Abstract
ABSTRACTIn this article, we introduce recently released, publicly available resources, which allow users to watch videos of hidden articulators (e.g. the tongue) during the production of various types of sounds found in the world’s languages. The articulation videos on these resources are linked to a clickable International Phonetic Alphabet chart ([International Phonetic Association. 1999. Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press]), so that the user can study the articulations of different types of speech sounds systematically. We discuss the utility of these resources for teaching the pronunciation of contrastive sounds in a foreign language that are absent in the learner’s native language.
Highlights
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fully master the phonology of a non-native language, unless exposure to that language starts in early childhood (Seliger 1978)
Calls for pronunciation instruction have increased. This was preceded by a gradual spread of a view that ‘intelligible pronunciation is an essential part of communicative competence’ (Morley 1991, 488), and the emergence of evidence that pronunciation instruction is beneficial (Derwing and Munro 2005)
While articulatory instructions are effective in teaching the pronunciation of phonemes absent in the learner’s native language (e.g. Catford and Pisoni 1970), traditional articulation-based descriptions of speech sounds may be daunting for language teachers as well as learners who are not accustomed to articulatory phonetics (Yule 1990)
Summary
If not impossible, to fully master the phonology of a non-native language, unless exposure to that language starts in early childhood (Seliger 1978). While articulatory instructions are effective in teaching the pronunciation of phonemes absent in the learner’s native language Catford and Pisoni 1970), traditional articulation-based descriptions of speech sounds may be daunting for language teachers as well as learners who are not accustomed to articulatory phonetics (Yule 1990). We introduce recently released, web-based resources that would help such users grasp how different types of speech sounds are produced through videos of hidden articulators (e.g. the tongue) in action. These videos are linked to clickable International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) charts (International Phonetic Association 1999), so that the users can study the articulation of various speech sounds systematically.
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