The Influence Of Dialect....

, Syahreni Siregar, 27-36

THE INFLUENCE OF DIALECT ON THE STUDENT’S

PRONUNCIATION IN SPEAKING ABILITY

Syahreni Siregar
Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN), Metro
Email: [email protected]

Abstract: Dialect is one of the important aspects in language and communication.

So that it will also influence the language teaching process. This article aims to
discuss deeply about how dialect can influence on the student’s pronuncition in
speaking ability. The diversity of Indonesian people influence students’ ability in
understanding the subject which learned. One of the diversity is language
variation in their daily life which called dialect. Every dialect will have
uniqueness when speaking. It influences their ability when speak English.
Pronunciation is one of the most important parts of English to communicate with
the other people since there are differences between symbols and sounds. To
communicate with other people in foreign labguage we should have a good
pronunciation so that the listener can understand what we mean and there is no
missunderstanding between the speaker and the listener. So, this article will try to
discuss about the influence of dialect on the student’s pronunciation in speaking
ability.
Keywords: Dialect, Pronunciation,and speaking ability
INTRODUCTION Sometimes, the students are
Sociolinguistics is a study of difficult to pronounce the word in
language in relation to society. It’s a English. The students have different
very large field to study and it can be ethnics such as lampungnese,
used to describe many different sundanese, javanese, bataknese, etc.
viewpoint of studying language. The They used different local language to
important point in sociolinguistics is communicate each other in their own
language. Language is very group or community. There are some
important means of communication problems in pronouncing English
in daily life. Human being use words which were generally shared
language both written or spoken to by all of the students from all dialect
express thier idea. Language has and the problems particularly
sound, form, vocabulary, and different from the other and only
grammar. English is a foreign shared by the students in same
language in Indonesia. To speak dialect.
English well we should have a good Pronunciation is one of the
vocabulary and also pronunciation. If most important parts of speaking
we do not have a good pronunciation English to communicate with others
the listener will be difficult to since there are differences between
understand what we mean. the symbol and its sounds. When we

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communicate with other people, we (social dialect) by a specific social

should not only have a good class.
vocabulary but also have a good
pronunciation. Therefore, it is According to Jackson and
important to study about Peter (2011:156) stated that dialect
pronunciation. refers to the structural content of
Speaking ability is the ability speakers’ language: the particular
to use language with verbal words used, characteristic syntactic
communication by using voice. This construction, certain ways of
skill is needed to communicate one expressing negatives, plurals, tense,
person to each other. Someone who and so on. Dialect is a variety of a
has good ability in speaking usually language used recognizably in a
has many relations and friends, that specific region (social dialect) by a
make the person easier in socialize specific social class. Dialect has
and do the activities. There are some close relation with accent, based on
factors which influence the speaking the definition above, finally dialects
ability they are comprehension, and accent could be clear
pronunciation, vocabulary mastery, distinguished. According to
grammar mastery and fluency. Those Mayerhoff Miriam (2006:27) Dialect
factors are usually had by Indonesian is the variety of vocabulary, syntax,
students. pronunciation. Accent is variety only
Dialect is one of the in pronunciation. Dialect refers to
important aspects in language and distinctive features at the level of
communication. So that it will also pronunciation and vocabulary and
influence the language teaching sentence structure .
process especially on the student’s Anathor linguists, Edward
pronunciation in speaking ability. (2009:63) also pointed out dialect as
This article will discuss deeply about a variety of a language that differs
how dialect can influence on the from others along three dimensions:
student’s pronunciation in speking vocabulary, grammar and
ability. pronunciation (accent). Because they
are forms of the same language, he
LITERATURE REVIEW states also dialects are mutually
Definition of Dialect unintelligible. Indeed language is
According to Oxford Advanced major part of dialect. The others
Learner’s Dictionary, dialect is the dialect that is mutually unintelligible
form of a language that is spoken in for example Dutch and German
one area with grammar, words and speaker cannot understand each other
pronunciation that may be different even basically both of them have
from other forms of the same same language, another example is
language. Dialect a term widely Mandarin and Cantonese, Thai and
applied to what are considered sub Lao, Hindi and Urdu, Serbia and
varieties of a single language. Dialect Croatian etc.
is a variety of a language used Haugen points out that, while
recognizably in a specific region speakers of English have never
seriously adopted patois as a term to

