Communication and Linguistics Studies

2016; 2(1): 1-5

http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/cls
doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20160201.11

Students’ Difficulties in Pronouncing the English

Labiodental Sounds
Herman
Department of English Education, University of HKBP Nommensen, Pematangsiantar, Indonesia

Email address:
[email protected]

To cite this article:

Herman. Students’ Difficulties in Pronouncing the English Labiodental Sounds. Communication and Linguistics Studies.
Vol. 2, No. 1, 2016, pp. 1-5. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20160201.11

Received: August 27, 2016; Accepted: September 27, 2016; Published: October 17, 2016

Abstract: This research is conducted in order to find out the most difficult position in pronouncing the English labiodental
sounds at the second grade of Senior High School of Taman Siswa Pematangsiantar. There are some various articulators in
pronunciation. They are bilabial, labiodental, dental, alveolar, palatoalveolar, palatal, velar, and glottal. For Indonesian students,
there are some articulators are difficult to pronounce. In this research, the writer focuses on students’ difficulties in pronouncing
the English labiodental sounds. It can be in the initial, medial, and final position. Problems discussed in this research was: which
position is the most difficult in pronouncing the English labiodental sounds? To solve the problems, descriptive qualitative
method was implemented in this research. The data were taken from each English labiodental words pronounced by the students.
Finally, the writer found that: the most difficult position in pronouncing the English labiodental sounds is final position in sound
/ v /.

Keywords: Students’ Pronunciation, Difficulty, Labiodental Sounds

Harmer (2007:281) pronunciation is the way we make sounds

1. Introduction of the language how and where we place the stress, and how
Language is an important tools in communication. By we use pitch and intonation to show how we are feeling and
language human beings can take an interaction to each other, what we mean.
they can understand what they are talking. Language is purely In pronunciation, there are so many aspects or elements to
human and non - instinctive method of communicating ideas, be known. In supra-segmental aspects, there are stress,
emotions and desires by means of a system of voluntarily intonation, and pitch. In segmental aspects consist of vowels,
symbols [11]. From the definition above, it can be said that diphthongs, tripthongs, and consonants. In terms of
language is used by people to express their thoughts, feelings, consonants, there are some things have to see. They are the
ideas, and experiences toward others. manner of articulation, the place of articulation, and the force
When we use language to express our thoughts, feelings, of articulation.
ideas, and experiences toward others, we can do these by There are so many places of articulation. One of them is
speaking. Speaking is an activity where people can labiodental. The English labiodental sounds are articulated by
communicate with other people, at least there are two persons the lower lip and upper teeth [13]. The sounds /f/ and /v/ are
who are involved in this activity as a speaker and as a listener. referred to as labiodentals sounds. In pronouncing them,
Ur (1996:12) stated that speaking is one of the most important sometimes the students got confused. They didn’t understand
skills. We must have another skill to be mastered in speaking well about them. For examples, when they pronounced fan
such as grammar competence, listening skill, vocabulary [fæn] and van [væn] are same, fine [faɪn] and vine [vaɪn],
mastery and good pronunciation. defeat [dɪˈfiːt] and device [dɪˈvaɪs], golf [gɒlf] and drove
In terms of speaking, there are some micro skills. One of [drəʊv] etc. They pronounced all of them with the same voice.
them is pronunciation. Pronunciation is the way a certain In this occasion, the writer would like to analyze the
sound or sounds are produced and pronunciation stresses more students’ pronunciation especially in labiodental sounds at
the way sounds are perceived by the hearer [10]. According to second grade of SMA Taman Siswa Pematangsiantar.
2 Herman: Students’ Difficulties in Pronouncing the English Labiodental Sounds

