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Файл:Теоретическая фонетика английского языка = English Theoretical Phonetics. Учебное пособие
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6.4. Tempo and Pauses
E. In groups of four make your own texts, use all the types of
pauses you’ve studied.
10. Answer the questions using one-word / phrase answers.
1. Which tone can encourage further conversation, be wondering,
mildly puzzled, soothing?
2. What is the core component of intonation?
3. Write the syllables which make the head of the tone unit: “I’ll ask
what to do”.
4. How many major components does intonation consist of?
5. Pitch movements, loudness and tempo form … .
6. Give synonyms to the term “semantic centre”.
7. The pre-nuclear part of the intonation pattern is called … .
8. Pitch ranges can be … .
9. Pitch levels may be … .
10. D. Crystal distinguishes … functions of intonation, while P. Roach
summarizes them into … types.
81
UNIT 7.
PHONETIC INTERFERENCE
Language interference is the process and a result of the interaction
of mutual inuence of the language systems being in contact. Phonetic
interference refers to the inuence of one’s native language sounds
and pronunciation on the acquisition of a second language. It plays
a signicant role in language learning, as learners often struggle to
overcome their native languages phonetic patterns and adapt to the new
sounds of the target language. Understanding the causes, eects, and
strategies to minimize its impact is crucial for learners aiming to improve
their pronunciation and communication skills in the target language.
7.1. The Main Causes of Phonetic Interference
Native Language Phonetics. The phonetic system of one’s native
language plays a signicant role in shaping their pronunciation in
the second language. Each language has its unique set of phonemes,
intonation patterns, and speech rhythms. When learning a new
language, individuals tend to transfer these familiar phonetic features
from their native language to the target language, resulting in phonetic
interference.
Orthographic Inuence. The written form of a language can
inuence pronunciation. Learners may pronounce words based on
their spelling rules rather than the actual phonetic rules of the target
language;
Accent Formation. Phonetic interference contributes to the development
of an accent. Learners’ accents may reect their native languages phonetic
patterns, making it evident that they are non-native speakers.
82
7.2. Types of Phonetic Interference
Phonological Dierences. Dierences in phonological systems
between the native and target languages can lead to phonetic interference.
For example, some languages may lack certain sounds or have dierent
sound combinations compared to the target language. Learners may
struggle to produce these unfamiliar sounds accurately, substituting
them with similar sounds from their native language. This substitution
can cause miscommunication and hinder language prociency.
Articulatory Habits developed in the native language can inuence
the production of sounds in a second language. The position of the tongue,
lips, and vocal cords during speech production varies across languages.
Learners often rely on their established muscle memory and articulatory
habits from their native language, which can result in mispronunciations
and phonetic interference.
Language Transfer occurs when learners ap ply the rules and pat ter n s
of their native language to the target language. This transfer can be both
conscious and unconscious. When learners encounter similar sounds in
the target language, they may automatically use the pronunciation rules
of their native language, leading to phonetic interference.
Lack of Exposure and Practice. Insucient exposure to the target
language and limited practice opportunities can contribute to phonetic
interference. Pronunciation skills require consistent practice and exposure
to native speakers. Without regular interaction and immersion in the target
language, learners may struggle to develop accurate pronunciation skills,
leading to interference from their native language.
7.2. Types of Phonetic Interference
Segmental Phonetic Interference
It refers to the impact on individual speech sounds, also known as
phonemes. Sounds are the building blocks of language, and every
language has its unique set of sounds. When learning a new language,
phonetic interference may occur when learners try to pronounce sounds
that are not present in their native language or when they substitute similar
sounds from their rst language that have dierent phonetic qualities. This
can lead to diculties in producing second language sounds accurately,
resulting in mispronunciations and misunderstandings.
The substitution of the native language sounds for the second
language sounds that do not exist in the learner’s native language. For
83
Unit 7. Phonetic Interference
instance, a Belarusian speaker learning English might have diculty
pronouncing the [ð] or [θ] sound in English words like that or think. They
might substitute it with a similar sound from their native language, such
as [z] or [s], e. g.: sink or sat.
