THE ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION OF STUDENTS OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, IKIP GUNUNGSITOLI, NIAS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Great gratitude to The Almighty God, Jesus Christ, for His Strength in His

glorious bless which enables the writer to conduct this research on "THE ENGLISH
PRONUNCIATION O.F STUDENTS OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT,

IKIP

GUNUNGSITOLI, NIAS,. and complete this thesis. Being as His son is a mirucle

which leads her ways of life and goals.
CoWltless individuals have contributed directly and indirectly to the success of

this research and the completion of this thesis. The writer is deeply indebted to each
one, and therefore she would like to express her heartfelt gratitude.
First, the writer expresses her thankfulness to Prof . D.P. Tampuboloo, Ph.D.,
her First Adviser, for the sound direction

to

direct the write£ and the valuable

academic support in the process of writing.

Second, her very special appreciation is presented to Prof. Tina Mariany

Arifin. MA. Ph.D., her Second Adviser for her continuous motivation. support, and
C~R

right &om the very beginning till the process of completing this thesis. Her

"sharp" eyes in dectecting the big and small errors should be given a very high

appraisal.
Third, her special thanks also to Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd. Prof.

Amrin Saragih, MA., Ph.D, and Prof. Dr. Lince Sihombing, M,Pd., as reviewers, and

examiners for the very valuable contribution in shaping up the content of this thesis.

ii

Many thanks are due to

Prof. Dr. Syawal GultDm, the Former Rector State University of Medan and
Prof. Dr. Belferik Manullang, Director Postgraduate School, State Univemty
of Medan, Prof. Dr. Busmin Guming, M.Pd., and Prof. Dr. Lince Sihombing,
M.Pd., Head. and Secretary, Engbsh Applied Linguistics Study Program.
2

.....

All lecturers in !he English Applied Linguistics Post graduate Program State
University of Medan that have given the encouragement and valuable
knowledge in carrying out this reseateh.

3

Dr. Drs. Sadieli Telaumbanua, M.Pd., Rector. Institute of Teacher Training,

and Education (lnstitut Kegu.ruao. dan llmu Pendidikan : IKIP) Ounungsitoli,
Nias for the permission given to continue her study at English Applied
Linguistics Study Program.

4

All friends for the exttemely valuable cortutleDlS, and suggestions for this
research.

5

Her earnest thanks are presented to her beloved father Or. Fahuwu Zebua MM,
Ak and her mother Ni Made Sukrisni, SH in giving the motivation during !his
research.

6

She should express her sincere thanks to her beloved husband. Ir. Immanuel

Zega, and her children, Bayu Putera Famuala Zega. SE, dr.Eunike Widiakasih

Zega, Mogantara Oktarius Zega, SE, and her nephlew Wellman Mei Sokhi
Ziliwu, SH, who have showered ber with love when she really needs them. She
surely can not attain her present stage of life without their full support.
iii

This piece of academic work is still far from being perfect, but it is expected
to be valuable as one of the importance sources for further in- depth research.

Medan,

June 20 11

The Writer,

Luwini Zebua
Registration Number 07218830020

iv

·- ------···· ....

ABSTRACT

Zebua, Luwini. Registration Number Ont88300l0. The Eoglisll Pronunciation
or Students or EDglish Departmc•t of IKJP Gunapitol~
Niu A Thesis.
Ea~li.!h

AppUed Linguistics Study Program, Postgraduate School, State

University of Medaa. 1011.
This qualitative research addresses the English mispronWlciation, which was
aimed at (t) diS(lovering the typical of English mispronunciation of Consonants and
Vowels of the students of English Department, Institute of Teacher Training and
Nias, (2)
Education (Institut Keguruan dan llmu Pendidikan : !KIP) Oungsitol~
discovering !row the English mispronunciation of consonants and vowels of the
students of !KIP Gunungsitoli, Nias were produced, and (3) discovering the causes of
mispronunciation of English Consonants and Vowels of the students of English
Departtnent !KIP Gunungsitoli. Nias. The research was conducted to Semesters Ill

