THE ROLE OF PRONUNCIATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Keywords:
Intelligibility, communication breakdowns, phonetic nuances, targeted feedback, shadowing technique, minimal pair drillsAbstract
Pronunciation plays a pivotal role in achieving proficiency in any language, including English. This article examines the impact of pronunciation on overall English language proficiency, focusing on its importance for effective communication, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency. Despite being frequently overlooked in language instruction, pronunciation significantly affects learners' ability to be understood by others and their confidence in using English in real-world contexts. This paper reviews existing literature, highlights the importance of pronunciation in language assessment, and suggests pedagogical approaches to improve pronunciation teaching.
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