In basic terms, SPEECH refers to the general act of verbal communication, encompassing the words, vocabulary, grammar, rules, prosody, rhythm, stress patterns, and volume that people use to convey messages. However, when learning about speech in a broader context of linguistics, it is necessary to break down the key components and understand the difference between SPEECH and ARTICULATION.

The Role of Articulation in Speech

Articulation, in the context of speech, specifically refers to pronunciation. Every language has its own unique set of consonants and vowels, with specific rules for their usage. When people learn a new language, they often need to develop and master these new sounds. For children under 7 years old, acquiring new sounds and pronunciations comes relatively easily. However, for adults, the process can be significantly more challenging and often involves a lot of practice and effort.

Challenges of Learning New Pronunciations

Many languages have sounds that are not part of the speaker's native language, leading to difficulty in both making and using these new sounds. For instance, French lacks the sounds [h], [ch], [j], and [th], which can be particularly challenging for non-native speakers. Similarly, Asian languages often struggle with the distinction between [l] and [r] or [p], [f], [b], and [v], making it difficult for speakers to accurately pronounce these sounds. These pronunciation difficulties can significantly impact the intelligibility of the learner, particularly in written versus spoken contexts.

Importance for Language Teachers and Pronunciation Practice

For teachers of English as a second or additional language, having a good understanding of potential pronunciation difficulties for each student is crucial. Teachers need to be equipped with sufficient phonetic skills to assist students in building confidence and improving their pronunciation. One effective tool is the use of minimal pairs, such as pen/Ben, pat/vat, fan/van, fin/thin, vat/sip/ship/chip. These pairs help students distinguish between sounds that are often confused, enhancing their ability to articulate correctly.

Personal Experience: The Value of Pronunciation Training

From personal experience, I have received excellent pronunciation and phonetic training in my first career as a Speech and Language Therapist, which has proven invaluable in assisting my students in improving their speech and articulation. Sadly, this level of training was not available in my CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) training, which was quite shocking.

I have also worked with advanced-level students who have struggled with pronunciation despite years of perfecting their language skills. In most cases, they only needed a little work on specific sound contrasts, such as the [f/s] and [th] contrasts and the [r] and guttural r contrasts. These minor adjustments can often result in significant improvements in their speech clarity and intelligibility.