Carefully Pronounce and Articulate Words
Few things distract an audience more than improper pronunciation or unclear articulation of words. Pronunciation is the correct formation of word sounds. Articulation is the clarity or forcefulness with which the sounds are made, regardless of whether they are pronounced correctly. Incorrect pronunciation and poor articulation are largely a matter of habit. It is important to pay attention to and work on both areas.
Consider these words that are routinely mispronounced:
- effect (ee-fect) is stated as uh-fect.
- anyway (any-way) is said as any-ways.
- mobile (mo-bile) is said as mo-bull or mo-bill.
- leaves (leevz) is stated as leephs.
Incorrect pronunciations are a matter of habit. Normally you may not know that you are mispronouncing a word because most people you talk with probably say the word much the same way you do. This habit may be associated with a regional accent or dialect. In that case, speaking to an audience of local origin may pose few problems if you pronounce words in regionally customary ways.
But if you are speaking to members of an audience for whom your accent and pronunciation patterns are not the norm, practice using correct pronunciation becomes especially important. In fact, the better your pronunciation all around, the more enhanced will be the audience’s perceptions of your competence, and the greater will be the potential impact of your speech. (See Table 18.1 and Appendix A for lists of commonly mispronounced words.)
Articulation problems are also a matter of habit. A very common pattern of poor articulation is mumbling—slurring words together at a very low level of volume and pitch so that they are barely audible. Sometimes the problem is lazy speech. Common examples include saying “wanna” instead of “want to” and “theez ’er” instead of “these are.”
Like any habit, poor articulation can be overcome by unlearning the problem behavior:
- If you mumble, practice speaking more loudly and with emphatic pronunciation.
- If you tend toward lazy speech, put more effort into your articulation.
- Consciously try to say each word clearly and correctly.
- Practice clear and precise enunciation of proper word sounds. Say articulation several times until it rolls off your tongue naturally.
- Do the same for these words: want to, going to, riding, walking, Atlanta, chocolate, sophomore, California, affect.
ESL SPEAKER’S NOTES
Vocal Variety and the Non-Native Speaker
Learning to deliver a speech with the vocal variety that English-speaking people in the United States expect can be particularly challenging for non-native speakers. In addition to having concerns about pronunciation and articulation, the non-native speaker may also be accustomed to patterns of vocal variety—volume, pitch, rate, and pauses—that are different from those discussed in this chapter.
The pronunciation of English depends on learning how to combine a series of about forty basic sounds (fifteen vowels and twenty-five consonants) that together serve to distinguish English words from one another. Correct pronunciation also requires that the speaker learn proper word stress, rhythm, and intonation or pitch.1 As you practice your speeches, pay particular attention to these facets of delivery. Seek feedback from others to ensure that your goal of shared meaning will be met whenever you deliver speeches.
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PRACTICE CHECK FOR VOCAL EFFECTIVENESS
- ______ 1. As you practice, does your voice project authority?
- ______ 2. Is your voice too loud? Too soft?
- ______ 3. Do you avoid speaking in a monotone? Do you vary the stress or emphasis you place on words to clearly express your meaning?
- ______ 4. Is your rate of speech comfortable for listeners?
- ______ 5. Do you avoid unnecessary vocal fillers, such as “uh,” “hmm,” “you know,” and “I mean”?
- ______ 6. Do you use silent pauses for strategic effect?
- ______ 7. Does your voice reflect a variety of emotional expressions? Do you convey enthusiasm?
A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
Using Dialect (Language Variation) with Care
Every culture has subcultural variations on the preferred pronunciation and articulation of its languages. These variations represent dialects of the language. In the United States, for example, there is so-called Standard English, Ebonics (African American English), Tex-Mex (a combination of Spanish and English spoken with a distinct Texas drawl or accent), and such regional variations as those found in the South, New England, and along the border with Canada. In parts of Texas, for example, a common usage is to say “fixin’ to” instead of “about to,” as in “We’re fixin’ to go to a movie.”
Your own dialect may be a factor in the effectiveness of your delivery when speaking to an audience of people whose dialect is different. Your dialect might call attention to itself and be a distraction to the audience. One strategy you can use is to determine which words in your usual vocabulary are spoken dialectically and practice articulating them in General American (GA) English pronunciation.
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TABLE 18.1 Thirteen Commonly Mispronounced Words
| Correct Spelling | Wrong Pronunciation | Right Pronunciation |
| acts | aks | Akts |
| asked | aks | Askt |
| et cetera | ek set er uh | et set er uh |
| facts | faks | Fakts |
| fifth | fith or fif | Fifth |
| genuine | jen yu wine | jen yu in |
| hundred | hun dert | hun dred |
| international | innernashunal | in ter na shuh nal |
| introduce | innerdoos | in tro dyoos |
| nuclear | nookyouluhr | nook klee uhr |
| picture | pi chur | pik chur |
| products | prah duks | prah dukts |
| recognized | rekunized | re kug nized |
Source: Lilyan Wilder, Seven Steps to Fearless Speaking (New York: Wiley, 1999), 210–11. Reprinted with permission.