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be used in the description of Sociolects involve both

language, they have tried to employ passive acquisition of particular
both language and dialect in a communicative practices through
number of conflicting senses. Dialect association with a local community,
is used both for local varieties of as well as active learning and choice
English, e.g., Yorkshire dialect, and among speech or writing forms to
for various types of informal, lower- demonstrate identification with
class, or rural speech. ‘In general particular groups.
usage it therefore remains quite Sociolect, defined by Peter
undefined whether such dialects are Trudgill, a leading sociolinguist and
part of the “language” or not. In fact, philosopher, is “a variety which is
the dialect is often thought of as thought of as being related to its
standing outside the language. speakers’ social background rather
than geographical background”. This
Kinds of Dialect idea of sociolect began with the
Wardhaugh (2006:49) stated that commencement of Dialectology, the
dialect mainly consists of two study of different dialects in relation
branches namely regional dialect and to social society, which has been
social dialect. established in countries such as
England for many years, but only
Regional Dialect recently has the field garnered more
Regional dialect is geographically attention. However, as opposed to
based. It means that a dialect that dialect, the basic concept of a
differs because of geographical area. sociolect is that a person speaks in
The differences can be in terms of accordance with their social group
pronunciation, choice of words, and whether it is with regard to one’s
syntax. ethnicity, age, gender, etc. As
The term dialect, pariculary William Labov once said, “the
when it is used in reference to sociolinguistic view…is that we are
regional variation, should not programmed to learn to speak in
confused with the term accents, ways that fit the general pattern of
standart English, for example is our communities”. Therefore, what
spoken in a variety of accent. often we are surrounded with in unison
with clear regional social association: with our environment determines
thare are accent associated with how we speak; hence, our actions
North America, singapore, india, and associations.
liverpool (scouse), tyneside(geordie),
baston, new york and so on. Relationship Between Language
and Dialect
Social Dialect Wardhaugh (2006:49) distinguish the
A sociolect or social dialect is terms language and dialect as follow:
a variety of language (a register) Lower part of variety language is
associated with a social group such dialect and as the main part is
as a socioeconomic class, an ethnic language, therefore we can say that
group (precisely termed ethnolect), Texas English and Swiss German are
an age group, etc. dialects of English and German.

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Some languages have more than one to individual, and from situation to
dialect for instance English are situation. This actual changes result
spoken in various dialects. Language in the varieties of language.
and dialect can be the same when According to Bell these criteria may
language was spoken by a few be used to distinguish certain
people and has only one variety but languages from others.
some expert say it is unsuitable to There are 7 criterias of
say dialect and language is the same language, they are:
because the requirement of lower a. Standardization
part can not be found. We can say Codification of language:
also Dialect A, B, C and so on is the grammars, spelling books,
part of language X because it is dictionaries, literature. It is
spoken by many varieties dialect A, possible to teach. To make
B, C. Edward (2009) also define standardization, it require
dialect as a variety of a language that choosing one elite
differs from others along three vernacular and it can be
dimensions: vocabulary, grammar prestigious
and pronunciation (accent). b. Vitality
Lower part of variety The existence of a living
language is dialect and as the main community of speakers.
part is language. Language and c. Historicity
dialect can be the same when A particular group of
language was spoken by a few people finds their identity
people and has only one variety but by using a particular
some expert say it is unsuitable to Language.
say dialect and language is the same d. Autonom
because the requirement of lower Other speakers of a
part cannot be found. Edward language must be felt
(2009:63) also define dialect as a different from other
variety of a language that differs language.
from others along three dimensions: e. Reduction
vocabulary, grammar and Particular variety may be
pronunciation (accent). Many people regarded as a sub-variety
there can be no confusion at all about rather than as an
what language they speak. For independent entity.
example, they are Chinese, Japanese, f. Mixture
or Korean and they speak. Chinese, Feelings about the purity
Japanese, and Korean respectively. It or lack of purity of variety
is as simple as that; language and g. De facto norms
ethnicity are virtually synonymous Speakers recognize as
(Coulmas, 1999). ‘good’ speakers and ‘poor’
Language variety refers to the speakers and that the good
various forms of language triggered speakers represent the
by social factors. Language may norms of proper usage.
change form region to region, from
one social to another, from individual

