The interference of mother tongue in English pronunciation: a phonetic analysis
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Date
2026-04-15
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Ecuador : Pujilí : Universidad Técnica de Cotopaxi (UTC)
Abstract
This study examines the influence of Spanish on the phonetic production of English in first-cycle students at the Technical University of Cotopaxi. Its purpose was to identify the difficulties that emerge when learners attempt to articulate sounds that do not exist in their mother tongue. The research followed a descriptive design and used an instrument composed of 13 English sounds evaluated through three words and one sentence for each sound. Recordings from 38 students were collected and assessed using a rubric that classified errors as substitution, omission, or addition. The most significant finding revealed that several students were able to pronounce certain words correctly solely through auditory recognition, without understanding their phonetic decoding; for instance, they recognized that teacher is “tícher” despite not mastering its reading rules. Overall results showed that substitution was the most frequent error, particularly in sounds absent from the Spanish phonological system, while addition occurred least often. In conclusion, Spanish exerts a notable influence on English articulation, highlighting the need for explicit and systematic phonetic instruction form the earliest stages of learning in order to improve pronunciation accuracy and reduce negative transfer
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Keywords
LINGUISTIC, INTERFERENCE, PRONUNCIATION
Citation
Sisalima Jama, E. Y. ., & Romero Palacios, A. de J. (2026). La interferencia de la lengua materna en la pronunciación del inglés: un análisis fonético. Revista Científica De Innovación Educativa Y Sociedad Actual "ALCON", 16(2), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.62305/alcon.v16i2.912