1.1. Problem of the Research 2.2. The Indicators of Pronunciation

Based on the above explanation, the problem created as the In pronunciation we have to paying attention to the
following: which position is the most difficult in pronouncing indicators of pronunciation. According to Djiwandono
the English labiodental sounds at second grade of SMA Taman (2008:124-125), there are four indicators of pronunciation,
Siswa Pematangsiantar? there are; intelligibility, fluency, accuracy and native-like.
(1) Intelligibility is pronounced of the whole text and its
1.2. Objective of the Research parts are heard clearly or not causing misunderstanding.
The objective of this research is to answer the problem as (2) Fluency is as a whole of text can be pronounced fluently.
what has been mentioned in the previous point. It is to find out (3) Accuracy is words and parts of text are pronounced
the most difficult position in pronouncing the English accurately.
labiodental sounds at second grade of SMA Taman Siswa (4) Native-like is pronounced of the whole text and its parts
Pematangsiantar. are pronounced like native speaker.
From the explanation above, it can be concluded that in
1.3. Scope of the Research pronounced the words, phrase and sentences we have to
paying attention to the indicators above.
There are some various articulators. They are bilabial,
labiodental, dental, alveolar, palatoalveolar, palatal, velar, and 2.3. The Elements of Pronunciation
glottal. For Indonesian students, there are some articulators
are difficult to pronounce. In this research, the writer focuses 2.3.1. Supra-Segmental Aspects of Pronunciation
on students’ difficulties in pronouncing the English Kelly (2000:3) states suprasegmental features, as the name
labiodental sounds. It can be in the initial, medial, and final implies, are features of speech which generally apply to
position. However, we know that there are many aspects in groups of segments or phonemes. The features which are
pronouncing English words for students, such as about vowels, important in English are stress, intonation, and how sounds
dhipthong, stress, rhythm, intonation etc. change in connected speech.
i. Stress
1.4. Significance of the Research Stress is actually determined by the implitude of the vocal
cords during the production of speech sounds [13]. When the
There are some significance found in this research, they are: vocal cords are opened wider the speech sounds will be heard
theoretical and practical. more prominent or louder.
1. Theoretically, this research paper is hoped useful for the ii. Intonation
readers who want to expand and have a further The term intonation refers to the way the voice goes up and
knowledge about the English labiodental sounds. down in pitch when we are speaking. It is a fundamental part
2. Practically, it is also hoped that this research paper will of the way we express our own thoughts and it enables us to
become a reference for someone who wants to analyze understand those of other [6]. Intonation involves the rising
the English labiodental sounds. and falling of the voice to various pitch levels during the
articulation of utterances.
2. Theoretical Review iii. Pitch
Pitch is one of the suprasegmentals which actually
2.1. Definition of Pronunciation determines the intonation of an utterance. This is affected by
In Oxford Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary the tension of the vocal cords and the pressure of the air that
(2010:1175) pronunciation is the way in which a language or a passes through the glottis [13].
particular word or sound is pronounced. 2.3.2. Segmental Aspects of Pronunciation
According to Richard and Schmidt (2002:429) i. Vowels
pronunciation is the way a certain sound or sounds are Kelly (2000:29) states vowels are articulated when a voiced
produced and pronunciation stresses more the way sounds are airstream is shaped using the tongue and the lips to modify the
perceived by the hearer. overall shape of the mouth.
Harmer (2007:281) states Pronunciation is the way we ii. Diphthongs
make sounds of the language how and where we place the There are two types of English diphthongs, they are the
stress, and how we use pitch and intonation to show how we rising and the centring diphthongs [13]. The rising dipthongs
are feeling and what we mean”. are those ending in high vowels such as / ɪ / and / ʊ /.
It can be concluded that pronunciation is the way of The English rising diphthongs are / eɪ /, / aɪ /, / ɔɪ /, / aʊ /,
speaking of a certain word by considering the symbol use and / oʊ /; and the centring diphthongs are those ending in / ə /
representing difference sound. While teaching English such as / eə /, / ɪə /, and / ʊə /. The diphthong occurs in initial,
pronunciation is essential for students that it leads them to medial, and final position.
have good understanding of native speakers and improve their iii. Triphthongs
ability to communicate English well. Triphthong is a typical speech sound produced by a
 Communication and Linguistics Studies 2016; 2(1): 1-5 3

