Application of Phonetics and Phonology in Secondary Level Education for Reducing Bengali Interference in English Pronunciation in Bangladesh

Abstract

The manuscript aimed at delineating the importance of introducing phonetics and phonology in the ESL syllabus of primary and secondary level studies in Bangladesh so that learners of all levels could reduce Bengali's impact on English pronunciation. In terms of English as Lingua Franca (ELF), every mother tongue plays interference with English as a Second Language (ESL) pronunciation in each geographical community. In this respect, pronouncing English like the natives is a big challenge for non-native speakers around the world. The scenarios seem all alike in Bangladesh, where a major part of its teachers and learners of the English language cannot pronounce English with IPA standard like the native English speakers. Their excessive mother tongue-centred attitudes appear as hindrances on the way to standard accents. Thus, the learners of Bangladesh have been lagging behind the international communications. The research work was conducted in mixed method type where quantitative was predominating to make the article reliable. Two data collection tools: questionnaire survey and content analysis were used in this study. The authors expected to conclude by showing that the study of phonetics and phonology at the elementary and secondary levels of ESL may be a more effective strategy to lessen Bengali interference in ESL pronunciation and that Bangladeshi students might be able to speak IPA standard ESL pronunciation. Similarly, if any country used the terminology mentioned above at the same levels of education, they might be able to lessen the influence of their native tongue on their pronunciation of ESL and use the IPA standard.