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Pronunciation speak different language, it may be

Pronunciation refers to the obvious that there are some
production of sounds that people use particular accents appeared when the
to make meaning. It is related to the people speak the same language and
particular sounds of language those accents are primarily the
(segments), aspects of speech beyond representative for each of ethnic. In
the level of the individual sound, fact, for those students who acquired
such as intonation, phrasing, stress, the local language firstly, it is
timing, rhythm (suprasegmental obvious they have certain accents
aspects), how the voice is projected when they speak Bahasa Indonesia
(voice quality) and in its broadest and the accents could easily point out
definition, attention to gesture and from which ethnic she or he come
expressions that are closely related to from. As Crystal states that an accent
the way people speak language. In is the cumulative auditory effect of
English there are 44 phonemes which those features of pronunciation that
are consisted by 24 consonants, 12 identify where a person is from,
vowels, and 8 diphtongs. regionally or socially.
Then, based on importance of Each of dialect shares certain
pronunciation, there are some reason languages that has its own way to be
why it is important to be investigate. uttered that differs from one
According to Burns, it is more language to other. Thus, each of
important that speakers of English language, especially the local
can achieve intelligibility (the language has its own stress,
speaker produces sound patterns that intonation, and speech sounds which
are recognisable as English), are unique and primarily recognized
comprehensibility ( the listener is as the identity of the language. In
able to understand the meaning o fact, there could be an interference
what is said), and interpretability ( from mother tongue to other
the listener is able to understand the language including those features as
purpose of what is said). Crystal states that pronunciation
Then, there are some factors research and teaching focus both on
may affect the students pronunciation the sounds of language (vowels and
when they put efforts in learning the consonants) and on supra-segmental
target language. The factors are features that is, vocal effects that
various. There are some factors may extend over more than one sound
affect the pronunciation : accent, such as stress, sentence and word
stress, intonation, and rhythm, intonation, and speech rhythm.
motivation and exposure, attitude, At the last, since each of
instruction, age, personality, and also languages has its own sound system,
mother tongue influence. Thus there the mother language will affect the
are some factors that are related to student pronunciation in learning the
this paper especially in the case of other language. Therefore, there is a
dialect. possibility that the local language
For the people who live and that is used in the speech community
share the area with people who could affect the pronunciation of
comes from the different ethnics that English since the local is the first

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language students acquired as Nunan listening to and reacting to the person