successive combination of three different vowel sounds within Sound / v /

a syllable uttered in the same tone unit. The English Initial Medial Final
triphthongs are formed by the addition of schwa / ə / to the vase advance achieve
rising diphthongs. Triphthongs consist of five. They are / eɪə / vacation adventure arrive
for player [ˈpleɪə r], / aɪə / for iron [aɪən], / ɔɪə / for loyal vacuum civil brave
[ˈlɔɪəl], / aʊə / for hour [aʊə r], and / əʊə / for lower [ˈləʊə r]. valid clever carve
iv. Consonants valley develop cave
Kelly (2000:47-53) states that consonant is formed by value evening clove
interrupting, restricting or diverting the airflow in a variety of variable event dove
ways. Consonants are consists of 24 kinds; [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], variation every drove
[g], [tʃ], [dӡ], [f], [v], [θ], [ð], [s], [z], [ʃ], [ӡ], [h], [m], [n], [ŋ], vein evidence gave
[l], [r], [j], [w]. vote favour move

2.4. Labiodental Sounds 2.5. The Difficulties of Pronunciation

The labiodental sounds are articulated by the lower lip and The student of spoken English or any other spoken
upper teeth [13]. Therefore in this case of two sounds, the language is faced with difficulties of five kinds in the matter of
obstruction of the airstream occurs not because the two lips pronunciation [14]. They are as follows:
come together but because the bottom lip and the top teeth (1). It is a matter of “ear-training”.
come together. The sounds /f/ and /v/ are referred to as We must learn to recognize readily and with certainty the
labiodentals sounds because the lips (labio) and the teeth various speech sounds occurring in the language when we
(dental) are involved in their production. These sounds occur hear them pronounced; we must, moreover, learn to remember
in initial, medial, and final position. English contains the the acoustic qualities of those sound.
following two labiodental sounds: (2). It concerns with certain characteristics of sound and
1. /f/ as in "fine" and "calf" syllables.
2. /v/ as in "vine" and "have" We must learn the proper usage and know the necessary
The English / f / sound is known as a voiceless labiodental details in regard to length, stress and pitch.
fricative consonant. This consonant is articulated by the lower (3). It is matter gymnastic of the vocal organs.
lip against the upper teeth. This consonant is produced by We must learn to make the foreign sounds with our own
forming a narrow air passage between the two articulators; the organs of speech.
air is released out through the mouth and produces a hissing (4). It is a matter of memorizing.
sound. The vocal cords are not made to vibrate during the We must learn to use those sounds in their proper places in
production of this sound. This consonant in English is connected speech. In learning to memorize can be facilitated
regarded as the representation of graphemes f, ff, gh, and ph. by the use of Phonetic Transcription.
The English / v / sound is defined as a voiced labiodental (5). It is a matter of the student’s ability to distinguish and to
fricative consonant. This consonant is articulated by the lower pronounce isolated sounds, and to know the sequence of
lip against the upper teeth. This consonant is produced by sounds to use in a given word or sentence, and to know length,
forming a narrow air passage between the two articulators; the stress and pitch.
air is released out through the mouth and produces a hissing We must learn to catch sounds, i.e. to join each sound of
sound. The vocal cords are not made to vibrate during the sequence on to the text, and to pronounce the complete
production of this sound. This consonant in English, is sequence rapidly and without stumbling.
regarded as the representation of graphemes v and ph. For the students who have difficulties English
The other examples of the two labiodental sounds are: pronunciation probably it cannot be avoided directly. So the
teachers need to work hard with the students and to make sure
Sound / f / that the students can improve their difficulties.
Initial Medial Final
face coffee beef 2.6. Factors Affecting Pronunciation
fail confirm calf
fade craft knife As people have their own native language, it seems they can
faith defend half be recognized by people that they are non-native speakers.
fat defend half The way we speak in a different language is affected by our
feel definite rough mother tongue. There are several factors that can affect
fence different safe pronunciation. Below are the lists (adapted from Kenworthy
famous difficult staff (1987:4-8) as cited in Brown 2001:284-285) of the factors that
false effect thief should be considered by teachers:
fund profit tough (1). Native language
This is the most influential factor when a learner learns new
language. Teacher needs to diagnose their pronunciation
4 Herman: Students’ Difficulties in Pronouncing the English Labiodental Sounds

