The r Sound in Medial Position
25
25
Table 2.10 The l Sound Pronunciation Errors in the Middle Position of English Words
Word Word
Production Standard
Sound Changes
Singer
Really ɾiːəɾ
riːəli l becomes
ɾ Singer 1
ɾeɾ Singer 9
Hello heˈɾo
h əˈloʊ
Singer 1 Always
ɔːɾuwe z ˈɔːlwe z l becomes
ɾ followed by „ʊ‟
Singer 8 ɔːɾuwe z
l is omitted Singer 9
World w
ʌɾd w
ɜːld l is omitted
Singer 8 wo
ɾd Singer 9
English ŋgɾ ʃ
ˈ ŋɡl ʃ l becomes
ɾ Singer 4
Table 2.10 shows the l sound is pronounced as alveolar flap ɾ in the words
really, hello, and English. Actually, the main cause is that there is no l and r
sounds in the Japanese language sound system. According to Akihiko 2014, “Additionally, l and r are considered to be problematic pronunciation for Japanese
speakers since neither of them exists in the Japanese language syst em” p. 59.
However, Horie 1994 says , “English has a voiced alveolar lateral consonant l and
a voiced alveolar glide consonant r” p. 17. At the same time, in order to pronounce the English l sound, Akihiko 2014 states, “instead, the alveolar flap ɾ is usually
substituted for both l and r English sound” p. 59. Akihiko‟s statement is also supported by
Horie 1994, Some consonants have the same places of articulation, but have different
manners of articulation when we compare the consonants of two languages. For example, English has a voiced alveolar lateral consonant l and a voiced
alveolar glide consonant r, but Japanese has only one alveolar flap or tap consonant
ɾ which is equivalent to those two English consonants p.1
26
26 Then, based on the differences of English and Japanese l and r sound
systems, both English l and r sounds are pronounced as Japanese alveolar flap ɾ.
According to Suski 1931, Japanese English learners produce a single liquid voiced consonant that combines the two sounds of l and r as it is produced by a very quick
tap also called a flap of the tongue tip on the alveolar ridge as cited in Smith, 2012, p. 202. Because in Japanese sound system there is no l sound, Japanese female
singers pronounce the English l and r sounds as Japanese alveolar-flap ɾ.
According to Smith 2012, “learners had some difficulty with pronouncing l and r sounds as in the case of delay, which is pronounced du:
ɾei. This issue stems for the lack of a separate r and l sound” p. 202. It shows that Japanese female singers
had difficulty to differentiate the English l and r sounds. Therefore, they pronounce the l sound more like Japanese alveolar-flap
ɾ. The lack of ability to differentiate the l and r sounds also found when the l and r sounds are adjoining together in
the word world. From Table 2.20, it can be seen that Singer 8 and Singer 9 pronounce the r sound then omit the l sound. Because it is difficult to differentiate the l and
r sounds, the l sound is also pronounced as alveolar flap ɾ.
Besides, the l sound in the word always is not only pronounced as ɾ, but the
ɾ is also followed by a vowel „ʊ‟. Considering the Japanese syllable system is open- syllable, it is difficult for Japanese female singers to pronounce two consonants
adjoining together. According to Sudjianto and Dahidi 2007, “syllable which is
ended by vowel is called kaionsetsu open syllable whereas syllable which is ended