states that when there is a difference you are communicating with.
in the sound system in the LI and L2 Then, Sari Luoma (2004:9)
showed, errors are expected to be stated speaking as interaction, and
committed because the learners speaking as a social and situation-
transfer their mother tongue sound based activity. All these perspectives
system into the target language. see speaking as an integral part of
Mother tongue has clear influence on people’s daily lives. Together, they
learning L2 pronunciation. help assessment developers form a
In pronouncing English words, clear understanding of what it means
sometimes we find students who to be able to speak a language and
hardly try to utter some English then transfer this understanding to
words completely and in other case, the design of tasks and rating criteria.
the students cannot perfectly utter a In addition, Speaking can be
word that may lead into seen from two perspectives:
misscommunication. However, performance and ability.
speaking in understandable Performance is defined as actual
pronunciation is good to instances of language use in real time
communicate each other which is something that can be
observed. On the other hand Rie
The Concept Of Speaking Ikoizumi (2007:2) stated, ability is an
There are many definitions of underlying entity that is relatively
speaking that have been proposed by stable and can be inferred from
some Experts in language learning. performance.
According to Brown (2001:140), in From some definitions above,
his book “Language Assessment the writer terminates that speaking
Principles and Classroom ability is always related to
Practices”, speaking is a productive communication. Speaking ability
skill that can be directly and itself can be stated as the skill to use
empirically observed, those the language accurately to express
observations are invariably colored meanings in order to transfer or to
by the accuracy and effectiveness of get knowledge and information from
a test-takers listening skill, which other people in the actual instances
necessarily compromises the of language use in real time.
reliability and validity of an oral
production test. Speking Ability
On the other hand, Lucy Speaking ability consist of two
pollard (2008:33) said that speaking words. Speaking and ability. AS
is one of the most difficult aspects Harnby (2000:20) states that “ability
for student master. This is hardly is the fact that somebody or
surprising when one consider something is able to do something”.
everything that is involved when Furthermore, speaking is the activity
speaking: ideas, what to say, to use your voice to say something.
language, how to use grammar and These can be referred that speaking
vocabulary, pronunciation as well as ability is the fact that somebody is

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able to use his/her voice to say b. Talk as transaction

something. Talk as transaction refers
Besides Jack C. Richard to conditions where the focal
(2008: 22) Speaking is a productive point is on what is said or done.
skill which needs a lot supporting The message and making oneself
factors like knowledge, confidence, understood obviously and
self esteem and enthusiasm. precisely is the central focus.
Speaking a second language,
particularly, brings about its own c. Talk as performance
prerequisites. Exposure,
consolidation, motivation as well as It refers to public talk,
acknowledgment. It means that that sends forward information
speaking is an industrious ability to the audience, such as
which needs a lot supporting factors. presentations, public
announcements, and speeches.
Function of speaking Speaking consist of some basic
There are three functions of types, as follow:
speaking based on Brown and Yule’s 1. Imitative, it’s like what
framework (2001:140). They are: parrot do, when speaker
only imitate the sound
a. Talk as interaction without comprehend their
It refers to “conversation”. When speech’s meaning.
the people meet, they give and 2. Intensive, it is the higher
receives greetings, make a chat, level than imitative,
retell their experience and so on. when the speaker not
It is more focus on the speakers; only imitate but also
action and how they show produce s and shows
themselves to each other than on their ability in a
the message of conversation. grammatical, phrasal,
Conversation takes place lexical, or phonological
in real time, most of daily relationship.
conversation is spontaneous, 3. Responsive, in this type,
unplanned and without there is interaction and
preparation. It is happened in real comprehension of very
time so we need to think rapidly. short conversation,
This factors causes we often pause simple comments and so
our speech and hesitate (using on.
‘er…um’) to give ourselves time 4. Interactive, it is the
to think. Most of conversation higher level of
happen face to face. This allows responsive, where it has
us to get immediate feedback, use longer and more complex
facial gestures, body language, interaction than in
and intonation. When someone responsive type.
talks to the other he/she has 5. Extensive (monologue),
purpose in their conversation. it is like speech, sermon,
story-telling and so on.

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DISCUSSION learning target language, especially