difficulties so that they can have better pronunciation. Self-confidence should be possessed by students so that
(2). Age they can speak and be understood.
Generally speaking, children under the age of puberty stand 4) Speech monitoring abilities
an excellent change of “sounding like a native” if they have By teaching learners to pay attention to their own speech as
continued exposure in authentic contexts. Beyond the age of well as that of others, we help our learners make better use of
puberty, while adults will almost surely maintain a “foreign the input they receive.
accent”, there is no particular advantage attributed to age. A
fifty-year old can be as successful as an eighteen-year-old if 3. Research Methodology
all other factors are equal.
(3). Exposure This chapter discusses about the method and procedure that
It is difficult to define exposure. One can actually live in a are used to solve the problem of the research. The writer has
foreign country for some time but not take advantage of being written some theories in the previous chapter. In order to
“with the people.” Since research seems to support that the describe research design, subject, object, technique of
more exposure that one gets is important that the more length collecting data, and technique of analyzing the data.
of time, the class time needs to focus on pronunciation
improvement in order that students can get better 3.1. Research Design
pronunciation. The research design of this research paper is descriptive
(4). Innate phonetic ability qualitative. Keegan (2009:11) stated that qualitative research
Often referred to as having an “ear” for language, some is less easy to define. It explores questions such as what, why,
people manifest a phonetic coding ability that others do not. In and how many or how much. It is primarily concerned with
many cases, if a person has had an exposure to a foreign meaning rather than measuring. Creswell (2007:36) also
language as a child, this “knack” is present whether the early stated that qualitative research is situated activity that located
language is remembered or not. Others are simply more the observer in the world. It consists of interpretive, material
attuned to phonetic discriminations. practice that makes visible.
(5). Identity and language ego
Another influence is one’s attitude toward speakers of the 3.2. The Subject of the Research
target language and the extent to which the language ego
identifies with those speakers. This study studies about the characteristic of students’
(6). Motivation and concern for good pronunciation pronunciation in English labiodental sounds. The subject of
Some learners are not particularly concerned about their the research is conducted at second grade of SMA Taman
pronunciation, while others are. The extent to which learners’ Siswa Pematangsiantar which is located on Jalan Kartini No.
intrinsic motivation propels them toward improvement will be 18 Pematangsiantar.
perhaps the strongest influence of all six of the factors in this 3.3. The Object of the Research
list.
Those factors above can open the teacher mind of The object of the research is students’ pronunciation in
understanding a learner’s willing to improve their labiodental sounds at second grade of SMA Taman Siswa
pronunciation. Teachers can assist learners toward these Pematangsiantar
factors.
3.4. Technique of Collecting Data
2.7. Goals in Teaching Pronunciation
In collecting the data the writer uses some steps:
According to Morley (1999) as cited in Celce-Murcia (1) Choosing the field research or classroom.
(2006), there are four realistic goals in pronunciation teaching. (2) Asking the students to read some English words
They are: containing labiodental sounds that occur in initial,
1) Functional intelligibility medial, and final positions.
Intelligibility is defined as spoken English in which an (3) Recording the pronunciation of the students while they
accent, if present, is not distracting to the listener. Since read aloud.
learners achieve an accent-free pronunciation, we are setting (4) Transcribing the pronunciation of the students.
our students up for failure if we strive for native like accuracy.
So, it is fine for learners still own their accent when they speak 3.5. Technique of Analyzing Data
English. After getting the data from the research subjects, the writer
2) Functional communicability uses some steps in analyzing the data as the following:
It is the learner’s ability to function successfully within the (1) Identifying the incorrect pronunciation of English
specific communicative situations he or she faces. If we teach labiodental sounds created by the students at the second
how to employ pauses, pitch movement and stress to achieve grade of SMA Taman Siswa Pematangsiantar.
the communicative goals, they will have attained a great deal (2) Clasifying the incorrect pronunciation of English
of “functional communicability.” labiodental sounds.
3) Increased self-confidence
 Communication and Linguistics Studies 2016; 2(1): 1-5 5

