A Brief Study on [s] and [θ] in English Pronunciation

Abstract: In our English teaching， we may find students have much trouble with English pronunciation. Because of that， this essay mainly focuses on [s] and [θ] English pronunciation problems in English teaching， analyses the causes in English study and attempts to find some solutions to help the English learners acquire correct pronunciation.

Key words: Phonetics語音學；Language Transfer語言遷移 Interference 干擾；Second Language Acquisition二語習得

I.Introduction

Language is an important way of communication. Different people may have different languages and different languages may have different speech sounds in their spoken language systems. English has been widely used and spoken in our daily life by many people all over the world. In order to have a good knowledge of English， English learners should start with the English pronunciation from the very beginning. English pronunciation is the start and base of English language learning. English pronunciation has become one of important aspects in English teaching and teachers have started to pay more attention to it. In some degree， English pronunciation decides the failure or success of English learning.

In our life we can find it difficult for learners to acquire a second language. However， languages follow roughly the same learning process. We first listen and speak， then communicate with others. English language is also the same. In the process of listening and speaking， we need to know what the pronunciation system is. In English we call it phonetics. If we don’t have correct pronunciation， others do not understand or may misunderstand us. So it is important for every English learner to understand and master the English pronunciation.

II. Problems in English pronunciation teaching

English pronunciation is very important for each English language learners but it is， in fact， difficult for language learners to understand and master. In English teaching， we notice that there is a pair of consonants [s] and [θ]， which are easily pronounced wrong. The English learners do not know the real differences between [s] and [θ] so that they always pronounce [θ]→[s]. For example， the learners pronounce think /s1k/→/s1 k/. Therefore，“I think” is changed into “ I sink”. Obviously， they made a really big mistake here. The reason is that the pronunciation [s] and [θ] are nearly the same in Chinese but in fact differ from each other in English. Maybe learners do not know about this. Some inner differences are described as follows.

III: Theoretical analysis

1.Speech organs

“Phonetics is the field language study concerning the physical properties of sounds. While speaking， we make use of a set of organs such as mouth and nose. If these organs are changed in state or position， the passing air will be affected and the sounds produced will be different. In the sound production， the state of the vocal cords determines the voicing property of the sound. If the vocal cords are widely apart， air can escape freely through glottis. Sounds produced in this way are voiceless because the vocal cords hardly vibrate. However， if the vocal cords are brought close to each other， the passing air will have to force its way through the narrow passage. This makes the cords vibrate， producing a voiced sound”（胡壯麟，李戰子，2004）.

According to what we talk about all above， we can find [s] and [θ] are voiceless. [θ] is a dental consonant， which is produced at the place between upper teeth and lower teeth. However， [s] is an alveolar consonant， which is produced or made with the tongue tip or blade and the alveolar ridge. The two consonants are heard the same. As a matter of fact， they are produced or made from different places when we pronounce the two consonants [s] and [θ].

2. First language transfer

A sound may not exist in the mother tongue so that the leaner is not used to pronouncing it and may use another sound he or she knows to talk about something he or she does not know. “Individuals tend to transfer the forms and meanings， and the distribution of the forms and meanings of their native language and culture to the foreign and culture”(Lado，1957). This is called language transfer.

According to the Behaviorist learning theory， old habits get in the way as we learn new habits. We have already a language system in our mind， our mother tongue， and we are going to learn a new language， the second language. Since the first and the second language may share a common pronunciation or meaning but have different ways of expressing it， an error is likely to arise in the second language learning， simply because the learners borrows something from his or her first language. If a structure is the same in the first language as that in the second， positive transfer occurs. If the first language structure differs from that of the second， negative transfer occurs. Errors are made because the learners do not learn. He or she simply takes what they have learned from the past.

In Chinese we do not have the sound [θ] which initiates the English think. But in English we have the sound [θ]. So in second language learning， learners always take [s] they have learned in Chinese to take the place of [θ] when they pronounce [θ]. They may make a mistake and pronounce think /s1k/instead of/θ 1k/and “thank /sk/ you” instead of“thank /θk/ you”. That is to say， our first language interferes with our second language learning so that learners can not pronounce [θ] in English pronunciation.

