Influence of English in French Pronunciation of Secondary Schools Learners in Fourteen Southern Provinces

Abstract

Abstract

This research aimed to study the influence of English in French pronunciation of secondary schools learners in fourteen southern provinces. The sample was 278 upper secondary schools students (grade 5 and 6) studying French in the academic year 2013 in 14 southern provinces. They were randomly selected from the total population of 2,780 students. The instrument used for data collection was a French pronunciation test consisting of two parts: words pronunciation test and minimal pair words pronunciation test. Each student had 5 minutes for pronunciation practice, which was recorded and verified by the native speaker for correctness. The data were then analyzed by percentage. The results of this study showed some influences of English in French pronunciation of secondary schools learners.  These influences involve 1) negative phonological transfer, e. g. the pronouncing of consonants in the final position in French word such as trop [tRo] often pronounced as ^à[tROp] or ^à[tRop] or ^à[ˈtrəʊp]; 2) transferring vowel pronunciation in English phonological system to the vowel pronunciation in French, as in the word parole [paROl] pronounced as ^à[parol] or ^à[pəˈrəʊl], the word baisse [bEz] pronounced as^à[bez] or ^à[beɪz], or the word brûler [bRyle] pronounced as ^à[brylər]; 3) pronouncing English consonant sounds instead of French consonant sounds: /r/ to replace /R/: robe [ROb] pronounced as ^à[Rob] or ^à[rəʊb]; and 4) using English pronunciation to pronounce similar French words, such as the word royal [Rwajal] pronounced as ^à[roi′əl] or ^à[ˈrɔɪəl] or the word parfum [paRfE~] pronounced as ^à[paRfym] or ^à[pərˈfyum]