CHALLENGES IN ACHIEVING ACCURATE ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION FOR NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS

Аннотация

Accurate pronunciation is essential for effective communication in English. Non-native speakers often face various challenges in achieving pronunciation accuracy due to interference from their native languages and lack of exposure. This article discusses the main difficulties learners encounter and suggests strategies to overcome these obstacles to improve their spoken English. Аннотация.Точная произносительная речь имеет важное значение для эффективного общения на английском языке. Носители других языков часто сталкиваются с различными трудностями в достижении правильного произношения из-за влияния родного языка и недостатка практики. В статье рассматриваются основные проблемы, с которыми сталкиваются учащиеся, и предлагаются методы их преодоления для улучшения устной речи на английском. Annotatsiya.Aniq talaffuz ingliz tilida samarali muloqot uchun muhim hisoblanadi. Chet tillarini biluvchi o‘rganuvchilar ko‘pincha ona tillarining ta’siri va amaliyot yetishmasligi sababli talaffuzda qiyinchiliklarga duch kelishadi. Ushbu maqolada o‘rganuvchilar duch keladigan asosiy muammolar va ularni yengish usullari muhokama qilinadi. Keywords. English Pronunciation, Non-Native Speakers, Pronunciation Challenges, Phonetic Interference, Language Learning Strategies Ключевые слова. Английское произношение, Носители других языков, Проблемы произношения, Фонетические помехи, Стратегии изучения языка Kalit so‘zlar. Ingliz tili talaffuzi, Chet tilida so‘zlashuvchilar, Talaffuz muammolari, Fonetik aralashuv, Til o‘rganish strategiyalari. Introduction.In the era of globalization, English has emerged as the dominant language of international communication. It functions as a global lingua franca across various domains including business, education, science, and digital media. 97 SCIENCE SHINE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL Issue 16(51), Volume 1 | ISSN 3030-377X | 30.06.2025 Consequently, the ability to communicate effectively in English has become essential for non-native speakers. Among the various skills involved in language learning— reading, writing, listening, and speaking—pronunciation is perhaps the most neglected and challenging component. Accurate pronunciation is central to intelligibility, which is the degree to which a listener understands the speaker. However, many non-native speakers struggle to achieve native-like pronunciation or even intelligible speech due to a combination of linguistic, cognitive, pedagogical, and social factors. This paper aims to analyze the major challenges that non-native speakers face in acquiring accurate English pronunciation, the causes behind these difficulties, and possible solutions for learners and educators. Main Body.The most prominent factor influencing pronunciation is the learner’s first language (L1). When learning a second language (L2), individuals tend to transfer phonetic, phonological, and prosodic patterns from their L1, a phenomenon known as “language transfer.” For instance: Spanish speakers may struggle to pronounce English vowel contrasts (e.g., /i:/ vs. /ɪ/ as in sheep vs. ship). • Japanese learners often find it difficult to distinguish /r/ and /l/ sounds. • French speakers may omit or mispronounce the English aspirated /h/ as in house or hotel. • Such transfer errors reduce intelligibility and may persist for years if not corrected early. Phonological Complexity of English English is phonologically rich and irregular. The mismatch between English spelling and pronunciation presents an additional burden for learners. For example, the words “though,” “through,” “thought,” and “tough” have vastly different pronunciations despite similar spellings. Additionally, English has more vowel sounds than most languages (e.g., 20+ in some dialects), which increases the difficulty for learners coming from languages with simpler vowel systems. Suprasegmental elements like intonation, stress, and rhythm are often overlooked but are crucial for natural and comprehensible speech. Incorrect word stress (e.g., phoTOgraphy vs. PHOtograph) or sentence stress can drastically change meaning or make speech sound unnatural. The Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) suggests that the ability to acquire native- like pronunciation diminishes after puberty. Children exposed to a second language before this critical age are more likely to develop accurate pronunciation. Adult 98 SCIENCE SHINE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL Issue 16(51), Volume 1 | ISSN 3030-377X | 30.06.2025 learners often find it difficult to retrain articulatory muscles or develop new phonemic distinctions. Attitude, Motivation, and Confidence.Learners' attitudes toward English, their own accent, and pronunciation goals influence their success. Some learners may not see pronunciation as important, especially if their communicative needs are limited. Others may feel embarrassment or anxiety when speaking aloud, particularly in front of native speakers. Motivation also plays a key role. Integrative motivation (the desire to in