Omission. The second language learners may omit certain sounds in
words that are not present in their native language. For example, Spanish
speakers learning English might omit the nal [s] sound in plural nouns
(e. g.: cats pronounced as cat) due to the absence of this sound in Spanish.
Overgeneralization. Learners may apply the native language
phonological rules to the second language sounds, leading to systematic
errors. For example, a Japanese speaker learning English may pronounce
the word rice as [laıs] because the [r] sound in English is not distinguished
in Japanese.
Suprasegmental Phonetic Interference
It concerns the aspects of speech that go beyond individual sounds.
These include features such as stress, intonation, rhythm, and timing.
The native language interference in the suprasegmental level can greatly
impact the comprehensibility and communicative eectiveness of
the second language learners.
Stress placement. Dierent languages emphasize dierent syllables
in words, leading to misplacement of stress in the second language. For
instance, a Russian speaker learning English might stress the wrong
syllable in words like photograph (pronounced as [′fᴅtəgrəf]) due to
the general tendency to stress the rst syllable in Russian.
Interference in intonation patterns. Intonation refers to the rise
and fall of the pitch in speech patterns, which adds meanings, emotions,
and emphasis to utterances. Dierent languages have distinct intonation
patterns, and learners often unintentionally transfer their native language’s
intonation patterns to the new language. The native language speakers
may transfer their native language intonation contours to the second
language, resulting in communication breakdowns. For example,
a Chinese speaker learning English might use a rising intonation at
the end of a statement, leading the listener to interpret it as a question.
Rhythm and timing interference. Rhythmic patterns refer to
the organization of syllables into stressed and unstressed syllables in
a given language. Languages dier in terms of their syllable timing and
84
7.3. Russian-English and Belarusian-English Phonetic Interference
stress patterns, leading to potential diculties for the second language
learners. For instance, English is a stress-timed language, where stressed
syllables receive more emphasis and time than unstressed syllables.
On the other hand, languages like French or Spanish tend to be syllabletimed, where each syllable is given equal prominence. Learners whose
native language follows a dierent rhythm may struggle to achieve the
characteristic rhythm of the new language, resulting in a speech that
sounds “foreign” or lacking uency. The second language learners may
struggle to adapt to the timing expectations of the second language,
leading to unnatural speech rhythms or inappropriate pausing.
7.3. Russian-English and Belarusian-English Phonetic Interference
Segmental Interference
Palatalization. Russian and Belarusian languages frequently
feature palatalized sounds, where the middle of the tongue is raised
towards the hard palate. This can inuence the pronunciation of nonSlavic languages, leading to the introduction of palatalized sounds in
inappropriate contexts.
Fricative Assimilation. In Russian and Belarusian languages, fricative
sounds like [s] and [z] can become voiced before a voiced consonant. This
can result in the inappropriate voicing of fricatives in English.
Vowel Length. Learners from Russian and Belarusian language
backgrounds may struggle with distinguishing vowel length in English,
leading to incorrect pronunciation (for more examples of English-Russian
and English-Belarusian segmental interference see chapter 4).
Suprasegmental Interference
Speech Melody. The inuence of the pitch patterns of the mother
tongue in English utterances produced by Russians and Belarusians
manifests itself in the higher and lower initial and nal pitch levels
and wider pitch intervals of the tones and the utterance, narrower pitch
intervals between the Pre-Head and Head, Head and Nucleus, Nucleus
and Tail, the use of the pitch patterns which are not characteristic of
English. Learners of English very often exaggerate the pitch contrasts
characteristic of English which results in aected speech.
