TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ...................................................................... v

Foreword................................................................................ xiii
Acknowledgments .................................................................. xix
Lists of Symbols and Phonetic Labels ...................................... xxi
Chapter 1: My Story with Languages, Pronunciation and
Accent ............................................................................... 1
1.1. Prelude ....................................................................... 1
1.2. The Evolution of my Interest in Linguistics and
Phonetics ................................................................... 2
1.2.1. Natural Language Internalization:
Language Acquisition ............................................ 3
1.2.2. A Major in English Language in a non-
English Environment ............................................. 4
1.2.3. Full Immersion as an Adult in Two
Languages ............................................................. 5
1.2.4. Phonetic and Linguistic Orientation in
Graduate Education ............................................. 10
1.2.5. Educational and Professional Challenges
in the U.S. ........................................................... 11
1.3. The Impact of my Linguistic/Professional
Background on the Evolution of an Approach ........... 12
1.3.1. Impact of my Linguistic Background ................. 12
1.3.2. Impact of my Teaching Career .......................... 14
1.4. Concluding Remarks ................................................. 20
1.4.1. Childhood Trilingualism Triggered
Interest in Languages........................................... 21
1.4.2. Learning Kurdish Triggered Interest in
Linguistics ........................................................... 21
1.4.3. Graduate Study Immersed me in
Phonetics and Linguistics .................................... 22
1.4.4. Professional Challenges in the U.S. .................... 23

v
vi PRONUNCIATION IS IN THE BRAIN

Chapter 2: The Cognitive Base of Language ............................. 25

2.1. Language: A Species-Specific Code of
Communication ........................................................ 25
2.2. Language: A Cognitive-Social System Superimposed
on other Systems ...................................................... 27
2.2.1. Vocal Tract Modification ................................... 28
2.2.2. Vocal Folds (Cords) Modes ................................ 29
2.2.3. Tongue Functions and Maneuverability ............. 30
2.2.4. Lip Configurations............................................. 30
2.2.5. Cavities Resonance............................................ 31
2.3 Brain ‘Speaking’ via Respiratory and Digestive
Systems .................................................................... 31
2.4. Economy in Language ............................................... 33
2.5. Conscious and Subconscious Brains ........................... 37
2.6. Concluding Remarks ................................................. 40
Chapter 3: Language in the Brain of a Child ............................ 41
3.1. Learning vs. Acquisition: Conceptual Differences ...... 41
3.2. The Brain of a Child and Language ........................... 42
3.2.1. Child Brain Formation and Maturation .............. 42
3.2.2. Formative Months and Years of Mother
Tongue ................................................................ 44
3.3. Cognitive Transition in Sound Perception and
Production ............................................................... 46
3.3.1. Transition from Phonetics to Phonology ............ 48
3.3.2. The Brain as the Commander-in-Chief of
Language Acquisition: The Cognitive Roots
of Linguistic Accent ............................................. 50
3.4. Fossilization or Psycholinguistic Insensitivity ............ 52
3.5. There is Room in the Human Brain for more than
One Language .......................................................... 54
3.6. Narrowing Down the Broad Definition of Accent....... 55
3.7. Implications for Understanding the Cognitive
Nature of Accent ...................................................... 56
3.8. Concluding Remarks ................................................. 57
Chapter 4: Linguistic Accent: Definition, Classification and
Demonstration ................................................................. 59
4.1. Introductory Remarks ............................................... 59
4.2. Intralanguage and Interlanguage Accents .................. 60
4.3. Phonetic and Phonological Accents ........................... 62
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4.4. Accent: A Normal Linguistic Phenomenon................. 64

