Tegalnese accent and English consonant sounds: paraphrased exploration and understanding of interference

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Introduction

There are many languages in Indonesia including Javanese, Sundanese, Maduranese, etc. Languages have different accents, spoken differently by people from different regions, of different ages, and backgrounds. Every one of them has a unique accent and dialect. According to As Sabiq [1], in some Central Java regencies such as Banyumas, Kebumen, Cilacap, Banjarnegara, Purbalingga, and Tegal, most people speak with strong accent and clear vocals which are often called «ngapak». Particularly the Javanese language of Tegal which is also known for its strong accent «ngapak». According to Wardani [2], it has a strong and distinct accent, dialect, intonation, and diction. It demonstrates that the Javanese language is pronounced clearly and unambiguously with brief intonation and emphasis in some cases. This explains why Tegalnese students have a distinct difficulty.

Pronunciation covers vowels and consonants. Both of them have their main role in words. In general, Tegalnese phonemes consist of vowels and consonants and double phonemes (diphthongs). According to Zultiyanti [3], Tegalnese vowels include /i/, /I/, /e/, /ɛ/, /a/, /ə/, /ɔ/, /o/, /U/, and /u/. On the contrary the consonants consist of /b/, /c/, /d/, /g/, /h/, /j/, /k/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /p/, /r/, /s/, /t/, /w/, and /y/]. Similarly, to standard Javanese language, Tegalnese does not have the sounds /f/, /q/, /v/, /x/, and /z/, as consonants. Whereas English vowels have /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. It also has twenty-four consonant sounds. They are /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /ʈʃ/, /dʒ/, /h/, /w/, /n/, /m/, /r/, /j/, /ŋ/, /l/. Based on the observation of fourth-semester students, most Tegalnese students face difficulties pronouncing them as a result of the strong accent in the initial, medial, and final positions. For instance, in the initial position, the word «borrow” /ˈbɑːr. oʊ/, most of the students will pronounce /ˈbɑːr.oʊ/. Further in medial position, the word “together” /təˈɡɛðɚ/, commonly students will pronounce /təˈɡɛðɚ/. For the final position is the word “glad” /glæd/, most students will likely pronounce /glæd/.

Tegalnese, a regional language spoken in Central Java, Indonesia, has different phonological characteristics that might affect the pronunciation of English consonant sounds. This interference might make it difficult for Tegalnese English learners to pronounce words correctly, therefore this research focuses on identifying specific phonological features that distinguish Tegalnese from English.

By identifying specific phonological features that distinguish Tegalnese from English, this research explores tailor instruction to the unique challenges that Tegalnese learners confront. Focusing on areas of considerable difference explore the learning process and save time on characteristics that are generally similar. Furthermore, identifying specific areas of difficulty enables teachers to give prompt and effective error correction in the construction of instructional materials targeted to the needs of Tegalnese students.

Based on the explanation mentioned above the researchers conducted the investigation on Tegalnese accent interference in pronouncing English consonant sounds of fourth-semester English Education students at Universitas Pancasakti Tegal. This research also explores the possibility of pedagogical strategies to address these phonological challenges and help Tegalnese learners improve their English pronunciation.

Literature review

The research project references several prior studies exploring the impact of Javanese accents on English pronunciation. Purwaningsih et al. [4] examined the influence of the Banyumas Javanese accent on English consonant pronunciation among university students, highlighting specific pronunciation challenges and suggesting practice strategies like listening to English media. Wardani et al. [2] focused on Javanese language interference in English phonemes among university students, identifying difficulties with 13 consonants and 17 vowels, and attributing issues to factors like age and exposure. Other studies by Trysnawati et al. [5] and Dewi et al. [6] also addressed the influence of Javanese dialects on pronunciation, with the former analyzing mispronounced consonants and the latter investigating the Brebes Javanese dialect’s impact on various speech sounds.

