Parole: Journal of Linguistics and Education, 12 (1), 2022, 36-49

Available online at http://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/parole

Common Error Identification in Pronouncing Silent Letters in English

Words by EFL Novices

Ali Mohammed Saleh Al-Hamzi, *1 Lilla Musyahda

1Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen,
,2Airlangga Universitas, Surabaya, Indonesia

ABSTRACT ARTICLEINFO

In English, the sound system is somewhat distinct from Arabic. Paper type:
Research Article
Yemeni Novices have many difficulties pronouncing English terms
owing to this. For example, we often hear English learners pronounce
Article history:
"sight [sait]" with "[saig]" or "know,” [nəʊ]" with "[knəʊ]." This Received : 24/02/2021
study is concerned with identifying widespread errors in the Revised : 03/07/2021
pronunciation of silent letters in English words among Yemeni EFL Accepted : 06/07/2021
learners. Qualitative descriptive study was used in this investigation
as a methodology. With the aid of purposive sampling techniques, a Keywords:
sample of 5 EFL novices was selected from 1st level of the English  English Words
Department, Faculty of Education, Sana'a University, Yemen, which  Errors
was classified into a group of novice high-level learners (beginners).  EFL Novices
Analytically descriptive method was used to analyze the data after
 Silent Letters
they were collected through tests. The result of this study showed that
in pronouncing words containing the silent letters like b, c, d, g, gh, h,
k, l, m, n, p, s, t, th, and w, the researcher finds errors made by the
EFL novices. The authors analyze three positions of the silent letters
in the words (initial, medial, and final position) and by understanding
this; it would be possible to develop useful instructional materials and
teaching strategies to target this issue.

1. Introduction
The production of a second language by beginners is often influenced by their native or their first
language (L1) (Muriungi, P., Mukuthuria, M., & Gatavi, 2011). Yemeni Arabic-speaking EFL novices who
study English also say English terms while speaking English with the Arabic sound system. For example, we
often hear beginner English learners say "know" [noʊ] with "[knoʊ]," or "height" [haɪt] with "[haɪgt]." This
phenomenon is called language interference in the study of second language acquisition, first into the second
language acquisition (negative interlingua transfer). Interference typically leads to errors (Antrim, 2008). This
research will explain the sound system's interference in Arabic (L1) into English (L2). They were mostly
regarding the pronunciation of silent letters in English. More specifically, which silent letters are generally
mispronounced and how these errors occur.
When learning a foreign language, mastering the proper pronunciation of it is essential, but is not an easy
mission. Because English is a foreign language, it takes a long time to become proficient in it. In the context of
English as a foreign language (EFL), the study of pronunciation has long been considered an essential
component of the process of teaching English to those who are learning the language. Because of this, mastering

1
Email Address: Hamzi ([email protected]), Musyahda ([email protected])

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the phonological system of English as a foreign language (EFL) needs a high level of accuracy as well as a
thorough understanding. This type of awareness aids EFL learners in achieving their ideal and well-spoken
English contact (Tuan, 2010). However, a number of a foreign language (EFL) learners still experience
problems in obtaining an accurate or proper pronunciation of sounds inside English words. The same is true for
EFL Arabic-speaking learners. While learning the English language, they continue to face difficulty with
pronunciation. According to a number of previous research (Al-Hamzi et al., 2021; Kharma and Hajjaj 1989;
Ababneh 2018; Jabali and Abuzaid 2017, Al-Hamzi, 2021; Hassan 2014), certain language speakers are hesitant
to accurately pronounce foreign sounds. That, according to Alkhuli (2000), in his study entitled "Comparative
Linguistics," can be linked to the disparities in sound systems between Arabic and English.
As a result, the study of pronunciation has emerged as a critical component of the process of teaching
English as a second or foreign language. During the learning process, EFL learners may encounter difficulties.
One of these is having problems pronouncing English words correctly. The pronunciation of many English
terms in Yemen is difficult for EFL beginners to master since the words they have heard or spoken are often
different from their written versions.
It has been explained by Ababneh (2018) & Taqi et al. (2018) that teaching pronunciation to EFL Arabic-
speaking learners is extremely challenging. The issues arise as a result of the irregular spelling of the English
language, which provides inadequate direction for its pronunciation. It is evident from the statement that the
disparity that exists between the pronunciation of words and the writing of those words presents a particular
issue. We have a difficulty since English is not a phonetic language, which means that we do not pronounce a
word in the same manner that it is written. No relationship exists between the spelling and pronunciation of the
term. Take, for example, the letter “l” in “talk” and the letter “w” in “write”, which are both pronounced
incorrectly. In order to avoid confusion, the words “talk” and “write” should be pronounced as / wɑːk / rather
than /talk/. In addition, the word “write” should be pronounced as /raIt/ rather than /wraIt /. The phenomenon
of silent letters refers to letters that are not pronounced but are nonetheless visible.
When a letter is omitted in pronunciation and present in spelling, it is referred to as a silent letter.
According to Podhaizer, (1998), silent letters are letters that are not heard when forming their ‘usual' sound in
a word and are designated as silent. It is undeniable that silent letters cause a discrepancy between how a word
is spelled and how a word is pronounced in the English language. It is possible that when EFL novices have just
heard a word and attempt to write it, they will leave out a letter since they did not hear the letter pronounced.
The novices who have seen a word written down may also attempt to pronounce a silent letter when speaking
in class.
This research, by the way, is significant because hundreds of English words containing silent letters,
when sounded, will significantly disturb the listener's understanding. By knowing the errors that beginner
learners often make in Yemen, it will be easier for English teachers to map which silent letters need to be given
more teaching and which do not. Furthermore, this study's results can be used to make teaching materials for
the English pronunciation course following Yemeni EFL learners' context, especially regarding the
pronunciation of silent letters.

