Teacher Discussion Forums

karmakamilleon · Joined: 11 Oct 2005 Posts: 2

In my research I keep finding allusions to pronunciation as the "Cinderella" of second language teaching. I am assuming this is in reference to the fact that pronunciation seems second-rate... am I right on this metaphor?

darimana · Joined: 01 Oct 2005 Posts: 18

never heard that before, but have had some fun using "Rindercella slopped her dripper" in advanced pronunciation classes!
It's fantastic!
http://www.matthewgoldman.com/spoon/rindercella_2.html

fluffyhamster · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:52 am Post subject:

Yes, you're right about the use of the metaphor.

Lewis has said that lexis (versus grammar/structure) has also been viewed and treated poorly; his comment is of course starting to lose its validity, what with all the interest in lexis and vocabulary studies of the past decade or two, but then, the change probably had more than a little to do with (=was partly due to) his writings, eh!

I guess that pronunciation will always remain a bit of a Cinderella, though (moreso than lexis), because it can be (that is, is viewed as being) "difficult", "boring" or "unnecessary" to (explicitly) teach (part of the reason for this is surely the eventually unavoidable link to English orthography, spelling-sound "inconsistencies" etc - a whole "can of worms" to many teachers).

BTW where did you read the metaphor? (Just out of interest).

CEJ · Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 55

In which case, we could see that SL/FL/L2 phonological acquisition is as integral as syntax, morphology or lexicon. Indeed, phonology provides the 'material' for much of vocabulary acquisition and production, and it's structure could well be as much a part of 'grammar' as other elements more usually thought of as in that area.