COMMON ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION ERRORS AMONG VIETNAMESE FIRST-YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJORS: A CONTRASTIVE PHONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article reports common English pronunciation errors among 60 first-year non-English majors at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, with a focus on phonological interference from Vietnamese. Grounded in the contrastive analysis hypothesis and error analysis, the study examines both segmental and suprasegmental deviations in learners’ speech. Data were collected through two tasks: a word list containing minimal pairs and a structured reading passage. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining auditory perceptual evaluation and acoustic analysis using Praat software. Inter-rater reliability was established using Cohen’s Kappa (κ = 0.82), and statistical analysis was conducted to examine the distribution of error patterns. The findings indicate a high frequency of coda consonant deletion (75%) and substitution of dental fricatives /θ, ð/ (90%), largely reflecting L1 phonotactic constraints and gaps in the phonemic inventory. At the suprasegmental level, participants exhibited a predominantly syllable-timed rhythm, with limited vowel reduction and inconsistent stress placement, which may affect intelligibility. The study highlights the need for explicit pronunciation instruction and suggests integrating technologyenhanced tools, including AI-based feedback systems, to support individualized practice. These findings contribute to a better understanding of interlanguage phonology among Vietnamese EFL learners in non-specialist tertiary contexts.