Additional studies highlighted include As Sabiq [1], who explored the demotivating effects of using local dialects in English instruction, and Aurellia [7], who analyzed Javanese and English interference in Bahasa Indonesia on YouTube. Zultiyanti [3] compared phonetic components of Indonesian and Javanese, while Ammar et al. [8] identified pronunciation difficulties among university students, focusing on consonants, vowels, and diphthongs. These studies share common methodologies and aims, such as using qualitative research to investigate pronunciation issues and linguistic interference, but differ in their specific focuses, sample populations, and research instruments.

Pronunciation. Pronunciation is the production of speech sounds for communication. Correct pronunciation is crucial for effective communication and understanding, even with grammatical errors. Anggraini & Bhuana [9] describe pronunciation as the act of producing sounds to convey meaning. Ammar et al. [8] emphasize that good pronunciation facilitates comprehension and confidence in speaking.

Pronunciation includes segmental features (vowels and consonants) and supra-segmental features (stress, intonation, connected speech).

1. Segmental Features: English has various vowels (short, long, and diphthongs) and consonants.
2. Supra-Segmental Features: Stress affects words and sentences, intonation conveys mood, and connected speech links and blends sounds in natural conversation.

English Consonant Sounds:

1. Consonants are produced by obstructing airflow in various ways:
2. Manner of Articulation: Includes stops, affricates, fricatives, and approximants.
3. Place of Articulation: Bilabial, labiodental, dental, alveolar, postalveolar, retroflex.
4. Distinct Sounds: Specific sounds like /ð/, /θ/, /tʃ/, /ʃ/, /ŋ/, and /dʒ/ have distinct pronunciations.
5. Voiced and Voiceless Consonants: Voiced consonants include /b/, /g/, /l/, while voiceless consonants include /p/, /k/, /s/.
6. Combination of Consonants: Consonants can combine to form unique sounds, such as /ʃ/ (sh), /tʃ/ (ch), /θ/ (th), and /ð/ (th). Pronunciation changes can occur depending on the context and surrounding vowels. 2.2.5 Javanese Language of Tegal
7. Javanese, an Austronesian language, has many dialects shaped by geography and speaker interactions, including Banyumas, Surabaya, Solo, Osing, and Samin. The Tegal dialect is distinctive, notably in vowel and consonant pronunciation. For example, the vowel /a/ in Tegal dialect is pronounced differently from standard Javanese (/ɔ/). Some lexicons also differ, such as «Priben» (How) and «Anjog» (Arrive). The unique lexicons of Tegalnese reflect the speakers’ environment and are not found in standard Javanese dictionaries.

Pedagogical Theories and Teaching Pronunciation Practice. Pedagogical theories and teaching practices are pivotal in addressing the pronunciation challenges faced by Javanese speakers learning English. By understanding the theoretical underpinnings and applying effective practices, educators can better support their students in achieving clearer and more confident English pronunciation. Some of the pedagogical theories are the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), which approach prioritizes effective communication over flawless pronunciation, encouraging learners to engage in real-life interaction and develop fluency in diverse contexts [3]. Тhis method emphasizes the use of language as a social tool, facilitating natural language use and improving overall communicative competence. According to Purwaningsih et al. [4], the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) provides a theoretical foundation for predicting pronunciation errors by identifying phonetic differences between the learners’ native language, Javanese, and the target language, English. By highlighting these differences, educators can focus on specific areas of difficulty and develop targeted intervention strategies. The Audiolingual Method (ALM), known for its emphasis on repetition and drills, helps learners internalize correct pronunciation habits through consistent practice. This method can be particularly effective for addressing persistent pronunciation issues by reinforcing correct sound production. Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) integrates pronunciation practice into meaningful tasks, such as role-plays or practical communication activities, which contextualize pronunciation within real communication scenarios. This approach not only improves pronunciation but also enhances learners’ ability to use language effectively in real-world situations.

