Learning Correct Phonetic Pronunciation

Though phonetics as a science usually involves language experts only, learning correct phonetic pronunciation is related to all foreign language learners. Besides understanding grammar and vocabulary, learners are expected to have excellent spoken skills as well, and this includes practicing correct phonetic pronunciation.

A brief history of phonetics

Phonetics is a science that deals with the sounds of human speech. Though we may perceive sounds of a particular language as something simple and mundane, they are much more complex and have been studied for centuries. Through history, phonetics has always been an important part of language studies. The first phonetic examinations occurred as long ago as 500 BC in ancient India. Ancient Greeks made the first findings about phonetics and this enabled it to develop ever since. Now with the latest technological achievements there are better opportunities to examine speech sounds and track particular changes in spoken language.

Phonetics vs. Phonology

Phonetics is often mentioned in relation to phonology which is a connected branch of linguistics. The difference between the two is in the approach to the sounds of language. While phonetics mostly deals with phonemes or abstract cognitive units, phonology studies the concrete realizations of sounds and is interested in the way they are created, perceived and transmitted. Phonology deals with patterns of sounds, stress and intonation in a particular language and phonetics examines the sounds of human speech in general.

Significance of Phonetics

Language scientists have been studying the nature of human sounds for centuries and one of the most practical results of their research is coming up with phonological norms of different languages. The following video represents a more elaborate explanation for the need to examine the sounds of human speech:

When it comes to English, one of the most successful phoneticians is Henry Sweet, who is considered to be a father of what is known today as Received Pronunciation and serves as one of the standards for teaching and learning English as a second language.

Phonetic Pronunciation in ESL

English is spoken all over the world and understanding English phonetics is essential in ESL learning. With so many speakers scattered around the globe it would be difficult to distinguish between all the varieties of English without being familiar with the basics of English phonetics. Correct phonetic pronunciation is particularly important for ESL learners who have to be careful about the variety of English they learn and use. This enhances communication and makes a speaker appear more learned about the culture he or she is interested in.

In addition, correct phonetic pronunciation to a large extent contributes to a speaker’s good language performance. The ability to speak in a native-like manner may open many doors for ESL speakers. Now as English has become a lingua franca, everybody is expected to be in good command of English for more professional and academic opportunities. Correct phonetic pronunciation and understanding the importance of good verbal performance may lead to a better job position. This is why everybody should work on their pronunciation skills and keep practicing phonetic pronunciation until they are fully confident about how they sound in a foreign language..

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12 Responses to “Learning Correct Phonetic Pronunciation”

Pam said: 14/04/2013 12:16 - Reply
Thank you so much, it’s the first time I comment!! Let me say they are very helpful because of they’re too clear. I’m a spanish native speaker. I’d like to have clear the difference between [a] sound as in father É” sound. i see the difference for each one of those two vowels when staring the mouth, but I think at the timeï»¿ when I only listen to them. i guess I wouldn’t know which of those i listen to.Thanks in advance from Colombia.

Rahul said: 11/03/2013 15:36 - Reply
English has become a key lingua franca. There are a number of lingua franca languages used worldwide. Where does the English rank?

John said: 14/03/2013 13:00 - Reply
I am puzzled by the term “phonetic pronunciation”. What other kind of pronunciation could there be?
- Zabrina said: 10/04/2013 22:28 - Reply
  Wow, that’s a really clever way of tihnking about it!

Saundz Team said: 14/03/2013 15:31 - Reply
You are right, John, the term does sound a bit strange.
However, it is frequently used to refer to what is actually called phonetic transcription or phonetic notation. In this case, what we wanted to point to is pronunciation that is based on phonological rules. Practically, pronunciation doesn’t have to be phonetic if you simply repeat what you think you’ve heard. The only correct pronunciation is the one that corresponds to phonetic transcription given in an official dictionary.
Does this make more sense?
- Arienn said: 10/04/2013 22:40 - Reply
  How to download old BBC pdosact?I subscribe to many feeds of BBC pdosact programme like World have your say, from our own correspondent, Business Daily, etc. by using Google Reader. I have downloaded many pdosacts as well. However, i find out that the links to the older pdosact of just few weeks or months ago does not work, and i can’t download them, although they are very interesting. So if someone know any solution to this, I would really appreciate it.Thanks in advance ..

peter millar said: 27/03/2013 15:22 - Reply
Voice recognition is for polished accents not cockney. So therefore a computerised code will only be based on our vocabulary. True or false?
- Saundz Team said: 28/03/2013 9:14 - Reply
  Neither true nor false. The fact is that voice recognition works better with people who speak standard English, with little or no accent. However, anyone can use it if they try and learn how those systems work.
  
  The main focal point of Saundz is teaching pronunciation, not voice recognition. And American pronunciation is also something that can be learned and practiced

diablo 3 gold said: 01/04/2013 3:55 - Reply
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- Saundz Team said: 01/04/2013 12:16 - Reply
  Thanks for your nice words!
  Unfortunately, we don’t have the newsletters yet. Stay tuned and follow our updates closely, we’ll let you know as soon as we introduce the newsletters

zabrina said: 16/04/2013 7:28 - Reply
Wow, that’s a really clever way of tihnking about it!

Arienn said: 16/04/2013 7:29 - Reply
How to download old BBC pdosact?I subscribe to many feeds of BBC pdosact programme like World have your say, from our own correspondent, Business Daily, etc. by using Google Reader. I have downloaded many pdosacts as well. However, i find out that the links to the older pdosact of just few weeks or months ago does not work, and i can’t download them, although they are very interesting. So if someone know any solution to this, I would really appreciate it.Thanks in advance ..