4.5. What is Meant by Accent Acquisition, Accent
Reduction and Accent Impersonation ....................... 65
4.5.1. Accent Acquisition ............................................ 66
4.5.2. Accent Reduction (Remediation) ....................... 67
4.5.3. Accent Impersonation or Faking ........................ 69
4.5.4. Intralanguage Accent Reduction and
Impersonation ..................................................... 72
4.6. Cultural Accent ......................................................... 73
4.7. Transition of Accent into Orthography ...................... 74
4.8. Concluding Remarks ................................................. 76
Chapter 5: A Broad Base for Understanding the Pedagogy of
Teaching Pronunciation ................................................... 79
5.1. Introductory Remarks ............................................... 79
5.1.1. Speech: A Cognitive Phenomenon ..................... 80
5.1.2. Pronunciation: Multisensory Access .................. 81
5.1.3. Pronunciation: Multicognitive Access ................ 82
5.1.4. Pronunciation: An Integrated and Holistic
Process ................................................................ 83
5.1.5. Pronunciation: Top-Down & Bottom-Up
Dynamics ............................................................ 84
5.1.6. Pronunciation: The Complementary
Nature of Acquisition and Learning ..................... 85
5.1.7. Pronunciation: A Natural Gift for Children ........ 86
5.1.8. Pronunciation Should be Premised on a
Triangular Base of Perception, Recognition
and Production .................................................... 87
5.1.9. Pronunciation & Psycholinguistic
Insensitivity......................................................... 89
5.1.10. Pronunciation: Understanding its
Scientific Premises............................................... 90
5.1.11. Pronunciation: Its Feedback Mechanisms ........ 91
5.1.12. Pronunciation: In Light of Multiple
Intelligences Theory ............................................ 91
5.1.13. Pronunciation: A Generative Skill.................... 92
5.1.14. Pronunciation: Interactive Involvement
of Instructors and Learners .................................. 93
5.2. Concluding Remarks ................................................. 94
viii PRONUNCIATION IS IN THE BRAIN

Chapter 6: Ten Commandments for Teaching Effective

Pronunciation .................................................................. 95
6.1. Introductory Remarks ............................................... 95
6.1.1. Thou Shall Teach Pronunciation as a
Cognitive Undertaking ........................................ 97
6.1.2. Thou Shall Teach Children and Adults
Differently ........................................................... 97
6.1.3. Thou Shall be Qualified for Instruction in
Pronunciation...................................................... 98
6.1.4. Thou Shall Familiarize Learners with
Human Speech Production .................................. 99
6.1.5. Thou Shall Orient Learners
Psychologically ................................................... 99
6.1.6. Thou Shall Use all Sensory Modalities to
Prop up Instruction ........................................... 100
6.1.7. Thou Shall Use all Cognitive Modalities to
Prop up Instruction ........................................... 101
6.1.8. Thou Shall Transform Learners from
Listeners into Performers ................................... 101
6.1.9. Thou Shall Refrain from Insistence on a
Learner.............................................................. 102
6.1.10. Thou Shall Make the Classroom a Place
for Learning and Fun ......................................... 102
6.2. Concluding Remarks ............................................... 103
Chapter 7: Examples of Cross-Language Accent-Causing
Consonants .................................................................... 105
7.1. Introductory Remarks ............................................. 105
7.2. Outline of the English Consonant System ................ 105
7.2.1. Interdental Pair /, / ..................................... 106
7.2.2. Approximant /r/ ............................................. 107
7.2.3. Voiceless and Voiced Alveolar Fricatives
/s/ and /z/ ........................................................ 110
7.2.4. English Plosives: /p b, t d, k g/ ....................... 111
7.2.5. Labio-Dental Fricatives /f, v/ .......................... 113
7.2.6. The Affricates /ʧ ʤ/ ....................................... 114
7.3. Concluding Remarks ............................................... 115
Chapter 8: Examples of Cross-Language Accent-Causing
Vowels ........................................................................... 117
8.1. Salient Features in General Vowel Description ........ 117
 TABLE OF CONTENTS ix

