Understanding variability in second language learners' pronunciation systems, implications for linguistic research and language teaching

Abstract

Experienced language teachers have often noticed that the second language learners' pronunciation is a wide assortment of pronunciations. Sometimes his pronunciation is correct; sometimes it is incorrect. Although variability in pronunciation has long been noticed by language teachers and linguists alike, it is only in recent years that successful attempts have been made at handling it systematically. This paper deals with the question of variability in the second language learners' pronunciation system from various points of view. Part 1 summarizes the conclusions arrived at by Dickerson from some recent experimental studies in variability for the individual language learner as well as for the whole community of language learners, variability in pronunciation is systematic both at one point in time and over a period of time. The learners' language system is therefore neither the target language system nor the native language system but an internally unified system. Part 2 discusses the implications of these findings linguistic research and language teaching. The implications for linguistic research are discussed under (1) Theory of interlanguage; (2) The variability model of sociolinguistics; and (3) Contrastive Analysis and other theories of language learning. The implications for language teaching are discussed under (1) Teacher attitudes; (2) Teacher expectations; (3) Teaching methods and materials; and (4) Evaluation of student progress. Part 3 provides a broad framework for setting variability in the second language learners' pronunciation systems within the wider context of multilingualism and multiculturalism. The paper concludes with a two-fold plea to language educators in Southeast Asia: firstly, to carry out research on the pronunciation patterns of the speech of second language learners in natural speech situations over a period of time and secondly, to take a long hard look at the models, goals, methods and materials, an evaluation procedures used in teaching pronunciation in Southeast Asia today.