Non-native Pre-service English Language Teachers Achieving Intelligibility in English: Focus on Lexical and Sentential Stress

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of ‘intelligible pronunciation’ Turkish pre-service English language teachers may need to develop as to both lexical and sentential stress patterns in English prior to their professional careers. Turkish language, a syllable-timed language, differs from English, a stress-timed language, and such a difference is likely to cause difficulties for Turkish pre-service teachers of English in mastering intelligible pronunciation in English. Thus pre-service English language teachers may need to receive specific training concerning the placement of lexical and sentential stress in English due to the diverse features of English language pronunciation. This paper therefore attempts to outline the major lexical and sentential stress patterns of English prospective English language teachers are expected to acquire before graduation from English Language Teaching (ELT) departments in the Turkish context.