When we talked abaout educational in English, many students have
issues it is concerning that dialect in difficulties in this ability. That can be
the English language have received a caused by many factors, like:
great deal of college and become an motivation, vocabulary mastery,
interested attention. Yet overall, dialect, etc.
college had not satisfactorily The dialect is the most
addressed these issues. It showed that influential factor affecting a learner’s
dialects are a natural, normal aspect pronunciation. Pronunciation is the
of language has been acknowledged key of getting full communicative
only superficially. Educational competence. If someone is familiar
programs typically do not thoroughly with the sound system of a learner’s
discuss the dialectal distinctions that dialect, he/she will be better able to
are clearly applied in the know student difficulties. In
communities they serve or confront Indonesia, there are so many tribes
the various social attitudes which have different language to
surrounding variation in English. each other. Every tribe has a unique
Issues about dialect are not widely dialect which be identity of the
understood, and there are many people who are from that tribe. For
program models to emulate. This example, person who usually uses
article presents some issues relating Bataknese language, he/she will have
to students’ pronunciation in batak’s dialect when he/she speak
speaking ability, and describes two other language.
kinds of dialects. It also suggests Then, there are some factors
considerations for developing may influence the students
educational policy with respect to pronunciation when they put efforts
dialects and programmatic responds in learning the target language. The
to it. factors are various, there are some
English speaker can use the factors may affect the pronunciation :
vocabulary and grammar of Standard accent, stress, intonation, and
English, but different speakers use rhythm, motivation and exposure,
their own local words for everyday attitude, instruction, age, personality,
object or actions, regional accent, and also mother tongue influence.
and pronunciation. Non-native Thus there are some factors that are
speakers of English tend to bring related to this article especially in the
over the intonation and phonemic case of dialect.
inventory from their mother tongue For the people who live and
into their English speech. It causes share the area with people who
many students who have different comes from the different ethnics that
dialect produce different style in speak different language, it may be
their speech. obvious that there are some
Speaking is the ability which particular accents appeared when the
has been standard in oral people speak the same language and
communication. Someone who has those accents are primarily the
good ability in speaking will be representative for each of ethnic. In
valued as a master of language. In fact, for those students who acquired

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the local language firstly, it is that is used in the speech community

obvious they have certain accents could affect the pronunciation of
when they speak English and the English since the local is the first
accents could easily point out from language students acquired as Nunan
which ethnic she or he come from. states that when there is a difference
As Crystal states that an accent is the in the sound system in the LI and L2
cumulative auditory effect of those showed, errors are expected to be
features of pronunciation that committed because the learners
identify where a person is from, transfer their mother tongue sound
regionally or socially. system into the target language.
Each of dialect shares certain Mother tongue has clear influence on
languages that has its own way to be learning L2 pronunciation.
uttered that differs from one
language to other. Thus, each of CONCLUSION
language, especially the local Dialect is one of the important
language has its own stress, aspects in language and
intonation, and speech sounds which communication. So that it will also
are unique and primarily recognized influence the language teaching
as the identity of the language. In process. Dialect gives a lot of effect
fact, there could be an interference in the language teaching. The
from mother tongue to other dialect is one factor that becomes
language including those features as problem for students in learning a
Crystal states that pronunciation new language. Just as in learning
research and teaching focus both on English, certainly a lot of things or
the sounds of language (vowels and speaking difficulties experienced
consonants) and on supra-segmental especially since the use of
features that is, vocal effects that different dialect. Dialect is the most
extend over more than one sound influential factor affecting a learner’s
such as stress, sentence and word pronunciation. Pronunciation is a key
intonation, and speech rhythm. to reach full communicative
In pronouncing English competence. If someone is familiar
words, sometimes we find students with the sound system of a learner’s
who hardly try to utter some English native language, he/she will be better
words completely and in other case, able to diagnose student difficulties.
the students cannot perfectly utter a In Indonesia, there are many tribes
word that may lead into which have different language to
misscommunication. However, each other. Every tribe has a unique
speaking in understandable dialect which be identity of the
pronunciation is good to people who are from that tribe. For
communicate each other example, person who usually uses
At the last, since each of Javanese language, he/she will have
languages has its own sound system, java’s dialect when he/she speak
the mother language will affect the other language. Finally, all the
student pronunciation in learning the participants of language teaching
other language. Therefore, there is a should aware to concern about
possibility that the local language

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dialect on students’ pronunciation in Cambridge University Press,

speaking ability. 2008.

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