28 February 2008
Port Louis — Hello and welcome (for the fiftieth time) to the English Language Clinic. (If this were a wedding anniversary, it would be golden.)
This week I have chosen to discuss a question which I am asked by many of my students; "what is good English pronunciation?" Maybe it is a matter of sounding like a native speaker? If this is correct, then which native speaker, an Australian, an American, a Scot, someone from Wales or Ireland? If the answer is 'someone from England'; then where in England Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham? Maybe good pronunciation is all about sounding like someone from London? More than seven and a half million people live in London; which one should you sound like; maybe Queen Elizabeth II? How many people have you ever met, seen on television or heard on the radio, who actually sound like the queen?
No; good pronunciation is not a matter of sounding like anyone else; good pronunciation is pronunciation which is easy to understand. The easier you are to understand, the better your pronunciation. Being easy to understand involves providing as much information as possible. This information is provided through many means, including articulation (making the individual sounds, or phonemes, which combine to form words, distinctly different) and the correct use of syllable, word and sentence stress.
Pronunciation is, of course, about a lot more than simply being understood. The way that you pronounce certain sounds provides clues to your geographical and cultural background. I believe these differences should be highly valued. Accent is an important part of identity; it is part of who you are (ask an Ephraimite!).
I will be hosting a workshop on Presentation Skills, on 04/03/08 and 06/03/08, if you are interested in improving your skills, including pronunciation) please call the British Council on +230 403 0200.
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