Stress and Rhythm. In English utterances Russian and Belarusian
speakers may use a greater number of stresses, shift the nuclear stress to
85
Unit 7. Phonetic Interference
the left, towards the beginning of the utterance and add more prominence
to the nuclear syllable or to the stressed syllables in the prenuclear part
of the utterance as a result of their greater duration and the aected
pitch contrasts. Distortions in perceptible isochrony of rhythmic units
in English utterances spoken by Belarusians are due to the inuence of
the syllable-timed tendency of Belarusian rhythm and the inadequate
pronunciation of some dicult sounds and sound combinations.
The tempo of English utterances pronounced by Russian and
Belarusian learners of English is slower than in the speech of Englishmen
under the inuence of the tempo of speech which is characteristic of
the native language. Unstressed syllables are not reduced to the same
degree as in the English norm.
7.4. Interference and Other Linguistic Phenomena
The relationship between phonetic interference and other linguistic
phenomena, such as lexico-grammatical and syntactic interference,
is a complex one. Phonetics refers to the study of the physical sounds
of human speech, while lexico-grammatical interference pertains to
the inuence of one’s rst language on vocabulary and grammar in
the second language, and syntactic interference deals with the impact
of native language structures on the syntactic patterns of the second
language. These three phenomena are interrelated and often rely on each
other to manifest in the second language acquisition.
An Impact of Phonetic Interference on Lexico-Grammatical Interference
When individuals attempt to pronounce words in the second
language, their native language phonetic system may inuence their
pronun ciation, leading to mispronunciations or misunderstandings.
This mispronunciation can aect the choice of vocabulary and grammar
structures used in the second language, as individuals may choose
alternative words or sentence structures that are easier to pronounce or
closer to their native language phonetic patterns. For example, Belarusian
speakers learning English may struggle with the pronunciation of the [θ]
sound, which is not present in their native language. This could lead to
the avoidance of words containing this sound, resulting in the use of
alternative vocabulary that does not require the pronunciation of [θ].
Lexico-grammatical interference can also aect phonetic patterns.
As individuals acquire new lexico-grammatical structures in the second
86
7.4. Interference and Other Linguistic Phenomena
language, they may nd it challenging to align these new structures
with their native language phonetic system. Therefore, they may employ
phonetic modications to make the new structures t their native languages
phonetics. For instance, a Belarusian speaker learning English may struggle
with the distinction between the plural form of nouns, often adding the [s]
sound at the end of plural nouns that do not require it. This represents a form
of phonetic interference stemming from lexico-grammatical interference.
Syntactic Interference
It plays a crucial role in the relationship between phonetic interference
and lexico-grammatical interference. The syntactic structures of one’s
native language can inuence the choice of vocabulary and grammar
patterns in the second language. As a result, the phonetic patterns
associated with the native language syntactic structures may also surface in
the second language. For instance, a Belarusian speaker, where the adverb
usually comes before verbs, may transfer this sentence structure to English,
resulting in sentences like I very like reading books instead of I like reading
books very much. This syntactic interference aects both phonetic and
lexico-grammatical aspects as the transfer of the native language structure
aects both the word order and the phonetic patterns of the second language.
Questions
1. What is language interference?
2. Why does phonetic interference play a signicant role in language
learning?
3. What are the main causes of phonetic interference?
4. In which way can the written form of a native language inuence
pronunciation?
5. How can the dierences in phonological systems between the native
and target languages cause miscommunication?
6. What are the basic types of segmental phonetic interference?
7. How can you describe an impact of phonetic interference on lexico-
grammatical and syntactical interference?
8. Can you give examples of the substitution, omission, and
overgeneralization using the list of mistakes in articulating English
vowels which Belarusian students can make?
9. What prosodic features does suprasegmental phonetic interference
concern?
87
Unit 7. Phonetic Interference
10. Can you provide the examples of the following cases of RussianEnglish interference while watching the Russian video blogger speaking
English?