3.2 Learner's Language

The learner's language is valuable as a testing material surrounding the acquisition of L2. The learner's
language is described as "the language that students produce when they are asked to use L2 orally or in writing"
(Ellis, 2015). The learner's language is very likely to contain errors, which represent gaps in the learner's
knowledge (Muriungi, P., Mukuthuria, M., & Gatavi, 2011). Errors are systematic and predictable to shape rules
or formulas, even if they are distinct from the target language. Some errors are widespread in the pronunciation
of L2 learners, for example, losing part of a sentence or overgeneralization, whereas another error, triggered by
their efforts in generating L2 by using their L1 awareness. These errors are considered transfer errors.

3.2 Errors Analysis

In the Second Language acquisition in 1970, SP Corder and his colleagues began the error analysis area.
Error analysis is an alternative to contrast analysis, a behavioral method in which linguists use structured
differences between first and second language students to evaluate errors (Kho, 2011). Analysis of errors reveals
that specific errors cannot be predicted. The error study's key result is that certain errors are triggered by the
learner's attempts to infer new rules of language. Error analysis adherents differentiate between systematic and
unsystematic errors. They often develop typologies of errors. Errors can be classified according to several basic

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types: omissive (omission), additive (addition), substitutive (substitution), or related to word order (word order)
(Ellis, 2015). They can also be classified based on how noticeable the error is: overt (overt) like "I thirsty" and
covert (dim), which is only visible based on context. Errors can also be classified according to language level:
phonological errors, vocabulary or lexical errors, syntactic errors, and so on. They can be judged according to
the degree to which they interfere with communication: global errors make speech difficult to understand, while
local errors do not. In the example above, "I thirsty" could be classified as a local error because it doesn't change
the meaning. Errors analysis is closely related to the study of handling errors in language teaching. Currently,
the study of errors is very relevant for research on teaching methodology.

3.2 Transfer interlingua (Interference)

The transfer of previous experience into the next learning is a general concept (Ellis, 1992). Positive
transfers take effect as prior knowledge facilitates learning - in other words, when the last things can be
adequately applied to future learning. On the other side, negative transfers exist as prior information interferes
with the next learning. The above is considered interference, in which past knowledge interferes with future
learning – the last pieces are transferred to the items learned incorrectly.
Interlingua transfer (interlanguage transfer), a term first used by an American linguist, Larry Selinker, is
an intermediate grammar or a linguistic system created by L2 students. The form of interlanguage can be seen
as a learner's hypothesis about L2 and is believed to be systematic (Parker & Riley, 2000). The learner's first
language (L1) may influence interlanguage formation (Dwinastiti, 2017, &Smith, 2013).
Lekova, (2010) suggests that interlingua transfer is the leading cause of error for all L2 learners. The first
stage of acquiring a second language is vulnerable to interlingual transfer from the mother tongue or generally
recognized as interference. Until mastering the L2 system well, the L1 language is the only previous linguistic
framework that students may focus on in the early learning period. So, it is not unusual when students say
"sheep" for "ship" or "book of Ali" instead of "Ali's book." All such transfers may be due to negative interlingual
transfers.
The interlingual transfer is different from the intralingual transfer. Intralingual transfer occurs when
learners start to get some parts of the new system from the second language. As learners move forward in a
second language, their previous experiences begin to incorporate the target language structures. Negative
intralingual transfer (overgeneralization) can be seen in expressions such as, "Do they can dance?" or "I goed
last week."
L1, or mother tongue, can cause negative effects in the acquisition of a second language. Languages that
are categorized as universally marked are more challenging to learn and often cause L1 interference than those
classified as unmarked universal (Parker & Riley, 2000). Foreign language students can make mistakes in L2
because they "know too much" about their L1(Fromkin et al., 2018). This is because they may think that specific
rules in L1 are universally applied. As a result, the L2 they produce can contain errors, which are very likely to
be affected by their knowledge of L1.

3.2 Language-Based Variables Affecting the Transfer of L1 to L2 Acquisitions

a) Markedness
The broad claim is that universal or present features in most languages are considered unmarked, while
those that are specific or only found in some languages are called marked. In L1 transfers, unmarked items (very
abstract grammar properties that do not vary from language to language) will be transferred until items are
marked, according to Chomsky's Universal Grammar, and items will not be conveniently transferred when L1
is marked.

b) Language and Cultural Distance

Related languages also have a ton in common (for example, almost identical vocabulary or translations),
and this can be of great help to learners. Meanwhile, as a language has more inequalities, students have to
depend on their awareness of L2 in terms of use or L2 types. The language gap clearly has an impact on the
number of transfers. Corder, (1981) stresses that there would be a positive transfer where there is a correlation
between L1 and L2. If the mother tongue is formally identical to the target language, students would be able to
learn L2 quicker than where L1 is far different from L2. Apart from language distance, the cultural distance
may also significantly influence the ease or complexity of learning. If learners attempt to study another language
with the same or comparable cultural context, they can undoubtedly find certain aspects that are appropriate and

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will feel relaxed in learning; they find that L2 has a different cultural background from the L1 culture have more
difficulties. The semantic transformation is probable.

c) L2 Proficiency
Derakhshan & Karimi, (2015) reveals that L2 ability is a deciding factor shaping the transfer rate: learners
are more inclined to transfer from a language in which they are more qualified to a language in which they are
less skilled. The connection between low L2 competence and transfer mainly relates to negative transfers,
whereas Figueredo, (2006) suggests that positive transfers, such as utilizing cognitive language, exist at high
ability levels. L2 capacity-transfer relationship is complicated. Regardless of the path of causation, competence
directly influences the probability of language transfer.

