Pronunciation of English in Japan
BY
Miho Ishii
A SHORT PAPER
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE OF
SEMINAR 1 (World Englishes)
Kumamoto Gakuen University Foreign Language Department
English Course
SUPERVISOR: Judy Yoneoka
Kumamoto Gakuen University
Oe 2-5-1 Kumamoto
Japan
10/26/2011
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1. Introduction
Most people speak English. English speakers have exceed over 300,000,000 people
all over the world. Almost English can be found in almost every country. Japanese
learn English at school since junior high school in Japan but classes focus on
grammar so many people don’t master pronunciation. Today Japanese often use
Katakana English so English pronunciation. Japanese people make mistake under the
discussed influence of Katakana English.
Discussed in this paper; I’ll compare Japanese English and native English ①
Japanese English pronunciation ②Katakana English.
2. Japanese English pronunciation
Japanese has a syllabic-timed rhythm. It is that each sound occurs at the same
interval and makes rhythm. Japanese is pronounced by syllable. English has a
stress-timed rhythm. It makes rhythm that almost same interval from stress. Thus,
the difference between Japanese and English rhythm is syllabic-timed or
stress-timed. Japanese don’t feel strength in the rhythm of the sentence, because
Japanese has the same strength each syllable.
For native speakers of Japanese it is difficult to communicate with native
speaker of English. There are three reasons.
(1) Difference of pronunciation
The Japanese consonant is much smaller than English. Most people often make
substitutions. Japanese doesn’t have 「L」 and 「R」 pronunciation. But Japanese
can’t understand 「La」 「Ra」 is written because they hear 「ラ」 by ear. So both
“light” and “right” have the same sound.
Si, Shi, Thi シ
Fu, Hu フ
Di, Ji, Zi ジ
Bi, Vi ビ
The example above as well as 「L」 and 「R」. All are pronounced the same
way. Japanese people hear the same sound so they don’t know the difference
between “fu” and “hu” and so on. Japanese has many consonants that don’t
know the difference but it has few vowels. /ɵ/ → /s/ , /f/ →/h/ and /f/
substitute /h/.
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(2) English consonant sounds
For example, 「circle」. Japanese people pronounce 「サークル」, 「サ・ア・ク・
ル」. It is forth syllable in Japanese but English pronounce at a stretch. If Japanese
people pronounce part of 「cle」, it include vowel 「ku-ru」 in Japanese. Native
English speakers pronounce part of 「kle」 that use tongue.
Japanese has 5 vowels but include confuse the vowels. Confuse the vowel
example is “catch, cut, cot, cart, curve” “ǽ, ʌ, ɑ, ɑ:r, ə:r”.
Japanese has four euphonies. Especially peculiar euphony is 「ん」 「っ」.
English doesn’t have this
(3) Japanese has plural meaning per a word pronunciation
Japanese choose one from infinite combination. It means Japanese is said
languages of imagination. For example, 「聞く」 in Japanese. This same phonemic
word have many meanings, 「菊」 「利く」 「 効く」 「聴く」 and more. Thus
Japanese decided exact word by connection. We combine word with a stroke of
the pen. It is the difference between Japanese and native English speaker.
3. Japanese Katakana English
Japanese often use Katakana English. Katakana is used for words loaned
from foreign country. Our English pronunciation has been in disorder since
Katakana English came to Japan. Because of this pronunciation is difficult.
Japanese people are that English words become Katakana pronunciation words.
Katakana pronunciation has three characteristics that can’t sound only
consonant “s, t, k” and vowel substitute “a, i, u, e, o” finally, can’t sound
consonant “r, l, th”. Then, consonant of Katakana add vowel.
1) [f], [v], [s], [k], [g], [p], [b], [l] Next consonant add [u] and [フ], [ブ],
[ス],[ク],[グ],[プ],[プ],[ブ],[ル].
Pool プール, soup スープ, boll ボール
2) [k] Next consonant add [u], in case add [i] become [キ].
Cake ケーキ, strike ストライキ
3) [t], [d] Next consonant add [o] become [ト],[ド].
Toast トースト, drum ドラム
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4) [ch] become [チ].
Touch タッチ, cheese チーズ
5) [sh] become [シュ].
English イングリシュ,
Native English speakers can’t understand Japanese English, it is
mainly because of Katakana pronunciation.
English has “th, s, sh” pronunciation but Japanese people pronounce
same sound 「シ」. Also “i, g, r, ǽ” pronounce all 「ア」 and “l, r” is same
pronunciation because Japanese people don’t separate these sound.
1) [th], [s], [sh]
Something (サムシング), sea (シー), she (シー)
It pronounces same sound 「シ」 in Japanese.
2) [i], [g], [r], [ǽ]
Ice (アイス), garlic (ガーリック), rice (ライス), shampoo (シャンプー)
3) [l], [r]
Rord (ロード), lord (ロード)
3. Conclusion
This paper is aimed at pronunciation of English and Japanese Katakana
English and the difference. English pronunciation is difficult for Japanese people by
marked confusion in Katakana English. Therefore native English speakers and
Japanese people give rise to misunderstandings from difference pronunciation.
However Japanese Katakana English is the mother tongue and culture to Japanese
people.
Bibliography
Japanese English pronunciation Available at;
http:// www.howtoeigo.net/pro2.html (12/2004)
Katakana pronunciation Available at;
http://www.scn-net.ne.jp/~language/kyosokhon/ky1eKatakanashiki.htm
(12/2004)
Katakana pronunciation Available at;
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http://www.hippocampus.jp/katakana.htm (12/2004)
Difference of Katakana English and English pronunciation Available at;
http://www.scn-net.ne.jp/~language/kyosokhon/ky1eKatakanashiki.htm
(12/2004)
Japanese English pronunciation Available at;
http://www.tcct.zaq.ne.jp/nitta/monolog/028.html (12/2004)
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Introduction
1. Japanese English pronunciation
(1) vowel
(2) difficult pronunciation to Japanese
2. Katakana English
(1) pronunciation of katakana words and English
(2) difference meaning between Japanese and English
3. Conclusion
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Bibliography
Kerii, I. (1991) Nihonjin eigo no kazou kouza (in Japanese), Tokyo:JICC
syuppansha.
Kurokawa, S. (1978) Nihongo to Eigo no Aida (in Japanese),
Toyko:Natsumesha.
Ide, S. (1986) Nihonjin to Amerikajin no keigokoudou (in Japanese),
Tokyo:Nauundou.
Saishou, F. (1982) Eigo to Nihongo (in Japanese), Tokyo:Kenkyusha syuppan.
Yamamoto, Y. (1993) Eigo no kokoro (in Japanese), Tokyo:Maruzen.
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