(3) Counting the incorrect pronunciation of English SMA Taman Siswa Pematangsiantar is final position in sound
labiodental sounds. / v /.
(4) Finding out the most difficult position in pronouncing
the English labiodental sounds.
References
4. Data Analysis and Finding [1] Alotaibi, A. N. (2013). Pronunciation problems in the
production of the voiced labiodental fricative /v/ by saudi
4.1. Data Analysis speakers of English. Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
After analyzing the data, the researcher found in this [2] Brown, A. (2001). Pronunciation and phonetics: A practical
research that the three position of labiodental sounds guide for English language. New York: Routledge.
pronounced incorrectly by the students at second grade of
[3] Celce-Murcia, M, et al. (2006). Teaching pronunciation: A
SMA Taman Siswa Pematangsiantar. reference for teachers of English to speakers of other laguages.
Some examples of words in incorrect pronunciation of New York: Cambridge University Press.
labiodental sounds are as follow:
[4] Creswell, J. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design.
Table 1. Incorrect pronunciation of labiodental sounds. California: Sage Publication.

No. Positions Sound / f / Sound / v / [5] Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach English. Longman, ISBN
1. Initial - vase, vein 1405853093, 9781405853095.
2. Medial - develop, every, evidence
achieve, arrive, brave, carve, cave, [6] Kelly, G. (2000). How to teach pronunciation. Pearson
3. Final rough, tough Education, ISBN 8131702340, 9788131702345.
clove, gave
[7] Kenworthy. J. (1987). Teaching English pronunciation.
4.2. Finding Longman, ISBN 0582746310, 9780582746312.
After analyzing the data, the researcher found that the most [8] Morley, J. (1999). New developments in speech pronunciation
difficult position in pronouncing the English labiodental instruction. As We Speak. Newsletter of the TESOL speech,
sounds at second grade of SMA Taman Siswa pronunciation, and listening interest section, 2, i, p. 1-5.
Pematangsiantar was final position in sound / v /. [9] Nunan, D. (1999). Second language teaching & learning.
In this occasion, when the voiced labiodental fricative /v/ is Michigan University: Heinle & Heinle.
mispronounced, it is substituted with the voiceless labiodental
fricative /f/. [10] Richards, J. C. and Schmidt, R. W. (2002). Longman dictionary
of language teaching and applied linguistics. New York:
Routledge.
5. Conclusion [11] Sapir, E. (1921). Language. New York: Harcourt Brance
After describing an overview about the labiodental sounds Javanovic.
and analyzing them in students’ pronunciation, the conclusion [12] Sinurat, B. (2013). English suprasegmentals. FKIP Universitas
can be drawn is there are three positions in English labiodental HKBP Nommensen, Pematangsiantar, ISBN
sounds in pronunciation produced by students at second grade 978-602-8302-19-7.
of SMA Taman Siswa Pematangsiantar. For Indonesian [13] Sinurat, B. (2013). General British and American speech
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[14] Susanto. (2012). To English speaking students. Islamic
This paper has shown the analysis of labiodental sounds in Education State Islamic College (STAIN), Tulungagung.
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