and V students of English Department of !KIP Gunungsitoli, Nias.. The population
were 100 students. Each class comistcd of 50 students. Based on random sampling
technique, 16 students from Semester lii and 16 students from Semester V were
chosen as the sample. The instruments used to collect the data were three
conversation topics : i). At the Fruit Sbop, 2) At the Garage, and 3) At the Post
Office.. The students were asked in pairs to take part in the conversations. 'These
activities were ~
out in front of the class. The conversation were recorded by
using a tape recorder and digital camera. The conversation done by the students were
analyzed and written in phonetics transcriptions. The analyses were based on Miles
and Hubermans's (1984) model. Tbe findings show that the mispronuncistion of
EngLish consonant oonsisted of lhe dental fricative consonant, the voiced palataalveolar fricative consonant, the unvoiced aspirated consonant, the voiced word-final
consonant, the change sound unvoiced alveolar fricative consunant. consonant [t} as a
glottal stop (?), syllabic consonant, and the change of sound led/ in reguJar verb. On
the other hand, the vowel mispronunciations were the diphthong, long and short
vowels. BMed. on the fmdings it can be concluded lbat this results seen from the
factors of linguistic, functional, social, facilities, environmental, psychological,
articulation and pre- knowledge. The implication is that phonetically the lecturers
should be trained and given adequate practice to pronounce the English consonants,
and vowels. Therefore, it is suggested that English lecturer should give intensive

exercise their students in pronouncing the correct words so that the correct speaking
can be achieved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
ABSTRACT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................._...........................

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...............-...............................................................

v

LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................... viii
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................

x:

LIST OF APPENDIXES ............................................................................... 1i
CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION.................................................................

I

1.1 The Background of the Research..................................... .
1.2 The Problems of the Research..........................................

4

lJ The Objective of the Research.........................................

S

1.4 The Scope of the Research ..... ......... ....... ...... ...... ....... ... ..

S

1.S The SiiiJ.ific:ance of the Research ................ ...... .... ... ......

6

CHAPTER D: THE THEORETICAL ORIENTATION..............................

8

2. I English Pronunciation ......... ........................ ...... ...... . ... .. .

8

2. 2 Consonant....................................................................... 12
2.3

Vowel ............................................................................ 15
2.3.1 Close Vowel (High Vowel) ...................................

17

2.3.2 Near-Close VoweL................................................ 18

2.3.3 Close Mid Vowel... .................................. ~.

18

2.3.4 Mid Vowel ............................................................. 19

v

2.3.5 Open Mid Vowel.................................................... 20
2.3.6 Near Open Vowel................................................... 21
2.3.7 Open Vowel (Low Vowel).................................... 21
2.4 The People ofNias and Nias Language ................ ........... 24
2.4.1 Nias People .......................................................... 24
2.4.2 Nias language....................................................... 25

2.5 Nias Language Sounds.................................................... 28
CHAPTER Ill: RESEARCH METHOD........................................................ JO
3.1 Research Design ..... ......... ...... ......... ... ...... ....... ...... ... ....... 30
3.2 Source of the Data........................................................... 30
3.3 Instrument and Technique of Data Collections............... 31

3.3.1 Instrument of Data Collections.............................. 31
3.3.2 TechniqueofDataCollections ............................... 31
3.4 Technique of Data Analysis............................................. 32
3.4.1 Activities in Data Reduction ................................. 32
J.4.2 Activities in Data Display................................ 32
3.4.3 Activities in Conclusion Drawing/Verification....... 33
3.5 Procedure of Data Analysis ................ ................ ... ... ....... 33
3.6 Trustworthiness oflhe Rt~h

...................................... 34

CHAPTER IV: DATA ANALYSIS. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .......... 36

4.1 Data Analysis ....................................... ......... ....... .......... 36

vi

~.1

The Typical Mispronunciation of English
Consonant and Vowel of students ofiKIP
Gunungsitoli, Nias.................................................. 37
4.1 .1.1 Consonant ...............:.................................. 37

4.1.1.2 Vowel ........................................................ 44
4.1.2 The Causes of Nia.s English Mispronunciation... ... 49
4.1.2.1 Linguistic Factor........................................ 49
4.1.2.2 Functional Factor....................................... SO
4.1.2.3 Social Factor.............................................. 50

4.1.2.4 Facilities.................................................... 51
4. 1.2.5 Environmental Factor................................. 51

4.1.2.6 Psychological Fac1or.................................. 51
4.l.2.7 Articulation................................................ 52
4.1.2.8 Preliminary Knowledge .... ......................... 52
4.1.2.9 Teaching Method.......................................