3.2 Silent Letters in English

Carney, (2012) defined silent letters as letters not pronounced or minimized for more suitable spoken
English. Often present in spelling but reduced or removed in real expression. Examples of silent letters in
English are as follows:
A – musically, physically, artistically, critically, logically
B - plumber, lamb, comb, dumb, debt, limb, doubt, numb, climb
C – scissors, conscious, acquire, crescent, fascinate, muscle, descend
D – sandwich, handkerchief, handsome, hedge, wedge
E – age, plaque, breathe, Wednesday, hate, clothes
G/GH – though, sign, align, campaign, alight, design, gnaw, high, align, light, reign, resign
H – honest, choir, mechanic, exhaust, when, ghost, what, heir, why, hour, thyme
I - business
K – know, knee, knead, knight, knell, knit, knickers, knob, knife
L – chalk, calf, walk, calm, half, folk, psalm, half, salmon, almond, talk
M – mnemonic.
N – condemn, hymn, autumn, damn, column
O – opossum, sophomore, colonel
P – cupboard, psychology, corps, receipt, psychotic, coup, raspberry, pneumonia, pseudo
R – finger, garden, here, butter
S - debris, isle, aisle, island, bourgeois
T – listen, fasten, asthma, match, ballet, often, castle, witch
U – guard, catalog, biscuit, colleague, vague, dialogue, tongue, guess, guitar, guest
W – write, wrack, answer, whole, wrist, sword, wrench, two, whole
Z – laissez-faire, rendezvous
In order to study pronunciation problems above, the researcher, thereby, conducted research by using
error analysis since it is the study of errors made by the novices of English Language Department at Sana’a
University in pronouncing silent letters containing in English words. Based on the problem mentioned above,
this study aimed to identify the errors made in pronouncing silent letters "c"; "w." "b"; "p”; "th"; “h"; "k"; "g";
"n"; "m"; "l"; "d"; "gh"; "s"; "t" in English words by Yemeni EFL novices.

2. Methods
This study is descriptive qualitative of EFL novices. This study's respondents were first-semester students
of the English Department, Faculty of Education, Mahweet, Sana'a University, Yemen. In general, they can be
classified into a group of novice high-level learners (beginners). As beginner high-level learners, they appear to
make errors both in pronunciation and writing in L2. Five novices who differ from each other in their English
proficiency and academic attainment were purposively selected. To control for the different variables such as
gender, exposure, age, motivation, and English proficiency, all of the participants were selected based on the
following parameters:
a) All the participants were Yemeni EFL Arabic-speaking learners (3 males and 2 females), who came from
different Yemeni localities to study English at the English Department, Faculty of Education, Sana'a
University.
b) All the participants were enrolled in the 1st semester of the year 2019-2020.

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c) All the participants had never been to English-speaking countries and had no prior exposure to or contact
native English speakers.
d) All of the participants look forward to speaking skillfully and being like those native speakers of the
language in their pronunciation.
Since this is descriptive research, it will explain how students interfere with the English pronunciation
from the Arabic sound system and the linguistic reasons behind it. The instrument used to gather the data was
a test for pronouncing terms with silent letters "c"; "w." "b"; "p”; "th"; “h"; "k"; "g"; "n"; "m"; "l"; "d"; "gh";
"s"; and "t."
The data was gathered using a test among other methods. A test is often regarded as the most effective
method of determining how well EFL novices comprehend the information they have been studying.
Pronunciation test was also obtained to determine their pronunciation difficulties while pronouncing English
words containing silent letters.
When the data was gathered, the researcher began to evaluate the data, employing an analytically
descriptive technique of analysis. Alternatively, to put it another way, the researchers detailed the information
they obtain on a regular basis. Data analysis consists of four steps: identifying errors, describing those errors,
explaining errors, and evaluating those errors.

3. Results and Discussion

3.2 Results
a) Description of the Mispronunciation of Silent Letters Errors in Pronouncing the Silent Letter "b"
Table 1. Mispronunciation of Silent Letters Errors in Pronouncing the Silent Letter "b"
Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial bomber 5 5 {bɒmbə}
plumber 5 5 {plʌmbə}
debt 4 5 {dɜbt}
subtle 5 5 {sʌbtl}
doubt 5 5 {daubt}
Final womb 3 5 {wumb}
dumb 3 5 {dʌmb}
lamb 4 5 {læmb}
jamb 2 5 {dʒæmb}
climb 3 5 {klaimb}
Ten words containing the silent letter 'b' had to be pronounced by the respondents. These words are
'climb', 'womb', 'debt', 'dumb', 'plumber', 'doubt', 'bomber', 'subtle'', “lamb”, and jamb’. The analysis shows that
when the silent letter 'b' is in the middle of words such as 'bomber' and 'plumber,' most respondents pronounced
the letter 'b,' which should be silent or not pronounced. In the case of the silent letter 'b' followed by a 't' as in
'debt', they tend to pronounce the {b} sound and hide the {t} sound (for example, pronounce {deb} instead of
{det}. Similar problems occur with the word 'plumber, 'where the letter' b 'is preceded by the letter' m. ' All
respondents pronounced the sound {b} ({plambər}) clearly, which resulted in an error. However, a few
respondents did not make an error when they pronounced the word 'climb.' They slip the letter 'b' {klaɪm} when
the letter 'b' is at the end of a word which an 'm' precedes. The instructional content should consequently be
more cautious of the pronunciation of terms analogous to 'debt' and 'plumber' arrangements such as 'doubt,'
'climbing,' 'combing,' 'or 'bombing.
b) Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "c"

Table 2. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "c"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial ascent 3 5 {Ә’skent]
scissors 4 5 {skizərz}
black 0 5 {blæsk}
muscle 5 5 {mʌskl}
yacht 5 5 {jækt}

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fascinate 2 5 {fæskəneit}
obscene 2 5 {ɒbskin}
scene 2 5 {sk ɪːn}
scenario 3 5 {skI:nærio}
fluorescent 2 5 {flɒ:reskint}
crescent 3 5 {kreskit}
Final - - - -

There were eleven terms with the silent letter c that the respondents must pronounce. These words are
'ascent', 'scissors', 'black', 'crescent', ' fluorescent,' 'obscene', 'muscle', 'fascinate', 'yacht', scenario', and 'scene'.
Based on the respondents' pronunciation results, most respondents made errors when they pronounced the silent
letter "c." For example, when respondents pronounced "muscle," they all confused the term. All respondents
clearly pronounced the letter 'c' - for example, {maskl}, with sound {c} or {k}. The same issue arose when the
words 'scene,' 'ascender,' 'scissors,' and 'yacht' were pronounced. In this situation, most respondents appeared to
pronounce brightly the letter 'c' (e.g. {skin}, {askəndər}, {skizərz}, {yak}). However, when the silent letter 'c'
appeared before 'k,' no failure happened in pronouncing a letter (the letter 'c' didn't sound). Therefore, the
instructor shall reflect on terms of the same silent letter 'c' as the words 'muscle," 'scene,' 'fluorescent,' "scissors,"
'conscience' and "yacht" while compiling teachings about the pronunciation of the silent letter 'c.'

c) Errors in Pronouncing the Silent Letter "d"

Table 3. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "d"

Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents Students’ Incorrect
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial fudge 4 5 {fɒ(d)dʒ}
bridge 4 5 {brI(d)dʒ}
handsome 4 5 {hændsʌm}
Wednesday 5 5 {wɜdnizdei}
handkerchief 2 5 {hændkerʃIf}
Final - - - -

Respondents pronounced five words, including a silent letter ’d,’ These words are 'fudge,' 'bridge,'
'handsome,' 'Wednesday,' and 'handkerchief. Based on the respondents' pronunciation, it was obvious that most
respondents committed errors with the silent letter 'd' particularly when 'd' was used in terms like 'fudge' and
'Wednesday.' When these terms were pronounced, novices simply spoke a silent letter 'd' (for example, {fud},
{wednəzdei}). However, for the word 'bridge,' some respondents slip the letter 'd'. A few respondents did not
pronounce the {d} sound specifically with the term 'handkerchief.' This is because the letter ’d’ is automatically
silent when between 'n' and 'k.' Thus, teaching materials must be built to anticipate errors of pronunciation such
as 'Wednesday and Fudge' because the silent 'd.' which is usually pronounced clearly by novice learners.

d) Errors in Pronouncing the Silent Letter "g"

Table 4. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "g"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial gnarl 4 5 {gɑːrl}
gnat 5 5 {gnæt}
gnash 4 5 {gnæʃ}
Medial - - - -
Final sign 5 5 {saIgn}
cologne 5 5 {kɒlugn}
align 4 5 {Ә’laIgn}
campaign 4 5 {kæmpaIgn}
design 4 5 {dIzaIgn}

Eight words are containing the silent 'g', which the respondents must pronounce. These words are 'sign',
'cologne', 'align', 'campaign', 'design', 'gnarl', 'gnat', and 'gnash'. Most of the respondents in this study made an
error in pronouncing the silent letter 'g' before 'n' in either the first or last word position. They tend to pronounce

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clearly the {g} sounds (eg {ɡnat} and {kæmpeɪgn}). Therefore, the instructional materials collected must also
concentrate on pronouncing the silent letter 'g.' Pronunciation instruction can stress the same terms as 'align,'
'gnat,' or 'sign.'

e) Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "gh"

Table 5. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "gh"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial sight 4 5 {saIgt}
right 4 5 {raIgt}
drought 5 5 {draugt}
Final weigh 4 5 {weigt}
high 3 5 {haIgh}
sigh 4 5 {saIg}

Six terms include the silent 'gh' the respondent would pronounce. These words are 'sight', 'right', 'drought',
'weigh', 'high', 'sigh'. Based on the data obtained, most respondents cannot pronounce the silent letter 'gh' at the
end or middle of a word. As shown in the table above, they prefer to pronounce the silent letter "gh" as the {g}
sound, resulting in {haig} or {saig} pronunciation errors. Thus, the teaching material should provide more
practice to the pronunciation of the silent letter 'gh' in the middle or at the end of words.

f) Errors in Pronouncing the Silent Letter "h"

Table 6. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "h"

