Presentation

Listening and Pronunciation Need Separate Models of Speech

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Abstract

Language learning pedagogy is currently dominated by the Careful Speech Model (CSM), key components of which are the citation forms of words, the relationship to grammatical categories (tone groups to clauses, intonation to questions, etc) and the rules of connected speech. However these aspects of the CSM – and particularly the rules of connected speech – are inadequate to characterize the unruliness, wildness, and massive reductions that occur in spontaneous speech. To teach listening more effectively we need a new model of speech – the Spontaneous Speech Model (SSM) – some of the components of which are outlined in this paper. I also argue: that we language teachers need a new mind-set which permits and accepts conflicts between what we teach in the CSM and what we teach in the SSM; that we need to take active steps to guard against our expert-listener tendency to hear full words where only massively reduced traces occur; that we need to let go of some of our favorite rules of connected speech.

How to Cite:

Cauldwell, R., (2013) “Listening and Pronunciation Need Separate Models of Speech”, Pronunciation in Second Language Learning and Teaching Proceedings 5(1).