53

4.2 Findings ................ .......... ................ ... ...... ... ... .......... ....... 53
4.3 Discussion....................................................................... 54
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS. IMPUCATION, AND SUGGESTIONS 61

5.1 Conclusiom ...................... ...... ............... ......... ... .............. 62
5.2 Implication .. ......... ......... ... ......... ... ...... ... ... ......... ....... ...... 63
5.3 Suggestions ............... ........ ... .......... ......... ... ...... .. ..... ... ... .. 63
REFFERENCES ..............................................................................-............ 65

APPENDIXES ........................................................................_....................... 67
vii

•.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Tbe Backgroa•d of tile Researeb
Language is a means of communication. The use of language is so
complex. Some people use language as a mother tongue, first or second and
foreign language. Language plays an important role in humans' lives. Because
language is a means of communication to convey ideas, opinions and thoughts to
other, without it, the sharing of knowledge would have been impossible. This

means that whatever is stored in the long-term memory and whatever is intend to
inform to other listeners or audience cannot be conveyeQ ~d

further cannot be

understOOd by them unless a process of communication come out (Thomson,
2003:&2)

There an:: so many languages in the world and one of them is English
which is used as an iruemational langUAge in
~e

coontries and as a foreign

language in other counnies. Most of the people in the world use English as their
lingua franca. a language which is widely adopted for communication IIJTlong two
s~

whose rudive languages are different from one another and when one or

both speakers use it as a '9eeond' language. TheTe are so many factors influence
and sustain the spread and use of English as a lingua franca. namely colonial
histocy, economics, travel, information exchange, lllld popular culture. All aspects
of the speech commonest of spe~h

events, rite conversation, when two or more

people speak to each otJter (Spolsky ,2006: 14).

2

English is widely used all over the world, some countries such as the
United Smtes, tile United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Australian

use it as a first language. Some other countries usc: it as a second language. Most
of these countries ate funnerly memben of the British Empire: regions in Africa.

Asia, and the West Indies, while others such as: AustriP, Finland, Germany,
Iceland, NOI'Way, Sweden, Indonesian, etc.
Every country has different cultun: and ideology by which the usc: of
language is potentially influenced. Almost all countries have more than one
languages. For instance, Indonesia has many languages, such as in relation to this,
which is why Indonesian language, which is derived fiom Malay language. has
been chosen as the national language among other languages through the
de1;laration of the lndonetia's Independence in 194S and in the 1928 Indonesian
Youth Pledge Day has declared it as an official language as well.
The tribal languages of Indonesia, of course, exist although it does not
function as a national language or even official language. These kinds of
languages are termed as local language or regional language. Regional language is
a la.nguase belonging to or connected with the panicular place (e.g. Batak
language, Ambon language, Manado language, Java language. Padang language,
Nias language, Aceh language, etc.)
Nias b located from North to South along the West Coast of Sumatera;
there is a chain of small islands: Simelue, the Banyak Islands, the Batu Islands.
Mentawai, Nassau, Enggano, and Nia.s. Of these islands Nias and the Batu Island9
ate located approximately seventy miles from Sumatera.

3

Nias is swrounded by the sea, which contains rich natural resources and

provides
im~ve

tourist attractions, such as white beaches in MQIIIe and

Toyolawa, unique waves for surfing in Lagundri, and exquisiiC marine life of the
Batu lslands.The MOWitain is high as 886 mete1'9 above the sea level (e.g. the

L31!1matua in the center ofNias Island).
Most of the coastline cOil.!ists of coral reefs, with some beautiful, albeit
narrow. beaches. The coastline is very uneven, with alarge number of small capes

and bays. The most important beys are Teluk Swnbawa and Teluk Balaika in the
sooth -east, Tcluk Dalam and Teluk Lagundri in rhc south, Teluk Sirombu in the
west, Teluk Lafau in the north, and Teluk Ounungsitoli in the east. There are

rivers on Nias, such as fdano Moi, ldano Oyo,ldano Muzoi. ldano Susua..

'

Nias language i9 9poken on the island ofNias is located about 120 km west
of Central Swnatera in Indonesia. It is presently considered to belong to the

MalayQ-Polyneiian subgrouping. It has three dialects, generally referred to as the
northern. central, and southern dialects.The real problems based on these are in
northern Nias : hezo moi o?. in central Nias he andro moi o?.ln Southern Nias:
haiga go moi. These mean. where on: you going
Ally language, includes Nias language, is potentially changed and shifted

from time to time, which is mainly influenced by the complex needs, social status,
economic, culture, education, religion, and gender of human beings (Holmes,
2001:123·t2S). This background is found in Nias students' pronunciation of

English words, and consequently they have many of mi!ltakes in proMuncing
English words. In this case pronunciation is the most important thing in

supporting oommunication in English where Nias is one of the tourism objeru in

4

Nor!h Sumaccra. In oral commtmication, the students use the mispronunciation of
English word. These problems are a)90 found in Nias student3' pronunciation of

English words and consequently they have many mistakes in pronouncing English
wordg.
Pronunciation, consonaniS and vowels and articulation are the substantial
aspe