Teaching for practical techniques such as minimal pair drills, which involve practicing pairs of words that differ by only one sound (e.g., «ship» vs. «sheep»), help learners fine-tune their auditory discrimination and production skills. These drills are particularly useful for addressing sounds that are not present in the learners’ native language. The use of pronunciation software and apps provides instant feedback, allowing learners to identify and correct their pronunciation errors in real-time. These technological tools often employ speech recognition technology to offer precise feedback, making them valuable resources for self-guided learning. Shadowing, another effective technique, involves learners listening to and mimicking native speakers’ speech, helping them develop a natural rhythm, intonation, and sound production. Focused listening activities, which require learners to concentrate on the pronunciation of native speakers in various contexts (e.g., movies, podcasts), further enhance their ability to replicate accurate sounds. Incorporating pronunciation practice into daily routines, such as reading aloud or engaging in social interactions in English, reinforces learning and builds learners’ confidence. By leveraging a combination of these pedagogical theories and practical methods, educators can effectively support Javanese speakers in overcoming pronunciation challenges and achieving clearer, more confident English pronunciation. These comprehensive strategies ensure that learners not only improve their pronunciation but also develop the communicative skills necessary for effective and meaningful interactions in English.

Tegalnese Language. The Javanese language is a member of the Austronesian family, with many regional varieties impacted by geography and socioeconomic influences. Among these dialects is Tegalnese, which differs from mainstream Javanese (Table 1).

Vowel Pronunciation:

Tegalnese: /a/

Standard Javanese: /ɔ/

Examples:

Tegalnese: suda, lega, ana

Standard: sudɔ, lәgɔ, ɔnɔ

Consonant Pronunciation:

Words in Tegalnese retain their consonant sounds, unlike the transformations seen in standard Javanese.

Examples:

Tegalnese: sebab, bәdhug, ahad

Standard: sәbap, bәdhuk, ahat

Unique Lexicons:

Tegalnese lexicons are distinct and often not found in the standard Javanese dictionary.

Examples include:

Priben (How)

Anjog (Arrive)

Anta (Bring)

Batir (Friend)

Ciri (Saucer)

 

Table 1

Examples of Lexicons from Tegal Dialect

Tegal dialect	Javanese	English
Priben Anjog Anta Batir Ciri	Piye Tekan Cemplang Kanca Lepek	How Arrive Tasteless Friend Saucer

 

Tegalnese dialect has distinct linguistic characteristics that reflect the speakers’ cultural and geographical backgrounds, stressing the diversity of the Javanese language.

Interference of Javanese Accent with English Consonant Sounds. Tegalnese consonants align with ten types of Javanese consonants: bilabial, labio-dental, apico-dental, apico-alveolar, apico-palatal, laminal-alveolar, medio-palatal, dorso-velar, and laryngeal. Each type involves different active and passive articulators producing various sounds. For example, bilabial sounds (/p/ and /b/) use the lower and upper lips, while labio-dental sounds (/f/ and /v/) use the lower lip and upper teeth. Tegalnese also includes unique consonants and vowels, further distinguishing it from standard Javanese.

Interference occurs when bilingual speakers apply elements of one language to another, causing pronunciation errors. This is evident in Javanese speakers learning English, who may mispronounce consonants such as /tʃ/, /ʒ/, /dʒ/, /b/, /k/, /ŋ/, /m/, /v/, and /ð/. For instance, «cabbage» may be pronounced as /kᴧbəd/ instead of /kæbidʒ/. This interference results from differences between Javanese and English phonetic systems.

There are several elements that contribute to Javanese interference in English pronunciation. Strong native accents can lead to pronunciation problems, particularly in plosive and nasal consonants; Limited control over local language use in schools results in ongoing use of Javanese by peers; infrequent use of English outside of certain situations like media leads to poor pronunciation practice and Lack of motivation can impair learning English pronunciation.

Other significant factors include English pronunciation, which limits improvement. Environment: The prevalent use of Javanese in daily life supports local language tendencies. In contrast to English’s more subliminal hints, low context culture emphasizes explicit verbal communication. High Context Culture: Javanese culture’s emphasis on nonverbal communication and implicit messaging can lead to misunderstandings in English, where explicit verbal communication is required. These elements demonstrate the intricate interplay of language, culture, and learning processes that influence Javanese speakers’ English pronunciation.

Materials and methods

The descriptive research design is used in this study, hence it falls within the category of qualitative research. This research focuses on fourth-semester students majoring in the English education department at Universitas Pancasakti Tegal. It is decided that the student sample will be neither too small nor too large for analysis, 20 fourth-semester students of the English education program taken as a sample since they are of Tegalnese descent, were born in Tegal, live in Tegal, and speak Tegalnese.

The researchers employed a pronunciation test as part of their data collection procedures, which was done using an audio player and provided information on phonetic errors made by the participants. A closed-ended questionnaire was used as a research instrument to collect data on the aspects that contribute to the students’ strong accent when pronouncing English consonant sounds. It was constructed as a student response scale survey, with the questionnaire adapted from Wardani et al. [2].

The Likert-type Scale questionnaire is based on how many participants answer Strongly Agree (5), Agree (4), Neither Agree nor Disagree (3), Disagree (2), and Strongly Disagree (1), options connected to the factors generating their strong accent when pronouncing English consonants. The questionnaire was created using Google Forms as a data collection tool. To obtain data regarding the most difficult English consonant sounds to pronounce by Tegalnese students, and to find out the factors causing the boldness accent in students’ pronouncing English consonant sounds, a semi-structure interview was used as a research instrument.

Research results

The results are based on the data collected from the pronunciation test, interview, and questionnaire; (1) a pronunciation test to describe Tegalnese accent interference in students’ pronouncing of English consonant sounds, (2) a questionnaire, and (3) an interview to determine the factors that caused the strong accent in students’ pronouncing English consonant sounds, as well as the most difficult English consonants to pronounce.

The Result of Pronunciation Test showed that Tegalnese students had consistent English consonant pronunciation throughout the test. It shows that there are several issues concerning students’ English consonant pronunciation, sound /p/ which is substituted with the sound /f/, the sound /ð/ which is substituted with the sound /d/and there are five consonants which are interfered with the Tegalnese accent, namely consonant /b/, /d/, /g/, /dʒ/, and /ð/ (Table 2).

 

Table 2

The classification of students’ errors in English consonant pronunciation

Consonant Sound	Total Error	Percentage, %
/ b /	2	10
/ d /	12	60
/ g /	18	90
/ dʒ /	11	55
/ ð /	2	10

 

The result of the Questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to assess Tegalnese accent interference with Tegalnese students’ pronunciation of English consonant sounds. The questionnaire findings were statistically evaluated using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). The questionnaire is a Likert-type response scale survey based on the seven factors generating English consonant interference, as shown in Table 3.

 

Table 3

General Result of Questionnaire*

No	Categories	Questions	Response					TOTAL
			SD (1)	D (2)	N (3)	A (4)	SA (5)
1	Exposure	I start studying pronunciation at University	4	1	4	9	2	20
		I use YouTube for practicing their pronunciation	0	2	4	10	4	20
		I focus more on other language features such as grammar, vocabulary, and tenses	0	2	10	6	2	20
		Total percentage, %	0	15	25	55	5	100
2	Motivation	English is my second option when entering university	5	6	4	3	2	20
		I want to be as native as I can in English pronunciation	1	2	1	6	10	20
		I study English to get a better job, career, and experience	2	0	1	8	9	20
		Total percentage, %	5	10	15	65	5	100
3	High context culture	I often use no verbal communication	1	3	11	5	0	20
		I often use gestures in communication	0	3	4	10	3	20
		I use indirect communication (known as berbelit-belit)	3	4	8	3	2	20
		Total percentage, %	0	10	55	35	0	100

* NB: SA (Strongly Agree), A (Agree), N (Neutral), D (Disagree), SD (Strongly Disagree).

 

The Result of Interview. The researchers conducted a partial personal interview to gather more specific information on the factors that lead to Tegalnese students’ strong accent in pronouncing English consonant sounds. An interview with 20 respondents was conducted to assess the factors influencing their pronunciation proficiency. According to the findings of the semi-structured interviews, all participants were Tegalnese students in their fourth semester who had learnt English as a foreign language. The data in the next part were collected according to each component, allowing for varied perspectives on individual themes from student interviews (Table 4).

 

Table 4

The Result of Analysis Interview Question

No	Questions	Answers
1	What semester are you in?	4th semester
2	What is your mother tongue?	Tegalnese, Bahasa Indonesia
3	What is your foreign language?	English
4	Which English consonant(s) is/are the most difficult to pronounce?	Consonant / δ /
		Consonant / d /
		Consonant / t∫ /
		Consonant / v /
		Consonant / b /
		Consonant / t /
		Consonant / θ /
		Consonant / z /
		Consonant / ∫ /
		Consonant / ʒ /
		Consonant / h /
		Consonant / g /
		Consonant / dʒ /
		Consonant / f /
		Consonant / l /
5	What do you think the factors causing most of the Tegalnese accent «ngapak» of your pronouncing English consonant sounds?	Accent, exposure, motivation & environment

 

Discussion and conclusions

Following data analysis, the researchers would like to discuss the findings from the pronunciation test, questionnaire, and semi-structured interview in this part. It focuses on the outcomes of three research questions: 1) the most difficult English consonant sounds for Tegalnese students to pronounce; 2) the reasons causing the strong accent in students’ pronouncing English consonant sounds; 3) the Tegalnese accent interference with students’ English consonant pronunciation.

Difficult English consonants pronounced by Tegalnese students. When investigating the most difficult English consonant sounds for Tegalnese students as EFL learners to pronounce on the basis of the collected data, the researcher found that Tegalnese learners of English encountered difficulties in pronouncing 15 consonant sounds / d, b, v, g, h, t, f, z, l, t∫, θ, ∫, dʒ, δ, ʒ /. To begin with, 40 % of all errors were due to difficulties with consonant /δ/. It should be pronounced as voiced dental fricative, but Javanese students pronounce apico-dental non-continuant. It is identified by (h) aspirated in consonant /ð/. According to Ammar et al. [2], this is because the sound /ð/ does not exist and is not familiar for the students.

The difficulties that occurred in consonant /d/ accounted for 20 %. In agreement with Purwaningsih [14] consonant /d/ should be pronounced as a voiced alveolar plosive consonant, but Javanese students pronounce it as an apico-dental non-continuant. It is identified by (h) aspirated in consonant /d/.

Furthermore, 10 % of all errors were due to an incorrect pronunciation of the consonant /v/. The problem with the sound /v/ is that students can’t distinguish between /v/ and /f/ because it is a little difficult to distinguish both sounds that are indirectly related. The phoneme, as Ammar et al. [2] explain, is a distinctive sound in the language which means that you can change from one to another and create new words. For example, the sound at the start of the word «View» for /v/ and «few» for /f/ we get a different word the existence of which demonstrates that /v/ and /f/ are different phonemes.

Besides, 10 % of the total error happened in the pronunciation of the consonant /t∫/. This finding corroborates those of Subandowo [17], in the word church = /tʃᴈ: tʃ/, they pronounced /kᴈ:rt/, /tʃu: tʃ/, /keʊrt/, /Kurt/. It is because, in their first language, there is no consonant /tʃ/, and the vowel is interfered with by their vowel in the native language. Then, the difficulties that occurred in consonant / b, g, h, t, f, z, l, θ, ∫, dʒ, ʒ / accounted for only 5 % (one) of each.

Factors causing the strong accent in pronouncing consonants. Based on the data from the questionnaire and semi-structure interview, the researchers discovered exposure, motivation, high context culture (indirect communication) and low context culture (direct communication) the factors causing the strong accent in students’ pronouncing English consonant sounds.

To begin with, the lack of exposure becomes another influential factor in acquiring pronunciation. The respondents’ answers showed that most of them started studying pronunciation at university. They practiced English pronunciation by utilizing YouTube, movies, and music. Several of them also had their way of practicing it from novels. However, some respondents did not practice English pronunciation. They focus more on other language features such as grammar, vocabulary, and tenses. In line with Wardani et al. [22], the average Indonesian student learns English at junior high school. However, most of them do not use English outside the class. In addition, pronunciation is taught lately at the University level. The students find it difficult since they have not learned such a subject before. However, some students who have learned pronunciation before entering the university have better achievements in pronunciation. The more experience they’ve been exposed to, the better their pronunciation is supposed to be. The students would have a good chance of reaching their targets, if classroom time were dedicated to pronunciation that required full attention and interest.

Pedagogical approaches needed in this case such as Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and the Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) are essential in addressing pronunciation challenges faced by Javanese speakers learning English. These methods, along with the Audiolingual Method (ALM) and phonetic training, help reinforce correct sound production through repetition and understanding of phonetic differences [3, 22, 2]. Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and practical techniques like minimal pair drills and shadowing further enhance pronunciation skills [5, 8, 20]. Integrating daily practice builds confidence and effective communication abilities, making these strategies effective for improving English pronunciation among Javanese speakers. The more exposures they’ve been exposed to, the better their pronunciation is supposed to be.

The second factor investigated was the interference of motivation. The reasons for the participants’ learning English are various. Some of the participants are sure that English is their second option when entering university. Besides, there were many other reasons as well. Such as the desire to be as native as they can in English pronunciation and they study English to get a better job, career, and experience. This is related to the study by Wardani et al. [22]. The participants’ motivation to learn English was high. This is because expecting themselves to be accepted in an English environment as well as experiences overseas. Finally, their personal ambition conflict with the requirement and desire to attain proper pronunciation. As a result, it is assumed that students master their pronunciation because they are highly motivated; nevertheless, due to a lack of practice English pronunciation, even if the motivation is high, it does not match their ability to enhance the pronunciation.

Due to the factor of high context culture (indirect communication), the participants reported various answers. Some of them said that they often use no verbal communication and use gestures in communication. According to Gao [10], high-context cultures place more value on non-verbal communication and less on verbal communication. This is in line with Saputri & and Saraswati [11] that high-context communication is communication that involves physical contact, however, there were other reasons as well. In agreement with Mardiyatul [12], the basic rules of high context culture are to use indirect communication and to use as few words as possible. In Indonesia, there is a general informal nature to communication. It is not considered polite or rude to act directly. Indonesian people will talk, “play” or prep talk beforehand with the hope the other person will understand the purpose intended. The others stated that they use emotions in communication. This is because high context is more intuitive, with more emphasis on personal relationships and social settings. According to Saputri & and Saraswati [11], high context uses more emotions and relationships, for the reasons listed above, Tegalnese pupils don’t practice pronouncing words correctly in English, which leads to poor pronunciation of English words, particularly consonants.

Tegalnese Accent Interference with Pronouncing English Consonant s. The findings demonstrate that two individuals (10 %) of 20 experienced difficulties pronouncing the sound /b/ due to the influence of their Tegalnese accent. It should be pronounced as bilabial plosive, however Tegalnese students pronounce it as non-continuant. It is distinguished by (h) aspirated in the consonant /b/. Twelve of twenty participants (60 %) claimed that their Tegalnese accent interfered with their ability to pronounce the sound /d/ correctly. Purwaningsih [14] states that the consonant /d/ should be voiced as an alveolar plosive, however Tegalnese students pronounce it as an apico-dental non-continuant. It is distinguished by (h) aspirated in the consonant /d/.

