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Communication: Spoken English | 213

the wrong intonation pattern, there are chances that your listener may not
understand you. It would be worse still if you are misunderstood.
The intonation of a foreign language is an extremely difficult aspect of
the language to master. It is perhaps necessary to listen extensively to the
standard pattern of the language and also practise for a considerable length
of time to gain mastery over this complex aspect of spoken English.

Pronunciation Improvement Strategies
If you are really motivated to learn the English language in all its complexi-
ties, with special reference to pronunciation, there are a number of other aids
besides the teacher. Some of them are;

a. English Pronouncing Dictionary
b. Language Laboratory
c. Digital Dictionary

English Pronouncing Dictionary

The English pronouncing dictionaries describe the type of pronunciation
recorded as ‘Received Pronunciation’ (R.P). The type of speech that had for
centuries been regarded as a kind of standard has its base in the educated
pronunciation of London and the Home Counties. The R.P. continues to
have wide intelligibility throughout Britain. This is one of the reasons why
this type of pronunciation was originally adopted by the BBC for use by its
newsreaders. The English Pronouncing Dictionaries (EPDs) are particularly
relevant to foreign teachers and learners of English. The notation used in
these dictionaries is basically phonemic and the symbolization of the vowel
and consonant sounds is based on the system, approved by the International
Phonetic Association (IPA). Once the student gets acquainted with the sym-
bols and the sounds that they correspond to, it becomes very easy to pick up
the standard variety of pronunciation. When the student becomes adept in
the use of the EPD, he/ she need not go to anybody for help in pronuncia-
tion. It is a perfect self-learning strategy.

Language Laboratory
Language laboratories provide the right resources, facilities and support for
language instruction. In an English language lab, students have a great deal
of exposure to the standard variety of English through audio and video mate-
rial. There is special double track audio recording, which plays an audio file
and also simultaneously records (the student’s voice). This way the student
is able to play back the recording and compare his/her speech patterns with
those of the teacher and immediately check on the mistakes. The lab also

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