Pronunciation exercises

language

grammar Vocabulary or lexis pronunciation

a) Structures (the patterns that can be seen in these are usually called

the language.

b) Words that convey meaning (vocabulary or lexis).

grammar of

c)

Sound, stress, and intonation patterns, which combine to make "Pronunciation".

If you communicate only through the written word, you will need only the first two of these

components. If, on the other hand, you want to be able to understand spoken language, and to

be understood, you’ll need all three components.

Communication is a two-way process:

a) Understanding other people when they speak.

b) Conveying what you want to say so that other people can understand you.

If you have no idea, for instance, that there is an important

"s" and "sh" (phonetically written [s] and [ ] and furthermore you can't distinguish

between the two, you won't know how to react if someone asks you to "bring the seat"

- or was it the sheet? This situation doesn't seem very serious, but it could be. There

are hundreds of stories told of misunderstandings caused by mispronunciation.

Sometimes there is laughter, sometimes people walk out in anger, and on at least one

occasion there was nearly an International Incident. Suppose there were two or three

"mistakes" in your pronunciation. The consequences could be

difference in English between

·

offence to the listener,

·

misunderstanding by the listener,

·

trying to say that he gives up and goes and talks to someone else.

Not a very happy prospect! Let’s minimize the dangers!a listener too exhausted by the effort of trying to interpret what it is you’re

trying to say that he gives up and goes and talks to someone else.

Not a very happy prospect! Let’s minimize the dangers!

Language is a means of communication. It has three components: