Problems Faced in English by the Second Language Speakers

Abstract

This research article examines the second language speakers and their problem areas. Learning and speaking a new language after the age of five or passed the adolescence age can be a big issue for most L2 speakers. The reason is that by this time, they have already mastered their L1 in form, syntax, and phonology. In this study the L2 speakers in general are of different levels; such as, students, teachers, and professors (young and old; males and females). However, the speakers commit mistakes in English more or less the same. The writer has classified their mistakes in three categories; namely: vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. In using words some L2 speakers commit malapropism. For example, there is a mixed up of words having similar sounds such as, ‘suffocated’ and ‘sophisticated’; ‘immaculate’ and ‘emasculate’. These words surfacely look and sound similar but they are very different semantically. In grammar, some languages have some similarities while others have very different rules. When we talk in English some of the rules that are in English are either absent or different in other languages or native tongue of the speakers; therefore, because of these differences, mistakes make roads when an L2 speaker speaks in English. Similarly in pronunciation if the sound is present in the native tongue of the speakers, they pronounce it correctly, they are already familiar with that sound. On the other hand, there are some unfamiliar sounds in English which do not exist in the native tongue of the speakers. It is important to note here that the writer is talking about the 44 distinctive sounds of the English language and not letters.  Other factors are, English is a stressed language, whereas, many languages have no stress. For instance, we Indians give equal stress to all syllables in a word. We also pronounce a good percentage of time according to how we spell the words; whereas, in English the consonants and vowels can have more than one sound.  L2 speakers have issues using the right words and structure in English but there seems to be a more complicated issue in pronunciation.  It is hoped that this article will help the L2 speakers and (English) teachers to be aware of these limitations and focus on ways of remedying them. The purpose of this article is to help the second language speakers to improve their speaking skills and to solve their difficulties that crop up in everyday conversation in the use of English language particularly in pronunciation.