Phonological interference as a result of second-language learning in the period of globalization

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Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University

Phonological interference as a result of second-language learning in the period of globalization

Mammadkarimova Z. M.,

PhD student Odlar Yurdu University, teacher

Annotation

Nowadays, the study of the English language as a foreign language is -widely spread all over the 'world. English is studied in almost all educational institutions, from pre-school educational centers to schools and universities. Therefore, such a phenomenon as interference is a significant issue. This article describes phonological interference, which is one of the most common problems among students who learn English as a foreign language. Phonological interference is most common at the initial stage of language learning. This is expressed by the fact that student? try to transfer the pronunciation skills of their native language to the language they are studying. It complicates the process of assimilation of the correct pronunciation. In this article, there are given both the examples of phonological interference, the scientists' opinion? about the causes and methods of eliminating this problem.

Keywords: interference, globalization, phoneme, pronunciation, native language, sound, phonological sieve.

Анотація

phonological interference language study

Мамедкерімова З. M., докторант Університету Одлар Юрду, педагог, Азербайджансъкий Державний Педагогічний Університет

Фонологічна інтерференція, як результат навчання другої мови в період глобалізації

В даний момент йде широке поширення вивчення англійської мови як іноземної по всьому світі. Англійська мова вивчається практично в усіх навчальних закладах, починаючи з дошкільних освітніх центрів і закінчуючи школами та вищими навчальними закладами. Тому таке явище, як інтерференція носить актуальний характер. У цій статті, докладно описується фонологічна інтерференція, що є однією з найпоширеніших серед студентів, які вивчають англійську мову як іноземну. Фонологічна інтерференція найбільш часто зустрічається на початковому етапі вивчення мови. Це виражається тим, що студенти намагаються переносити вимовні навички рідної мови на мову, яка вивчається, що ускладнює процес засвоєння ними правильної вимови. У цій статті, докладно описуються приклади фонологічної інтерференції, які зустрічаються у тих, хто вивчає англійську мову і думки вчених щодо причин та методів усунення даної проблеми.

Ключові слова: інтерференція, глобалізація, фонема, вимова, рідна мова, звук, фонологічне сито.

The main text

Nowadays, language culture is an integral and essential part of human culture. Knowledge of, at least, one foreign language expands the horizon, allows to learn the culture and customs of another people. Foreign languages also develop mental processes. This is due to the fact that while learning a foreign language learners have to operate with a different system of signs. Syntactic constructions and grammar develop abilities for analysis and synthesis, memorizing lexical units expands operational memory, studying not only individual words, but also the context as a whole evolves language conjecture, intelligence and attention. It is necessary to take into account that knowledge of foreign languages is very significant in the sphere of personal and professional communication of a person, which allows him to be one step ahead of others. The importance of knowing a foreign language, most often English, is difficult to overestimate. It is almost impossible to imagine the life of a modern person who does not know a foreign language, because most modern means of communication are aimed at people who speak the language.

Currently, the study of the English language as a foreign language is widely spread all over the world and the need for English has increased, both as the means of communication and as the language of modern computer technologies and the media. English is studied practically in all educational institutions, from pre-school educational centers to schools and universities. The main problem is interference which learners rarely can avoid.

Interference is the result of the interaction of two or more language systems, namely the systems of the mother tongue and the foreign language, and in the case of the study of two foreign languages - native and two foreign languages. It is quite logical that in this case, there are complexities both at the stage of mastering phonetics and vocabulary and at the level of grammatical constructions. Learners should try to avoid various mistakes while studying a foreign language. For this purpose, there are a plenty of books that can be used both for self-study of the language and while teaching English in various institutions [2, p. 3].

As I mentioned above, interference is the interaction of linguistic systems in conditions of bilingualism or multilingualism, caused by their structural differences and manifested in deviation from the codified norms of speech of contacting languages.

The term «interference» is of Latin origin, where «inter» means «between», and «ferens» or «ferentis» means «carrier» [8]. A more complete and up-to-date definition of interference was proposed in the Linguistic Encyclopedic Dictionary by Russian linguist V. A. Vinogradov which was edited by V. N. Yartseva: «Interference is the interaction of linguistic systems under conditions of bilingualism that develops either in linguistic contacts or in the individual development of a non-native language; or expressed in deviations from the norm and the system of the second language under the influence of the native» [6]. Along with such a broad understanding, the term «interference» is also used in a narrow sense of violation of verbal norms of nonnative language under the influence of the native language of bilingual. The phenomenon of interference is studied in many sciences, including linguistics.

In linguistics, the problem of interference means breaking the bilingual norms and rules of the relationship between two contacting languages [1, p. 25]. This phenomenon is described in the works of many scientists, for instance: V. V. Alimov, E. Buzharovska, U. Weinreich, E. M. Vereshchagin, V. A. Vinogradov, V. V. Klimov, L. N. Kovylina, V. N. Komissarov, N. A. Lyubimova, R. K. Minyar-Beloruchev, N. B. Mechkovskaya, E. Petrovich, V. Y. Rosenzweig, J. I. Studenichnik, E. Haugen, L. V. Shcherba etc.

