The Phonemic Problems: Applied Phonology - Essay Example

The Phonemic Problems: Applied Phonology The phonemic problems that Spanish speakers would face in learning English: Since there are more consonants in the English language than in Spanish and that the letters /b/ and /v/ have relatively the same pronunciation in Spanish and stops in the latter are softer than those in the former. Spanish has a five vowel system [a e i o u]. As for diphthongs, they are expressed by combining a weak and a strong vowel and a Conde. The English system has double that figure. It is the tense and lax vowels in the English system that do not line up with the Spanish structure. These differences present challenges for Spanish orators as they are unable to make a distinction between the said vowels, in their linguistic. In the Spanish pronunciation, the vowels that are uttered are clear yet they are supposed to be spun into diphthongs. Syllables in English are more multifaceted than the Spanish ones. For instance, the syllable ‘trans’; the consonant cluster /s/ with a succeeding consonant is prohibited in Spanish. This situation therefore results in the simplification of intricate consonant bands as witnessed in the coda. Some of the phonetic varieties that the Spanish speakers would exhibit include: Since the Spanish orators leave out word finishes when saying or spelling a word, it may translate to the spelling of words that encompass the consonant blends, initial sounds and final sounds. For example: in the elocution of ‘consonant’ one may say ‘consonan’. Another case is the changeover of /ll/ for /y/ this is for the reason that the former is the contiguous sound to the latter in Spanish. For example: llear instead of year. In spanish, /h/ is silent and may therefore present a problem in the pronunciation of certain words like hair. The alternative would be to replace /h/ with /j/ and the diction would therefore be jair. Some of the morphological and syntactic problems faced in elocution of English words: Morphological Problems The Spanish language has a solid correspondence between the articulation of a word and its spelling. The same principle tends to apply to the speakers in translation of words. In the case of a word like /´maðɾe/ "mother" there is the advantage that both words have a common morpheme. The fact that there is a mutual element, the learners can easily learn the denotation of each morpheme separately. With the appearance of more morphemes to the learners’ collection, they are able to make accurate predictions on the elocution of similar words. As much as this is expedient, it proves to be tasking in the case of words like /bja´xaɾ/ "travel" where the intonation and diction are completely different. The absence of morphological similarities makes the learning process more tasking for the student. In the spelling of English words, there is a challenge to Spanish speakers since there is only a possible 3 double letter combination (cc, ll, rr) whereas in English, there are 5 times more possible combinations. Syntactic Problems Syntactic problems may arise since there are some instances where direct projection yields a grammatically correct statement like: Go to the market [iɾ al meɾ´kaðo]. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all combinations. Take the example of: [beβe´ɾemos] “will drink". The occurrence of the first example may trigger the assumption that such combinations apply across the board and yet that is not the case. In the English language, sentences take up the form Subject- Verb- Object. This arrangement is also adhered to in the Spanish linguistic though there is more flexibility on the Spanish side. The norm that the Spanish language adopts is the placement of words that are to be emphasized at the end of the statement. This is the source of syntactic errors when Spanish speakers converse in English. The use of phrasal verbs in English may also pose a threat to effective communication since it obstructs comprehension by Spanish learners. Lesson Plan This lesson will focus on addressing phonemic problems that revolve around consonants and vowels. The lesson will also get to the root of syntactic and morphological problems. Procedure Since the Spanish language lacks a distinction between short and long vowels. The lesson will start off with some exercises to set apart minimal pairs to give the students a hang of the vowel length. Pronunciation Exercise: bit/beat fill/feel pull/pool The placing of different mouth positions and intonations will aid the students to get a hint of what is to be discussed. Other illustrations are to be on phonemes with rhotic versions such as ‘far’ and ‘fur’. For the pronunciation of consonants since in the Spanish elocution, /b/ and /v/ have virtually the same pronunciation and the same case applies to /ch/ and /sh/. Take for example the words ‘cheat’ and ‘sheet’. The difference can be taught by minimizing the intensity of the sound so as to have a smooth version and an explosive one. The effects of the accent will later on be minimized with continued practice. The subsequent section will be on morphological problems. By applying the morphological methodology, swift vocabulary development can be expedited. By grouping together words with a common morpheme, they can be learned simultaneously. From here, the students can take the step to get to learn more words. Illustrations: [vacacion] “vacation” [moviendo] “moving” [naturalmente] “naturally” The students should then identify other examples with similar elements. Syntax inaccuracies are common to Spanish speakers conversing in English. These may include errors in tenses like in the use of participles that are absent in the Spanish system. Practice in the use of participles is a step in eliminating such errors. Practice in the use of various tenses will enable them to identify instances where they come into use. For example; Correct these sentences: I see you after lunch.-­I will see you after lunch. Why you go there?-Why did you go there? For the phonological exercises, the students should: List 5 words present that have double letter combinations. For example: access, arrive, allow. - This will enable them to explore more varieties of double letter combinations present in the English language. Translate the following words to English: [caballo blanco] The statement translates to “white horse” but the Spanish norm is to use the noun before the adjective to “horse white”. Reading Passage Henry wanted to pull his sister into the pool but was stopped by his mother. She could not believe that her son had planned to do such a cruel thing. As punishment, she might as well have beaten him but that would that achieve? The italicized words provide good practice in pronunciation skills. References The Differences between English and Spanish. Language Differences. Retrieved from, http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/langdiff/spanish.htm Read More