Number of Total of Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Notes
Errors Respondents Pronunciation
Initial hour 5 5 {haur}
honorable 5 5 {hnərəbl}
hourglass 5 5 {həʊrglæs}
Medial echo 0 5 {I:ko} Sometimes make
errors
scheme 0 5 {skɜ:m} Sometimes make
errors
technique 0 5 {ti:kni:k} Sometimes make
errors
school 0 5 {skɒ:l} Sometimes make
errors
chemical 0 5 {tʃImIkl} Sometimes make
errors
Final ache 0 5 {eItʃ} Sometimes make
errors
monarch 0 5 {mɒnətʃ} Sometimes make
errors
loch 0 5 {lɒtʃ} Sometimes make
errors
There are eleven words that contain the silent letter "h" that the respondents ought to pronounce. They
are 'ache,' 'monarch,' 'loch,' 'echo,' 'chemical,' 'scheme,' 'school,' 'technique,' 'hour,' 'honorable,' and 'hourglass.'
Based on data gathered, most respondents tended to pronounce the silent letter 'h,' mostly if the 'h' was the first
letter of the word after the 'o. 'In such cases, they could not pronounce the terms containing the silent letter "h"
correctly. However, the sound {h} was pronounced, which results in the pronunciation of the {haʊə} or
{hɑ:nərəbəl} errors. On the contrary, some respondents did not make errors, such as {mnək} and {sku: l}, where
the 'h' is in the center after the consonant or at the end of the word. The instructor should therefore give the
pronunciation of the 'h' silent letters more practice, particularly when the 'h' functions as the initial letter of a
word following the ' o.'

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g) Errors pronouncing the silent letter "k"

Table 7. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "k"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial knack 5 5 {knæk}
knee 4 5 {kni:}
knight 4 5 {knaIt}
knob 5 5 {knɒ}
knuckle 5 5 {knʌkl}
Medial - - - -
Final - - - -

Five terms include the silent 'k' that must be said by the respondent. 'Knack,' 'knee,' 'knight,' 'knob,' and
'knuckle' are the terms. The silent letter 'k' was not correctly pronounced by most of the respondents. They
appear to precisely pronounce the silent 'k' and trigger pronunciation errors such as {knækl} or {kni:}.
Consequently, the collected teaching materials would illustrate the practice of pronouncing word structures
including 'kn' such as 'know," knife,' and 'knight.'

h) Errors pronouncing the silent letter "l"

Table 8. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "l"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial calm 5 5 {ka:lm]
salmon 4 5 {sælmən}
folk 5 5 {fɒlk}
talk 4 5 {tɒ:lk}
walk 4 5 {wɒ:lk}
could 4 5 {kʊld}
should 4 5 {ʃʊld}
would 4 5 {wʊld}
half 5 5 {hælf}
calf 5 5 {kælf}
Final - - - -

Ten words include the silent letter 'l,' which must be pronounced by the respondents. These terms are"
calm," "salmon," "folk," "talk," "walk," "could," "should," "would," "half," "calf." Most of the respondents is
incorrect in pronouncing the silent letter 'l.' Based on the collected data, and they appear to clearly pronounce
the sound {l}, which results in pronunciation errors such as {sælmən} or {hɑ:lf}. The instructional material
must also stress pronouncing the silent letter "l" since the respondents created several errors.

i) Errors pronouncing the silent letter "m"

Table 9. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "m"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial mnemonic 5 5 {mnImɔnIk}
Medial - - - -
Final - - - -

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One term incorporates the silent letter 'm' to be pronounced by the respondents, namely 'mnemonic.' All
the respondents were wrong in pronouncing the silent letter 'm.' They pronounced the 'm' sound clearly and
result in errors in pronunciation (mnemonics). While several respondents make errors in pronouncing the silent
letter 'm,' there is no need to give a lot of practice to the silent 'm.' That's how the silent letter 'm' is seldom used
in English.

j) Errors in pronouncing the silence "n"

Table 10. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "n"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of `Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial solemnity 5 5 {sɒlmnItI}
Final autumn 5 5 {ɒtəmn}
column 5 5 {kɒləmn}
damn 5 5 {dæmn}
hymn 5 5 {hImn]

Five terms include the silent letter 'n' that the respondents would pronounce. They are 'autumn,' 'column,'
'damn,' 'hymn,' and 'solemnity.' Based on the data gathered, all respondents clearly pronounced the silent letter
'n.' They also have some difficulties in saying the silent letter "n" especially when it is at the end of a word and
accompanied by "m." Therefore, instructional resources should stress the silent letter 'n' pronouncing practice.

k) Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "p"

Table 11. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "p"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial pneumatic 5 5 {pnumætIk}
pneumonic 5 5 {pnju:mɒnIk}
pseudo 5 5 {psju;dəʊ}
psychiatrist 5 5 {psaIkaIətrIst]
psychiatry 5 5 {psaIkaIətri}
psychotic 5 5 {psaIɒtIk]
Medial receipt 5 5 {rIsi:pt}
cupboard 3 5 {kʌp(b)əd}
Final coup 4 5 {kʊp}

Nine terms included the silent letter 'p' pronounced by the respondents. These terms include 'pneumatic',
'pneumonic', 'pseudo', 'psychiatrist', 'psychiatry', 'psychotic', 'receipt', 'cupboard', and 'coup'. Most respondents
were incorrect in pronouncing the silent letter 'p' at the beginning, middle, or end of a term based on data
obtained. They prefer to pronounce the {p} sound clearly and trigger pronunciation errors like {pnu:mæ nɪ k},
{rɪ si: p}, or {kup}. Therefore, the instructors shall have more practice of pronouncing the silent letter 'p' at the
beginning, middle, or end of a part of a word.

l) Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "s"

Table 12. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "s"

Number of Total of Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Notes
Errors Respondents Pronunciation
Initial - - -
Medial island 4 5 {aIslənd} In the middle
of the term
before 'l.'
Final aisle 4 5 {aIsl} At the end of a
word before 'l.'

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isle 5 5 {aIsl} At the end of a

word before 'l.'