3. Second language acquisition

Learning and using another language is very common. With the development of globalization， the interpersonal communication and cross-culture communication can be seen everywhere. Therefore， a second language is an indispensable for the language learners. But it is learned in different places and in different ways. Some language learners learn well. Some learners do not. Some tries to use a second language well but some fail to do that. Generally speaking， people can learn another language in a naturalistic environment or in classrooms. People learn another language in a place where the target language is spoken and in a place where the target language is not used in their daily life. “Language is no longer thought as the act of imitation and reinforcement. Each child has an innate ability to learn a language”， which is called Language Acquisition Device (Chomsky，1969).Comparatively speaking， learning a second language is easier in a naturalistic environment than in classroom， especially the pronunciation. Our mother tongue is acquired in this way， so， in one way， is the second language learning.

“The L2=L1 hypothesis suggests that L1 acquisition and SLA are similar. That is to say， the first language learners and the second language learners go through the same learning route”（林立，2007）. If we do not have the naturalistic environment or situational context， second language learners are likely to make mistakes in the beginning. Therefore， language learners should practice their pronunciation in a naturalistic environment or situational context.

IV. Solutions to the problems

1.Observation and Imitation

In some way， language learning is mainly a matter imitation. First， we pronounce the sounds， then the words， and the sentences. First， we listen and then we speak. In language teaching， teachers must practice again and again， give students more examples to follow and guide the learners to pronounce [s] and [θ]. In second language acquisition， teachers need to insist on good pronunciation from the outset. Allen and Valette believe that “constant practice in listening discrimination， pronunciation， and intonation using a variety of drills and exeicises can go far in forming good habits of correct speech”(Allen and Valette 1977). Learners should learn to pronounce [s] and [θ] as the teachers do by observing， like a little child learning his or her mother tongue. During the learning stage， he practices all the time. Learners should first observe and repeat， pay attention to the difference between [s] and [θ]， then imitate the things over and over again.

2.Comparison and Contrast

To teach effectively， it is important that a teacher should know the differences and similarities between the learner’s first language and the target language， the language he or she is learning. Then the teacher will be able to predict where the difficulties may arise. Lado(1957)， one of the advocates of Contrastive Analysis states that， “the teacher who has made a comparison of the foreign language with the native language of the students will know better what the real problems are can provide for teaching them”. In language learning， learners can compare the difference between [s] and [θ]. Gradually learners can observe and tell [s] from [θ]， then understand how [θ] and [s] are produced. What’s more， learners can contrast [θ] and [s]. The example is as follows:

thaw/θ:/ theft/θelt/ theme/θ#305;:m/ thick/θ#305;k/ three/θr#305;:/

see/s#305;:/ sell/sel/ seem/s#305;:m/ size/sa#305;z/ seed/s#305;:d/

If learners make mistakes in pronouncing [θ]， he or she will think about “why I made a mistake”， and “how to pronounce [θ] correctly”. He or she will analyze the error. “The EA provides evidence of how target language is acquired or learned”(依秀波，2004).

V. Conclusion

Above all， phonetics is one of main aspects of English teaching. [s] and [θ] is a pair of consonants in English pronunciation. In second language acquisition， we should pay much more attention to it. As a teacher， we should know about each sound and how each is produced. Even we need to know the difference between [s] and [θ]. After that we can give students clear explanation and guide them to acquire the English language. Students can observe， imitate， compare and contrast the different consonants even vowels and set up a good foundation for students’ second language acquisition.

References：

1.Allen， E.D and Vallette， R.M.1977. Classroom Techniques: Foreign Languages and English as a Second Language. Second edition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

2.Chomsky， C. 1969. the Acquisition of Syntax in Children from five to ten. Cambridge， Mass.:MIT Press.

3.Lado， R. (1957). Linguistics Across Cultures: Applied Linguistics for language Teachers. Ann Arbor， Michigan: University of Michigan.

4.胡壯麟，李戰子. Linguistics: A Concise Course Book. Beijing University Press. 2004.

5.林立. Second language Acquisition: Theory and Practice. Higher Education Press. 2007.

6.依秀波，2004，《應用語言學——語言學習與語言教學》。長春：吉林大學出版社。