Bayview Beach Resort, Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang, Malaysia

27-30 September 1999

The Effect of Verbal Tasks on the Speech Performance of Malaysian Learners of English

Dr Alias Abd Ghani

English Section, School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the speech performance of Malaysian learners of English as they vary according to various types of stylistic environments i.e verbal tasks. The paper will outline patterns of style stratification in the speech production of the learners and reports whether there is any systematic patterning in the subjects' pronunciation of the target English sounds of both the individual subjects and across the group of subjects who come from different ethnolinguistic backgrounds viz. Malay, Chinese and Indians.

This paper is based on the experimental investigation involving an interview method with individual subjects, using four-part, Labov-style, self-administered tests. The findings of the study suggest that the subjects' performance is responsive to the nature of the verbal tasks they are engaged in. The findings of the study will shed light on the variability nature of the speech performance of the Malaysian learners of English. The paper will also discuss the implications of the findings on the teaching of English pronunciation in multi-lingual settings like Malaysia.

Presentation format: Paper 45 minutes only