Eighteen out of the twenty participants (90 %) stated that their Tegalnese accent makes it difficult for them to pronounce the sound /g/. Tegalnese students pronounce the consonant /g/ as dorso-velar non-continuant, despite the fact that it should be voiced as a velar plosive. Consonant /g/ is detected by (h) aspirated, while eleven individuals (55 %) reported frequently having trouble pronouncing consonant /dʒ/. Tegalnese students enunciate the medio-palatal non-continuant, whereas Purwaningsih [14] states that the consonant /dʒ/ should be heard as a voiced palate-alveolar affricative. The aspirated consonant /dʒ/ (h) serves as an identifier. Students articulate non-continuous apico-dental sounds. The aspirated consonant /d/ with the letter (h) indicates it.

Out of the twenty participants, two participants (10 %) stated that they frequently struggle with pronouncing / δ /. They are interfered by their Tegalnese accent. It should be pronounced as a voiced dental fricative, but students pronounce the apical-dental non-continuan. It is identified by (h) aspirated in consonant /ð/.

Conclusions. Tegalnese students of English Education struggled with pronouncing consonant sounds (/δ, d, t, v/). There are three obstacles that prevent Tegalnese from learning English pronunciation. They are exposure, incentive, and indirect communication of high context culture. These things are inextricably linked. The interference of the Tegalnese accent ‘Ngapak’ with English consonant pronunciation is difficult to eradicate, and it occasionally causes misunderstanding in classroom interactions. The researchers also discovered that the Tegalnese accent interfered with the pronunciation of English consonants. The accent interferes with the pronunciation of five consonants: /b/, /d/, /g/, /dʒ/, and /ð/.

To overcome their difficulties, students must be exposed to more pronunciation practice of not only English consonants but also English words on a daily basis. They must be able to read the phonetic symbols of English words, listen to and imitate English songs, watch English movies, and read English books. The English teachers hope present a new perspective in which pronunciation performance should be as crucial as English grammar. Teachers are encouraged to reduce the issues that hinder students’ English pronunciation because pronunciation is such an important aspect of English speaking, future academics should perform research on how to improve Tegalnese students’ English pronunciationn.

English teachers can utilize several pedagogical tactics for overcoming interference to avoid the inaccurate pronounciation. Phonological awareness exercises can be implemented in the learning process by involving students in activities that illustrate the differences between Tegalnese and English phonology. Teachers should provide students with Minimal Pair Drills, which involve practicing contrasting pairs of words with only the target consonant sound (e.g., «pin» and «bin,» «sit» and «seed»). They are requested to observe their own pronunciation and compare it with the target sound.

Overarticulation activities will also urge learners to exaggerate their pronunciation of English consonant sounds in order to stress proper placement and articulation. Teachers can serve as role models for pupils by demonstrating clean and precise English consonant sounds. Creating conversational practice in the classroom allows students to practice their English pronunciation in real-world environment. Teachers may use technology-assisted learning by offering pronunciation apps and websites, use internet resources to provide additional practice and feedback, incorporating authentic English content to expose students to a diversity of accents and pronunciations. By addressing these specific areas of interference and employing effective pedagogical strategies, teachers can help Tegalnese learners overcome pronunciation challenges and achieve greater fluency in English.

About the authors

Nahdatul Nabilla

Universitas Pancasakti Tegal

Author for correspondence.
Email: nahdlatulnabilla07@gmail.com

Bachelor Student of English Education Department

Indonesia, JI. Halmahera KM. 1 Tegal Central Java, 52121

Yoga Prihatin

Universitas Pancasakti Tegal

Email: yogaprihatin@upstegal.ac.id

Ph. D. Degree, Lecturer of English Education Department

Indonesia, JI. Halmahera KM. 1 Tegal Central Java, 52121

Ihda Rosdiana

Universitas Pancasakti Tegal

Email: ihdarosdiana@gmail.com

Master Degree, Lecturer of English Education Department

Indonesia, JI. Halmahera KM. 1 Tegal Central Java, 52121

References

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