Language transfer in english pronunciation of sundanese speakers at Braga Street, Bandung

Nabilah, Nanda Aidila Fitri (2025) Language transfer in english pronunciation of sundanese speakers at Braga Street, Bandung. IDEAS: Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature, 13 (1). pp. 759-776. ISSN P-ISSN 2338-4778 and E-ISSN 2548-4192

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Abstract

This study analyzes the phenomenon of language transfer in the English pronunciation of Sundanese speakers in the tourist area of Braga Street, Bandung. The data collection for this study was conducted between December 2024 and January 2025. The study used a descriptive qualitative approach involving 17 native Sundanese participants through interviews and controlled speech tasks. The analysis identified three dominant types of negative transfer: (1) substitution, including frequent replacement of /z/, /ʃ/, and /f/ with /s/ or /p/, and diphthong shifts to monophthongs; (2) omission, such as the deletion of final consonant clusters (e.g., /nd/, /ts/) and plural endings ‘-s’; and (3) addition, involving the insertion of extra sounds like /ə/ or the mispronunciation of silent consonants. These errors stem from phonological mismatches between Sundanese and English. However, positive transfer was also evident. Participants correctly articulated shared consonants such as /b/, /d/, /g/, /h/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /r/, /s/, /t/, and /j/, as well as vowels like /ɪ/, /u/, /e/, and /ə/. Additionally, English loanwords that have been adopted into Indonesian were found to indirectly aid Sundanese speakers’ pronunciation accuracy in certain terms. The findings provide insight into how native language influences second language pronunciation. For English education, these results underscore the value of emphasizing phonological similarities to support learning. For tourism practitioners, short pronunciation workshops focusing on key vocabulary and intelligible pronunciation are recommended to foster clearer communication with international visitors.

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