Three terms include the silent letter 's,' which the respondent would pronounce. They are 'aisle,' 'island,'
and 'isle.' ' Depending on the respondents' pronunciation, most respondents are incorrect to pronounce the silent
letter 's' either in the middle of the term or at the end of a word before 'l.' Respondents seemed to say the letter
"s" clearly, e.g. {island} and {aisl}. Therefore, when writing instructional content, the instructors should have
more instruction in pronouncing the silent letter 's.'

m) Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "t"

Table 13. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "t"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial apostle 4 5 {əpɒstl}
jostle 3 5 {dʒɒstl}
bristle 4 5 {brIstl}
fasten 5 5 {fæstən}
glisten 4 5 {glIstn}
moisten 4 5 {mɒIstn}
Final beret 5 5 {bərIt}
Chevrolet 4 5 {tʃIvrələt}
depot 5 5 {depəʊt}

Nine terms included the silent letter ’t’ the respondent had to pronounce. They are 'beret,' 'chevrolet,'
'depot,' 'apostle,' 'jostle,' 'bristle,' 'fasten,' 'glisten,' 'moisten.' Most respondents were incorrect when they
pronounced the silent letter 't,' particularly when the silent letter 't' is at the end of the term (e.g. {dəpot}). Many
respondents have made errors when pronouncing ’t’ in the middle position (e.g. {fasten}, {glisten}). Thus, the
prepared teaching materials must have more instruction in pronouncing the silent letter 't' in the middle of the
word, as the silent 't' in the final position is very rare.

n) Errors in pronouncing the Silent Letters "th"

Table 14. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "th"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial - - - -
Medial asthma 5 5 {æsðmə}
isthmus 4 5 {Isðməs}
Final - - - -

The respondents must utter two terms with the silent letter 't.' They are 'asthma,' 'isthmus.' Most
respondents have tended to pronounce the silent letter 'th' clearly, which causes incorrect pronunciation (e.g.
{asthma}). Therefore, formal instructional resources are in need to include any further instruction in
pronouncing the silent letter 'th' since the learners cannot usually pronounce it well.

o) Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "w"

Table 15. Errors in pronouncing the silent letter "w"

Students’ Incorrect
Position Words Number of Errors Total of Respondents
Pronunciation
Initial who 4 5 {whu}
whose 5 5 {whuz}
wreck 5 5 {wrek}
wrest 4 5 {wrest}
write 4 5 {wrait}
Medial sword 1 5 {swɔːrd}
answer 4 5 {ænswə}

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playwright 4 5 {pleiwrait}
awry 4 5 {Ә’wrai}
Final shadow 0 5 {ʃædow}

There were ten terms that included the respondent's silent letter 'w.' These terms are 'awry,' 'answer,'
'playwright,' 'sword,' 'who,' 'whose,' 'wreck,' 'wrest,' 'write,' 'shadow.' Respondents seemed to sound the 'w'
brightly (e.g. {write} or {whose}) and in the middle (e.g. {answer}). However, when the silent 'w' ends with a
word, all respondents have no issue with it. Therefore, the instructional content shall stress the habit of
pronouncing the silent letter 'w' while in the word's initial and middle positions.
Based on the findings shown above, the researcher concludes that the Yemeni EFL novices made errors
pronouncing the words containing silent letters "c"; "w." "b"; "p”; "th"; “h"; "k"; "g"; "n"; "m"; "l"; "d"; "gh";
"s"; "t." The forms of EFL novices’ errors are: In words “doubt,” “yacht,” and “Wednesday,” most
pronunciation errors made by EFL novices. They pronounce them as /daubt/, /jækt/, and /wɜdnizdei/ instead of
the correct pronunciation /daut/, / jæt /, and /wɜnizdei/. Similarly, some pronunciation errors made while
pronouncing the words “gnat,” and “drought,”, so they are incorrectly pronounced as /gnæt/, and /draugt/.
Meanwhile the intended pronunciation of “gnat,” and “drought” are /næt/, /draut/. Then, in pronouncing the
words “fasten,” and “knee” the words are pronounced as /fæstən/, and /kni:/ instead of the correct pronunciation,
which are /fæsən/, and /ni:/. In addition, some pronunciation errors made by EFL novices when pronouncing
the words “calm,” “mnominic,” and “column.” They pronounce the letters “l,” “m,” and “n” clearly. Instead of
the correct pronunciation /ka:m/, /nImɔnIk/, and / kələm/ respectively, some of them pronounce /ka:lm/,
/mnImɔnIk/, and / kɒləmn/. Also, in words like “pseudo,” “island,” “asthma” and “whose” some of novices
pronounce /psju;dəʊ/, /aIslənd/, /æsðmə/, and /whuz/ instead of the correct ones /sju;dəʊ/, /aIlənd/, /æsmə/, and
/huz/.

