Pronunciation Contrasts in English [Paperback]

Don L. F. Nilsen (Author), Alleen Pace Nilsen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0137309384 | ISBN-13: 978-0137309382 | Publication Date: January 1, 1987 | Edition: 1

Teachers of English to speakers of other languages face many challenges, not the least of which is the linguistic diversity of their students. Each student faces difficulties with different English sounds depending on those sounds and distinctions of his or her native language. To help minimize the time spent tailoring classroom materials to the needs of each student, Nilsen and Nilsen have compiled a comprehensive volume on those sound contrasts distinguished in English. They provide extensive lists of both vowel and consonant contrasts, each with phonetic diagrams and descriptions, minimal pairs (both isolated and in sentences), and specific languages for which the contrast may be problematic. Both prospective and practicing teachers will appreciate the freedom of not having to compile these materials themselves. Instead, they can focus on their primary goal the teaching of English.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Title of related interest also from Waveland Press: Smith et al., Communicate: Strategies for International Teaching Assistants (ISBN 9781577665304). --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 1 edition (January 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0137309384
• ISBN-13: 978-0137309382
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,580,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This unambitious book succeeds in what it sets out to do., March 24, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pronunciation Contrasts in English (Paperback)

This book has all you need for teaching segmental pronunciation - Phonetic descriptions, lists of predicted problems based on first languages, and minimal pairs. It's in this last category where the book is the most definitive - just about all the minimal pairs you could ever wish for are here. It also has a few sentences with contextual clues and some without contextual clues for quizzing. If these are not enough, it's easy and fun for the teacher to create more from the lists.

In the appendix are some multiple contrasts, back vowel, lax vowel and diphthong contrasts, clusters with /l/ and /r/ and consonant clusters, as well as a basic glossary.

The book doesn't even mention suprasegmental aspects such as stress, intonation, and multi-syllable linkings. Books like Sound Advantage or Clear Speech cover these aspects fairly well, but no book does segmentals any better.

Pronunciation teachers will be able to make good use of this book as it gives you just about everything you need to teach segmental aspects. It's cheap, no-nonsense, and straightforward. With no cassettes and technical language, it might not be as useful to students as to teachers.

Sudlow's Exercises in American English Pronunciation (Excellence in Education, Monmouth, OR) is the same kind of book. It has more and better practice exercises, but less extensive phonemic descriptions, fewer minimal pairs, and a less extensive L1 problem list. Every pronunciation teacher should have it as well.

Don't go for the fancy new books, these old ones have all you'll ever need for segmental practice.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outclasses Everything Else on the Shelf, April 27, 2005

By 

Shu Ping "ESL Book Review" (Saudi Arabia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pronunciation Contrasts in English (Paperback)

Pronunciation Contrasts in English outclasses everything on the shelf. 32 vowel contrasts, 42 consonant contrasts, and far more examples than any book I've seen. A page is devoted to each contrast. Each contrast is explained with IPA, a sound production chart, mouth diagrams, five contextual sentences, five semantic sentences, dozens of initial, medial, and final examples, and a list of languages. The minimal pairs section is followed by a multiple contrasts section. Includes a glossary, a language index, and various vowel and consonant charts.

"Box? What are you talking about?" I had just left an Internet café with a student, so I thought, "Maybe he's trying to say Windows, but isn't familiar with computer terminology." But this was a vocabulary student, and we had covered basic computer terminology the previous semester, including programs. When I heard him say "textbooks," I understood.

No, he wasn't saying 'books.' He was TRYING to say 'books.' What he was saying was 'box.' The vocabulary was correct, the pronunciation was wrong. What good is correct vocabulary without correct pronunciation?

So I pulled out Pronunciation Contrasts and turned to page 22: "knock/nook rock/rook crock/crook tock/took pot/put sot/soot BOXS / BOOKS" Then I said, "When you're in my speaking class, we're going to use this book." I guess I should have said, "This is one of the BOOKS we'll use."

For those who aren't convinced, try the worst case scenario: You're visiting one of your friends in America. He's distracted helping you with your English and explaining American culture. So he doesn't realize he's speeding. A policeman stops him. After giving your friend a ticket, the policeman looks through the window and says, "Who are you?" You try to say, "I'm a tourist." But your pronunciation is bad, so he hears...

It's funny, but it's not funny. Buy the book. Master the distinctions.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what it is, December 8, 2006

By 

bluetoque (Holladay, UT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pronunciation Contrasts in English (Paperback)

This book is actually a re-release of a very old book, and when I say re-release, I mean that it appears that the publisher photocopied the old version and bound it into a book. This book is a great reference of contrasts in English, nothing more, nothing less. A must-have in my pronunciation classroom and my lab. But if you are looking for pronunciation help or a book on how to teach pronunciation, look elsewhere. This is a reference of words and sentences that demonstrate different sounds in English.