1) the palatalization of the consonants;
2) unappropriate voicing and devoicing;
3) the use of dental variants of alveolar consonants;
4) the wrong vowel duration;
5) the ignorance of cases of reduction;
6) the distortion in isochrony;
7) the wrong accentuation of words;
8) the nuclear tone shifts;
9) the use of wrong intonation patterns;
10) the slow speech tempo.
Final Test
(Total: 30 p.)
1. Decide if the statements are true or false (5 p.).
1. Theoretical phonetics studies the sound sequences, which are
carriers of organized information.
2. From the acoustic point of view every speech sound is a complex
of denite coordinated and dierentiated movements and positions of
speech organs.
3. According to the stability of articulation the English vowels are
subdivided into close, open and mid vowels.
4. From the acoustic point of view, vowels are the sounds of voice and
consonants are the sounds of noise.
5. Morphemes, words and phrases are characterized by a certain
syllabic structure.
2. Match the terms with their denitions (5 p.).
1) rhythmic group a) phonic shaping of oral form of language
2) complex rhythmic
unit
b) functionally relevant bundle of articulatory
features
3) pronunciation c) the division of a word into syllables
4) invariant of
the phoneme
d) one stressed syllable or one stressed syllable and
a number of unstressed syllables grouped around it
5) syllabication e) a rhythmic unit formed by full stress together
with partial stress
88
7.4. Interference and Other Linguistic Phenomena
3. Complete the sentences (5 p.).
1. Pitch movements, loudness and the tempo of speech form the basic
unit of intonation – … .
2. Phoneticians generally distinguish normal tempo and two
departures from the norm: … .
3. The procedure of the commutation test consists of … .
4. According to the force of articulation English voiceless consonants
are always … .
5. An obligatory and the most important element of an intonation
group is … .
4. Dene the parts of intonation structure of an intonation group
(5 p.).
1) Pre-Head; 2) Head; 3) Nucleus; 4) Tai l .
5. Transcribe and intone the text. Underline and dene all possible
cases of sounds modications in it (10 p.).
So the boat was left to drift down the stream as it would, till it glided
gently in among the waving rushes. And then the little sleeves were
carefully rolled up, and the little arms were plunged in elbow-deep to get
the rushes a good long way down before breaking them o.
89
ENGLISH-RUSSIAN GLOSSARY OF PHONETIC TERMS
Accenteme [ˈæksənti:m] – акцентема, дистинктивная функция словесного ударения, позволяющая дифференцировать слова по месту и степени
ударения, например, 'present – pre'sent – считаются словоакцентемами
(word-accenteme).
Acce ntual pattern ['æksentjʋəl 'pætn] (type, structure) – акцентная мо-
дель (тип, структура), схема расположения степени и места ударения
в слове или фразе.
Accomodation [əkɒmə'deɪʃn] (adaptation) – аккомодация, взаимное приспособление артикуляции разнотипных звуков в речи.
Acoustic phonetics – aкустическая фонетика.
Acoustics [əku:stɪks] – акустика, раздел физики, исследующий звуко-
вые волны.
Aricate ['æfrɪkeɪt] – аффрикат, звук, образуемый двумя элементами
и имеющий смычное начало и щелевой конец, например, в английском
[ʧ], [ʤ], в русском [тш], [дж], [тс].
Allophone ['æləfəʋn] – аллофон, или вариант фонемы, один из основных
представителей фонемы, реализуемый в различных звуках речи.
Alveolar [ælˈv ɪələ] consonants – альвеолярные согласные, образуемые
путем прижимания кончика языка к альвеолярной дуге, например, в английском [t], [d], [1], [n].
Assimilation [əˌsɪmɪˈleɪʃn] – ассимиляция, качественное сближение
смеж ных звуков (согласных), вызываемое взаимовлиянием фаз артикуляции соседних звуков.
Bilabial [baɪˈlæbɪəl] consonants – губно-губные согласные, например,
[p], [b], [w], [m].
Bilingualism [baɪˈlɪngwəlɪzm] – билингвизм: 1) двуязычие; 2) влияние
двух языков.
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