In the linguistic literature, the term «interference» was introduced by the scholars of the Prague Linguistic Circle. However, this term was widely accepted after the publication of the monograph by W. Weinreich «Language contacts. Condition and problems of the study» [3, p. 115]. According to linguist U. Weinreich, interference is understood as «those cases of breaking from the norms of any of the languages that occur in the speech of bilinguals as a result of the fact that they know more languages than one, that is, due to language contact» [3, p. 112].

From a linguistic point of view, the problem of multilingualism is describing the several linguistic systems that are in contact with each other, identifying those differences between these systems that make it difficult mastering them, and as a result ability to predict the most likely manifestations of interference that arises from the contact of languages. Main types of interference include phonological, grammatical, lexical, semantic and socio-cultural. It is also important to note that not all potential interference possibilities become reality. All people overcome the tendency of interference in two ways: automatically and consciously. Interference, as a rule, is typical for the early stage of learning a second foreign language and it disappears when the learner develops persistent correct skills and these manifestations of interference are gradually replaced by conscious efforts from their speech at the advanced stage. An inseparable task of the learner is not only working on the features of the language that is being studied, but also on the coinciding elements of the systems of native and second languages. And thus, interference can be overcomed by automatic efforts.

A native speaker of any language turns any unfamiliar sound into a sequence of phonemes of the native language and this can result in the incorrect phonological interpretation. Actually, phonological interference is one of the most recent interference that learners come across. The properties of bilingual, which are determined by phonological hearing, existing in his linguistic consciousness, can be considered the most common explanation of the phenomenon of interference. Teachers and methodologists pay much attention to this phenomenon, primarily because the process of interference generates in the speech of a bilingual an accent that is a kind of mirror where the signs of the native language are reflected. If the accent is a system of stable skills of wrong interpretation, in this way the pronunciation errors that inevitably arise in the speech of bilingual while studying non-native language are random, but it is often difficult to correct them [4, p. 82].

At an early stage of learning the second foreign language, learners face mostly with phonetic interference. Due to the fact that learners try to transfer the pronunciation skills of their native language to the language they are learning, phonetic interference arise, which complicates the process of assimilating of the correct pronunciation. The phonetic interference is equally common both at the level of phonemes and at the level of prosody. Errors of phonological nature, which change the sound form and meaning, make it difficult or even violate the act of communication. The potential field of phonetic interference determines the typological differences of phonological systems.

The examples of phonetic interference can be found almost at every English lesson. Firstly, learners under the influence of their native language often shift stress in foreign words, such as industry, botany, influence, development etc. Secondly, in the English language it is important to take into consideration the brevity and longitude of the vowels. It has a semantic function, which leads to a communicative failure. For instance, the incorrect replacement of a long vowel sound by a short ([i:] and [i] - seek-sick, [a:] and [^л] dark-duck), semantically significant distinction between the labial-dental and labial ([v] and [W]), hissing and interdental sounds ([s] and [e / 6]) [4, p. 93].

In comparison with the Russian phonetic system, English sounds are divided into 3 groups: similar to Russian ones, different from Russian ones and those which do not exist in Russian at all. The greatest number of errors falls on the second and the third groups. If learners want quickly and efficiently master the system of English phonetics, they should remember the differences in pronunciation of the first group. For example, the English sounds [p], [b] sound more intense than the Russian analogues. It is necessary to understand how the sounds belonging to the second group are pronounced and find the optimal position of the speech organs. For example, pronunciation of the sound [r] is easier to understand if you rely on the pronunciation of the Russian sound [ж]. Learners need special practice while mastering sounds that do not exist in the Russian language, for example, the sounds [p] and [ж] are pronounced with a low drooping jaw [4, p. 95].

S. I. Bernstein defined the main reason of difficulties in mastering the foreign pronunciation by the fact that «foreign language learners perceive the sound of foreign speech through the prism of the phonetic system of their native language. Possessing steady skills of hearing and uttering the sounds of their native language, they adjust their perception and reproduction of strange sounds of foreign speech to these patterns». Both at the early stage of mastering when attention is concentrated on the phonetic side of speech and while further study process, it is easier to imagine the sounds of the native language instead of foreign sounds. This is because the linguistic norm contains the protective function of the language. The protective function cannot be regarded as a certain property of the language in isolation from its native speakers. Every time the speaker, realizing the possibilities of the linguistic structure, thinks how to express his thought correctly, thereby finds out a desire for a linguistic ideal.

Linguist N. S. Trubetskoy paid a great attention to the problems arising while studying the phonetics of the second language. He said that «when we hear foreign speech, we habitually use «phonological sieve» of our native language while analyzing it. Many mistakes and misunderstandings arise, because «sieve» of our native language doesn't suit for the language we are studying. Sounds of foreign language get incorrect phonological interpretation». N. S. Trubetskoy emphasized that a foreign accent does not depend on the fact that a learner is not able to pronounce a particular sound, but it happens because of «wrong idea about the sound» which is due to the differences between the phonological systems of the foreign and native languages.

In conclusion, phonetic interference is a deviation from the norms of English pronunciation of words and phrases. There are many reasons of it, however the most significant problems are that the learners under the influence of their native language often shift stress in foreign words or don't take into consideration the brevity and longitude of the vowels, which has a semantic function that leads to a communicative failure. Taking into account the interference factor in the study of the English language can prevent errors, reduce their number, and thereby, facilitate the learning process, which meets the objectives of intensification of the learning process.

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