Abstract—This case study aims to investigate one of phonological features by Indonesian learners of English, final consonant clusters, and its intelligibility. Final consonant clusters feature is classified as core feature for English as a Lingua Franca or an International Language. Thus, English Language Teaching needs to pay attention to support learners to produce the feature in more intelligible way in order to be successfull in communication. In summary, the study reveals that the range of intelligible performance should be the focus of learning so that even though the performance is far from native-like performance, it is understandable by speakers from many other background languages. Index Terms—Final consonant cluster simplifications, Indonesian learners of English, intelligibility. I. INTRODUCTION As time has gone by, there has been massive growth in the use of English among non-native speakers in non-English speaking countries such as those in which English is a second or foreign language. In countries with English as a second language such as India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bangladesh, English has an official status along with the first languages or mother tongues of these countries. In addition, people of these countries also use English in their daily communication for many purposes. Meanwhile, English as a foreign language means that English is not used officially or in daily communication in that country; rather, it is only learned at schools or other institutions and other certain places [1]. In these two types of countries the need for using English is no longer unique to communicating with native speakers of English. English is also used today by non-native speakers of English to communicate with other non-native speakers of English either from the same or different first languages backgrounds. Such a situation allows the first language features of speakers to influence their English mastery. On the one hand, people might want to retain their background accents, but on the other hand, they have to maintain the intelligibility of communication. People are no longer placing native-like performance as the target of their learning English but instead focus on the issue of intelligibility among speakers and listeners or interlocutors. In other words, as long as they can convey their intention in communication and the interlocutor responds well, then they are communicating with English successfully [2]-[4]. This change in the use and needs of English should be followed by a change in the goals of learning English, especially in the context of Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This is because in, previously in this context, learning English was about learning how to perform at a native speakers’ level of proficiency. Additionally, in the contexts of English as a foreign language, the spaces of using English for communication are limited. People use English only when they are at schools, in foreign offices or companies, in international conferences, or when they communicate with people from different first language background. Thus, the possibility of producing some errors such as phonological, linguistic, or grammatical errors are high [5]-[7]. This paper aims to reveal the phonological errors by English language learners from Indonesia, particularly the issue of final consonant clusters simplifications and how this should be responded to pedagogically. II. CONSONANT CLUSTERS PROBLEMS Final Consonant Clusters Simplification by Indonesian Learners of English and Its Intelligibility in International Context Yuliati 513 DOI: 10.7763/IJSSH.2014.V4.409 Manuscript received October 2, 2013; revised December 1, 2013. Yuliati is with the Semarang State University – Indonesia (e-mail: [email protected]) Consonant clusters are considered to be peripheral parts of a syllable. A vowel and syllabic sounds are main parts of a syllable. In a syllable, consonants can be put both in front of (onset) or after some syllabic sounds (coda). English allows three consonants which function as a syllable onset if the first consonant is /s/, the second one is one of the voiceless stop consonants /p/ , /t/, or /k/ and the third consonant is one of these “approximants /l/, /r/, /w/, or /j/”. The example for these words are “squeeze”, “structure”, “screw” [6]. Bahasa Indonesia, however, allows two consonants in the onset situation or position. In addition, in Bahasa Indonesia, /s/ in the onset position is not a component of a consonant cluster unless the next consonant after it is a liquid one. As a consequence, Indonesian speakers of English may find some difficulties in pronouncing those types of words. Usually, they add or insert a vowel sound between two consonants or epenthetic sound. This is called “schwa” sound [6].For example the word stamp may be pronounced as /sətæmp/ instead of / stæmp/. However, Bahasa Indonesia allows double consonants in certain orders but other orders of double consonants are not allowed. For examples the words “sleek” and “track” are not problematic at all for Indonesian speakers of English. Yet, the order of /sk/ and /st/ are not observed in Bahasa Indonesia. English allows these two types of clusters. As a result, Indonesian speakers of English tend to pronounce the words International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 4, No. 6, November 2014
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Abstract—This case study aims to investigate one of
phonological features by Indonesian learners of English, final
consonant clusters, and its intelligibility. Final consonant
clusters feature is classified as core feature for English as a
Lingua Franca or an International Language. Thus, English
Language Teaching needs to pay attention to support learners
to produce the feature in more intelligible way in order to be
successfull in communication. In summary, the study reveals
that the range of intelligible performance should be the focus of
learning so that even though the performance is far from
native-like performance, it is understandable by speakers from
many other background languages.
Index Terms—Final consonant cluster simplifications,
Indonesian learners of English, intelligibility.
I. INTRODUCTION
As time has gone by, there has been massive growth in the
use of English among non-native speakers in non-English
speaking countries such as those in which English is a second
or foreign language. In countries with English as a second
language such as India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, and
Bangladesh, English has an official status along with the first
languages or mother tongues of these countries. In addition,
people of these countries also use English in their daily
communication for many purposes. Meanwhile, English as a
foreign language means that English is not used officially or
in daily communication in that country; rather, it is only
learned at schools or other institutions and other certain
places [1].
In these two types of countries the need for using English
is no longer unique to communicating with native speakers of
English. English is also used today by non-native speakers of
English to communicate with other non-native speakers of
English either from the same or different first languages
backgrounds. Such a situation allows the first language
features of speakers to influence their English mastery. On
the one hand, people might want to retain their background
accents, but on the other hand, they have to maintain the
intelligibility of communication. People are no longer
placing native-like performance as the target of their learning
English but instead focus on the issue of intelligibility among
speakers and listeners or interlocutors. In other words, as
long as they can convey their intention in communication and
the interlocutor responds well, then they are communicating
with English successfully [2]-[4].
This change in the use and needs of English should be
followed by a change in the goals of learning English,
especially in the context of Teaching English as a Foreign
Language. This is because in, previously in this context,
learning English was about learning how to perform at a
native speakers’ level of proficiency. Additionally, in the
contexts of English as a foreign language, the spaces of using
English for communication are limited. People use English
only when they are at schools, in foreign offices or
companies, in international conferences, or when they
communicate with people from different first language
background. Thus, the possibility of producing some errors
such as phonological, linguistic, or grammatical errors are
high [5]-[7]. This paper aims to reveal the phonological
errors by English language learners from Indonesia,
particularly the issue of final consonant clusters
simplifications and how this should be responded to
pedagogically.
II. CONSONANT CLUSTERS PROBLEMS
Final Consonant Clusters Simplification by Indonesian
Learners of English and Its Intelligibility in International
Context
Yuliati
513DOI: 10.7763/IJSSH.2014.V4.409
Manuscript received October 2, 2013; revised December 1, 2013.
Yuliati is with the Semarang State University – Indonesia (e-mail: