English is currently the language medium for business, education, trade and commerce in many countries, and in certain environments, there is pressure not just to speak the language but to speak it well. As such, non-native speakers of English whose speech carries very minimal influence from their native language are perceived as speaking the language correctly, are easier to understand, and tend to create a better impression on listeners, particularly in formal contexts.World Englishes

English has been adopted in many countries as a first or second language. The natural tendency to carry over features such as sound patterns, grammar and vocabulary from one’s native language to another language like English has resulted in varieties of English so rich and distinctive that linguists refer to them as ‘Englishes’. Some varieties sound like different languages, and can be challenging for native and non-native speakers of English to understand.

Most countries have their own formal variety of English that is closely aligned with Standard British or American English. These varieties may differ very slightly from each other in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary but are considered mutually intelligible and  grammatically correct standard versions of English.

For a language to be effective, it needs to be intelligible to listeners and appropriate to the context.

Intelligibility

Interestingly, in Britain, the varieties of English vary so widely that even within the same country, an Englishman from London may not understand the form of English spoken by an Englishman  from Birmingham!

While I was in secondary school in London, a new student from Birmingham joined my class. Our initial attempts to speak to her were met with an accent was so strong that we could not decipher her replies. After a month, she began to feel left out. When questioned by a concerned teacher, I remember my classmates replying, “We tried talking to her, but we can’t understand what she’s saying!”

I recall another incident of a teacher who had just joined the school. She had been assigned to teach the top maths group of 14-year-olds. Within the first two months, almost the entire class failed their maths test for the first time. The level’s top-scoring student, who was the only one who passed the test, scored a dismal 54%. A school investigation revealed that the students were unaccustomed to hearing a heavy Irish accent, and could not associate the sounds they heard with words they were familiar with. Yet she was undoubtedly qualified to teach maths, and she was speaking English!

Consider how Standard English compares with one that is heavily influenced by a speaker’s or singer’s native language.
Eight-year-old Celine Tam and ten-year-old Jeffrey Li’s heartfelt rendition of ‘You raise me up’ demonstrates how singing meaningful lyrics in Standard English, supported by excellent diction, phonetically correct sounds and  sentence stress patterns, together with appropriate facial expressions and gestures, can communicate the message of a song so effectively and touch audiences worldwide.

Appropriateness

Which variety of English would be appropriate

• in a seminar?
• before an international audience?
• in a work presentation to top-level management?
• in an education setting?
• in a job interview?
• in a school English oral exam?
• amongst friends?

Linguists recognise that varieties of a language exist on a continuum, ranging in degrees from a less standard variety used in informal English to the more standard variety required in formal situations. Versatile speakers move up and down this continuum depending on the appropriateness of the situation such as

• Manglish to Standard Malaysian English
• Chinglish (Chinese-influenced English) to Standard British/ American English
• Taglish (Tagalog-influenced English) to Standard Philippine English

Linguistically speaking, one variety of English, is not considered better than another. Each has its function, and when used in an appropriate context, can help to effectively achieve certain goals of communication, such as bonding.

For instance, Singlish (Colloquial Singapore English)—a fusion of local languages and dialects comprising English, Mandarin, Tamil, Malay, and local dialects like Hokkien, Cantonese and Teochew—is used in casual contexts between Singaporeans. It is used amongst locals, and can be virtually unintelligible to all other speakers of English!

Communicating Effectively

Different Englishes and accents are effective in different contexts. Since fine-tuning our pronunciation can help us achieve our social and professional goals, it is important to understand what pronunciation is.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is the way a sound or word is spoken. Its accuracy is determined by how close it is to the standard version in the language.

Pronunciation is usually what a person immediately notices when listening to a speaker for the first time.

Pronunciation is linked to five main areas:

• Word Stress
• Intonation
• Vowel Reduction
• Articulation
• Liaison

A speaker who is struggling in the above areas is less likely to be able to produce sounds that speakers of English can recognize easily. This is because sounds are associated with meaning. Hence, a listener who is not familiar with a certain accent and cannot link the sounds  to a meaning, will find it difficult to understand the message that the speaker is trying to convey.

Pronunciation Coaching can help you to

• articulate your words clearly
• adopt a more standard form of English pronunciation, grammar, and expressions so that an international English-speaking audience or a group of highly qualified professionals is able to appreciate the speech delivery and message
• reduce—but not necessarily eliminate—a strong accent
• communicate ideas more effectively in a formal situation

It should be noted, therefore, that a speaker who has the ability to speak more than one variety of English well and knows when it is appropriate to use each variety, will be perceived as being more versatile and  effective.

To find out more about English Pronunciation Coaching, do read the FAQ or contact Theresa.