Page 15 - Acedemic_Comms_F5

Academic Communication for Advanced Secondary Schools Crafting meaning

Pronouncing English words
Pronunciation refers to how words are articulated in a language. It covers elements such
as rhythm, emphasis, intonation and the specific sounds of each word. Pronunciation plays
a key role in language learning and clear communication. It conveys vital information
in speech and is closely linked to word interpretation. Experts in pronunciation can
easily grasp the speech of native speakers. It first describes the syllable and then the
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
place in a word where stress is applied. Determining stress patterns in words requires an
understanding of the syllable. In English, stress is placed on particular syllables within
words.

Exercise 1�10
1. Why is it necessary to learn correct English pronunciation?
2. How do English vowels differ from Kiswahili vowels?

Application of English syllables
In language, sounds are not used in isolation. Rather, individual sounds are combined to
form larger units, which are syllables. A syllable is made of either a vowel alone or a vowel
combined with one consonant or more. It is pronounced as a single unit in a particular
word. In short, the number of vowels in a word determines the number of syllables. For
example, the word tall contains one syllable as it has a single pronunciation unit with a
single vowel sound. However, consonants, also known as vocalic consonants, can form
syllables on their own. These consonants are m, n and l in English words like rhythm,
button and bottle, i.e., rhy-thm, but-ton and bot-tle, respectively.

Knowledge about how to divide words into syllables can help a language user chunk
bigger words into more manageable pieces for easy pronunciation. Dividing a word
into syllables also helps the learner to figure out what the vowel sound will be. When
a language learner comes across unfamiliar words, breaking them up into syllables
can help to predict the vowel sound based on the patterns they see in the word. Diving
English words into their syllables follows certain procedures and the syllables form
certain structural patterns.

Activity 1�7

Listen to a recorded oral presentation or English news bulletin and write down at
least ten English words. Then, divide each word into their respective syllables.

Stress in pronunciation

When a word has more than one syllable, the syllables are not pronounced with the same
energy. There will always be one syllable that stands out from others. That syllable is
normally longer and louder than the other syllables in the word and it is said to carry
stress. In English words, stress is not fixed on a particular syllable. Every word has a

8 Student’s Book Form Five

30-Jun-24 11:02:02 AM
Academic Communication.indd 8
Academic Communication.indd 8 30-Jun-24 11:02:02 AM