3.3 Discussion
Following the completion of the investigation, the researcher discovered that the Yemeni EFL novices
made some errors in pronouncing words containing silent letters. This occurred when novices were ignorant
and out of control while pronouncing English words. In most cases, they did not pay attention to how to properly
enunciate the English words. The researcher discovered some terms that were improperly spoken by the novices.
These terms include, for examples, debt, scissors, handsome, sign, sight, hour, knee, calm, mnemonic, autumn,
pneumatic, island, apostle, asthma, and who. These words are engaged in the silent "c"; "w." "b"; "p”; "th"; “h";
"k"; "g"; "n"; "m"; "l"; "d"; "gh"; "s"; "t" letters of the alphabet. When the researcher did the test to find out
what went wrong, it turned out that the EFL novices were completely unaware of what had gone wrong in the
first place. Furthermore, they were not completely aware of the need of evaluating and correcting their
pronunciation.
In this situation, errors are phenomena connected to the effect of the mother tongue in learning process.
Pronunciation errors that happened were not exclusively intended by learners. They are various factors why
novices inaccurate to pronounce the terms containing silent letters. The first one is the lack of exposure to
English Listening Vocabulary; the second is the lack of understanding English phonemic transcription, the third
is the tendency of generating the incorrect sound of the supplied words. The fourth is the lack to desire in
mastering English pronunciation. The fifth is the lack of interest by the instructors to provide focus on listening
skills, then, lack of required time hour to practice English vocabulary and pronunciation and the final is the lack
of sufficient knowledge by the teachers to train the novices in English pronunciation (Mahaputra, 2017).
In conclusion, in making such errors, the EFL novices are at the stage of random guessing in which they
dimly aware of the rules. They do not notice the presence of some rules because they have not mastered them.
The EFL novices themselves cannot explain how the errors take place. They cannot rectify them even if the
lecturers point them out. Furthermore, these errors occurred when the EFL novices had identified a rule, but it
was the wrong one. There completely know the rule of phonological symbols in pronunciations; however, they
may be incorrect in pronouncing the words. They were also unable to assess and fix the errors. This can happen
when the learner had established an incorrect hypothesis about the target language. Let us consider the instances;
those are the words “debt” and “womb”. The correct phonology of the word “debt” should be / dɜt / and / wum/
for the term “womb”. Despite the fact that they were aware of the guideline, EFL novices continued to make
errors with the silent “b”. It can be demonstrated when the researcher corrected the students’ errors by testing
them. They showed incorrect pronunciation of the terms “debt” and “womb” since they lacked knowledge
regarding the phonological system of the second language and affected by the sound system of their native

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language. As a result, when the researcher assessed them on their pronunciation skills, he found that most EFL
novices made errors while pronouncing the terms “debt” and “womb”. The incorrect forms were pronounced as
[dɜbt] and [wumb], respectively, and this required a few practices before getting the proper pronunciation.
“muscle”, and “yacht” were two of the other terms. There were a few instances where these terms were
mispronounced by the EFL novices. When it comes to the word “muscle”, EFL novices have a tendency to use
[mʌskl] instead of the right sound /mʌsl/. Meanwhile, they pronounce the term “yacht” as [jækt], or [jæst]
depending on their dialects.
According to the numbers shown above, Yemeni EFL novices had difficulty pronouncing a specific word
with the correct pronunciation and suitable phonological terms in the correct order. Actually, they were aware
of how to properly pronounce the terms. The words were mispronounced as a result of the nearby sound, which
they attribute to the proximity of the sound. Some attempts had been made by the lecturer, including the practice
of pronouncing the terms again and allowing the novices to fix the fault on their own initiative. The findings
revealed that the EFL novices understood the rule of language function in the appropriate phonological rule, but
they continued to make errors while pronouncing the words in the proper phonological rules.
In this way, second language acquisition is strongly affected by the native language (L1). Language
learning is seldom a one-time occurrence. More commonly, it is a sequence of transfers over time and can have
either a beneficial or detrimental effect on second language acquisition. It is well known that language
conversion is a significant and actual process that should be taken into account while attempting to learn a
second language (Selinker & Gass, 2008). According to Chomsky's Universal Grammar, the environment (the
highly abstract nature of the grammar) would be transferred before labelling is added. This implies language
items that are not quickly transmitted from the L1. In this respect, many of the errors EFL novices in Yemen
create because of L1 (Arabic) intervention tend to do with structures in L2 (English).
This study offers opinions and observations on the pronunciation styles of second language learners.
Results from the analysis indicate that L1 interference exists in L2 acquisition. L1 sounds are active in
pronunciation in L2, as though there was apparent interference from L1 to L2 (most respondents clearly
pronounce individual silent letters in English). In this regard, learning English as a foreign language (EFL)
requires real mastery and pretty knowledge of its phonological system. Such good awareness helps EFL learners
achieve their ideal and well-spoken English contact (Tuan, 2010). Still and all, a significant number of EFL
learners confront difficulties in getting the accurate or correct pronunciation of sounds in English words. FEL
Arabic-speaking learners are not immune. They still encounter pronunciation difficulties while learning the
English language. Many earlier studies conducted by (Kharma and Hajjaj 1989; Ababneh 2018; Jabali and
Abuzaid 2017; Hassan 2014) indicated that specific language speakers are reluctant to correctly pronounce
unfamiliar sounds that do not exist in the sound system of their native language.
Mother tongue (Arabic) and constructive corrections in the right imitation and repetition have been
supplied to respondents. L2 learning was thereby affected by habitual practices. Because of this, the respondents
adopted linguistic patterns from their L1 language. Habits interact with L2 learning, and new habits are created.
It is as if L1 interfered with the L2 acquisition. Another hypothesis supports the notion that if there are parallels
between L1 and L2, students can utilize the L2 sound environment with ease; rather than where there are
variations. Each of the five respondents had created their own L2 interim rules using their L1 experience,
resulting in multiple L2 pronunciation errors (B. Smith, 2007; Ellis, 2015; Gast, 2013; James, 1980; Alkhuli,
2000).
A diversity of English pronunciation difficulties is particularly noticed among EFL Arabic-speaking
learners in Yemen, especially in pronouncing English silent letters while using English. It finds its base in the
variations found in the sound system of both Arabic and English languages. Arabic in Yemen is a language
dominantly used in contact in nearly all parts of life and all areas: parks, schools, streets, markets, etc. Ababneh
(2018) stated that Arabic has three pairs of short and long vowels and twenty-eight consonants in its sound
system. The resemblance of letters and sounds is evident in both phonemes as letters symbolize them
orthographically. Besides, there is a matching between symbols and sounds that denotes that most speakers
whose native language is Arabic articulate the words as they are orthographically represented.
On the contrary, in its sound system, the English language has 20 vowels, diphthong sounds, and 24
consonant sounds. All English phonemes are symbolized in 26 letters (Ababneh, 2018 & Taqi et al., 2018).
Additionally, there is no matching between English symbols and sounds; each phoneme can be represented in
many ways. Furthermore, one issue regarding English is that a single letter might be presented in various sounds;
i.e., "care" and "cautions," whereas letters of Arabic language closely match its phonemes; this makes it different
from English that the majority of its words are written in the usual orthographic form (Tushyeh, 1996).

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The L1 and L2 arrangements are different, which raises the possibility of errors in the L2. Catching errors
doesn't involve evaluating or labeling competence. Errors, in particular, will help teachers explore successful
methods of teaching. Because of this, errors can be expected when teaching English to inexperienced novices.
The primary concern of this study is L1 sound system interference in L2 pronunciation acquisition. This
study showed that respondents used different sound structures from their L1 to produce a speech response in
their L2, resulting in pronunciation errors in L2. The respondents took various changes, such as estimating the
sound of the silent letters in L2. Gaps in speech output of L2 learners cause them to adapt their L2 speech
responses to approximate sounds heard in their L1. The L2 pronunciation study reveals how deeply respondents'
L2 answers are affected by their L1 (Alkhuli, 2000& Hassan, 2014). Hence, it might be assumed that the sound
structure L1 interferes with the pronunciation of the silent letters L2. The five respondents related the L2 sound
system to their understanding of the pronunciation of the L1 sound since L1 is their principal language skill. In
an attempt to link L2 to L1, they hypothesized the parallels or disparities between the L2 and L1 sound systems.
The effect is to bring L2 below L1's competence, creating several mispronunciations. Some other respondents
reported that it was challenging to organize their awareness about the L2 sound system entities. There is a
significant awareness difference between accumulation and organization. Respondents also depend on their L1
sound system to elicit responses in the target language. As the target language is a foreign language, there are
several pronunciation errors.
A significant finding of this analysis is that the L1 and L2 sound systems have pronunciation errors in
L2. This has consequences for teaching and studying. An awareness of the L1 sound system structure and L2
pronunciation errors can aid in teaching and learning. The instructors would anticipate potential errors in the
target language and establish techniques to confront them. Other failures than an L1 distraction, instruction
methods, and difficulties with L2 may have triggered the errors learners made. Recognizing that Arabic
language, as Yemeni EFL novices’ first language, will obstruct English learning, an Arabic/English contrastive
study should be applied in the teaching of English pronunciation. Starting with observing if L1 interference is
occurring when teaching L2 pronunciation. EFL novices employ their L1 (Arabic) while making their L2
(English). As a result of which, Students must develop a more formal English sound system, which is somewhat
different from or similar to the Arabic sound system. The primary treatment for L1 disorders is focused on oral
sampling. Besides, additional drills on L2 pronunciation can help stimulate accurate pronunciation responses
from a behaviorist perspective. Consequently, learning silent letters in English is necessary to boost students'
understanding of the variations between Arabic and English sound systems.
In cognitive perspectives, interference can be interpreted as a mechanism in which students use their
learned L1 awareness to hypothesize regarding L2 language rules. These hypotheses and their corrections may
be viewed as proof of the learning method. Learners restructure and modify their concept over and over to verify
it. Therefore, fixing errors and identifying inaccuracies is a technique to create an effective L2 pronunciation.

4. Conclusion
Based on the result analysis, the researcher found that the Yemeni EFL novices made errors while
pronouncing English words containing silent letters. Seeing the data can indicate that the major pronunciation
errors among EFL novices was identified in words containing the silent "c"; "w." "b"; "p”; "th"; “h"; "k"; "g";
"n"; "m"; "l"; "d"; "gh"; "s"; "t."
Based on the test results provided to EFL novices in Yemen, the researcher believes that the students
committed an interference error owing to the effect of other languages; first language acquisition or mother
tongue. First-language acquisition of students with dialect, accent, and culture affected their performance while
pronouncing English words with silent letters. Based on this investigation, several ideas are made as follows.
First, English teachers/readers as the role model in the pronunciation aspect may start utilizing the rule pattern
while mentioning or uttering English words with silent letters. This is one of the methods to overcome the errors
of novices speaking words. The novices’ nature imitates their instructors, and therefore as an example, teachers
should exhibit the right manner to pronounce words. Second, EFL novices may be instructed to try to pronounce
English words with silent letters to make them conscious of word pronunciation. The reason to urge novices to
pronounce English words is that when they start studying English, most of them overlook pronunciation -
instead, they focus on grammar and vocabulary. The longer people speak English without correct pronunciation
expertise, the more errors they make and the more negative habits they store in their thoughts. Paying attention
to pronunciation will actually help them enrich spoken input because when they become familiar with the word,
they become accustomed to the correct way of pronunciation, minimize the error in pronunciation of words,

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and their speaking ability will automatically be an excellent level. The last thing they can explore for other
persons who wish to continue studying this research subject. They may undertake research to examine additional
silent letters using the same technique to research design, including error analysis, or they may build novice
theory regarding findings on this study.

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