8.2. The Vowel System of English .................................. 121

8.2.1. Simple Vowels of General American
English .............................................................. 122
8.3. Selections of Cross-Language Accent-Causing
Vowels ................................................................... 124
8.3.1. Hispanic Learners of English Vowels ............... 125
8.3.2. Arab Learners of English Vowels ..................... 128
8.4. Concluding Remarks ............................................... 131
Chapter 9: Examples of Cross-Language Accent-Causing
Suprasegmentals ............................................................ 133
9.1. A Description of the Most Salient Features of
Suprasegmentals..................................................... 133
9.2. Stress and Rhythm .................................................. 136
9.3. Tone and Intonation................................................ 140
9.4. Basic Pitch Patterns................................................. 140
9.5. Consonant Clusters.................................................. 141
9.6. Concluding Remarks ............................................... 145
Chapter 10: The Role of Articulatory Settings in
Pronunciation and Accent .............................................. 147
10.1. Introductory Remarks ........................................... 147
10.2. Salient Features of Articulatory Settings of
Selected Languages................................................. 150
10.2.1. English Articulatory Settings ......................... 150
10.2.2. Spanish Articulatory Settings ........................ 155
10.2.3. Arabic Articulatory Settings .......................... 162
10.3. Concluding Remarks ............................................. 165
Chapter 11: Principles of a Multicognitive Approach to
Teaching Pronunciation ................................................. 167
11.1. Introductory Remarks ........................................... 167
11.2. Multicognitive Principles for Teaching
Pronunciation......................................................... 169
11.2.1. Think about L2 Speech Sounds ...................... 170
11.2.2. Transition from Hearing to Listening............. 171
11.2.3. Learn Something about Speech
Production ........................................................ 171
11.2.4. Mechanical Repetition Hardly Works
with Adults L2 Learning .................................... 172
11.2.5. Follow the ‘Perceive, Recognize and
Produce’ Procedure ........................................... 173
x PRONUNCIATION IS IN THE BRAIN

11.2.6. Instructor’s Academic and Professional

Qualifications .................................................... 176
11.2.7. Plan Instructional Connection with
Learners ............................................................ 177
11.2.8. Explain, Demonstrate and Demonstrate
Multisensorily ................................................... 177
11.2.9. Deal with Pronunciation in a Holistic
Fashion ............................................................. 178
11.2.10. Consider both Top-Down and Bottom-
Up Perspectives ................................................. 179
11.2.11. Do not Confuse Memorization with
Retention .......................................................... 179
11.2.12. Deal with Pronunciation as a
Generative Skill ................................................. 181
11.3. Concluding Remarks ............................................. 181
Chapter 12: Principles of Multisensory Approach to Teaching
Pronunciation ................................................................ 183
12.1. Introductory Remarks ........................................... 183
12.2. Multisensory Principles for Teaching
Pronunciation......................................................... 184
12.2.1. Auditory Modality......................................... 184
12.2.2. Visual Modality ............................................. 186
12.2.3. Tactile, Kinesthetic, Proprioceptive
Modalities ......................................................... 188
12.3. Developing Teaching and Learning Strategies ....... 189
12.3.1. Developing Teaching Strategies ..................... 189
12.3.2. Developing Learning Strategies ..................... 192
12.4. Concluding Remarks ............................................. 194
Chapter 13: Exemplary Applications of Accent Remediation
Techniques .................................................................... 197
13.1. Introductory Remarks ........................................... 197
13.2. Techniques for Teaching Selected Consonants ....... 197
13.3. Techniques for Teaching Labial-Dental Sounds...... 198
13.4. Techniques for Teaching Interdental Fricatives /
/ ........................................................................... 202
13.5. Techniques for Teaching Tense (Long) vs. Lax
(Short) Vowels ....................................................... 207
13.6. Techniques for Teaching Vowel Reduction ............ 212
13.7. Techniques for Teaching Accentuation (Stress) ..... 217
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13.8. Concluding Remarks ............................................. 223

Chapter 14: Tips for Accent Reduction and Accent Detection. 225
14.1. Introductory Remarks ........................................... 225
14.2. Tips for Accent Reduction ..................................... 226
14.2.1. Tackle the most Salient Phonological
Problems ........................................................... 226
14.2.2. Tackle the most Salient Phonetic
Problems ........................................................... 229
14.2.3. Improve other Linguistic Skills ...................... 230
14.3. Accent Detection ................................................... 230
14.3.1. Accent Detection by Ordinary
Individuals ........................................................ 231
14.3.2. Accent Detection by Professionals ................. 231
14.3.3. Telling the Linguistic Background of a
Speaker through Accent .................................... 232
14.3.4 Hiding an Agent through Hiding an
Accent ............................................................... 235
14.4. Concluding Remarks ............................................. 239
References ............................................................................. 241