Throughout human history, language has changed. From the time when humans communicated by inscribing on stones until the present day when communication has moved to emojis, language has undergone a sea of change. The fundamental concept, however, stays the same: communication with one another. Language can be more than just a means of communication; it can also be a talent and a means of passing down cultures and their heritage.
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Which is Tougher to Master– Pronunciation or Vocabulary?
Language has a lot of complexities built into it. It’s not only about what we say; it’s also about how we say it. Pronunciation and vocabulary are two crucial aspects of language. Pronunciation refers to the proper articulation of the various words that make up a language. A person’s vocabulary is the collection of words he or she uses to communicate in a language. When we ask whether pronunciation or vocabulary is more difficult, we’re just asking how difficult it is to master any language.
One can be more difficult than the other at times; for example, if one sets out to learn a new language that is phonetically and geologically alien, both pronunciation and vocabulary will be drastically different. When we compare Sanskrit and Dravidian languages, we can observe that anyone familiar with one of the two language strands will find pronouncing from the other strand easier than learning a large vocabulary in a short period. As can be seen, there are a variety of circumstances linked to the relative difficulty of pronunciation and vocabulary. Let’s take a closer look at both pronunciation and vocabulary separately to gain a better idea.
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Pronunciation
Pronunciation is the process through which we produce the sound of words. It’s a way of saying something in a way that’s widely accepted or understood. It is also defined as the way or act of pronouncing phrases, syllables, and words in terms of sound creation, stress placement, intonation, and other factors. Air from our lungs is forced up through our throat and vocal cords, through our mouth, past our tongue, and out between our lips and teeth to pronounce words. To improve the sound we are making, we primarily regulate the shape of our mouth and the movement of air with the muscles of our tongue, mouth, and lips.
Speakers of various languages can stimulate distinct mouth muscles for pronunciation. When we speak a foreign language, our muscles may not be fully formed for that language, making pronunciation a challenging task. Our muscles become stronger and our pronunciation improves as we practise pronouncing a foreign language.
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Pronunciation Techniques
Pronunciation is crucial while learning any language, but it’s extremely critical when learning English. The manner you speak can have a significant impact on whether or not people understand what you’re saying and how they perceive you. The tough thing about pronunciation is that it’s not only a matter of learning new words; it’s also a physical talent that requires frequent practice. There are no tricks to perfect pronunciation, but there are a few things you can do to enhance your skills faster by practising more effectively. Follow these suggestions, begin practising your pronunciation today, and you’ll be one step closer to achieving excellent English pronunciation.
- The first step is deciding the way you want your speaking to sound. There are many accents in the English language. If you aim to travel or migrate, then the first stage, depending on where you’re going and how long you’ll be there, is to learn how the locals speak. Make a practice of sounding like them. This will assist you in fitting in and fully comprehending what they are saying. But if the purpose of your language learning is academic, then you should follow the standard way of pronunciation which will give you an edge over others when it comes to employability.
- When you hit a brick wall and don’t know how to pronounce a strange word, simply pause, take a breather, and pay great attention to the characteristics of that word. Its spelling, syllables, and meaning are all significant features. You’ll want to take that long, convoluted word and break it down into smaller parts. After that, gradually reassemble it. However, keep in mind that words in English are not usually spoken exactly as they’re written, so go carefully and keep a dictionary handy just in case.
- Keeping track of your progress in any task is the best method to make progress. The greatest technique to practise English pronunciation is to record yourself speaking and reading loudly and clearly, which will serve as a wonderful point of comparison for your improvement. You’ll be able to tell how much you’ve progressed when you record yourself speaking English months or years later.
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- We may learn difficult words by paying attention to their rhythm and the way specific syllables sound, just as we can memorise and understand songs and other pieces of music by paying great attention to the lyrics and other elements. Words fluctuate in response to emotions, and listening to how they are said can reveal more than simply their meaning. The meaning of words is influenced by their intonation or tone. It can be a noun or a verb depending on which portion of the word is stressed and where it is placed in a sentence. Understanding this could even help you pronounce a word more clearly. The trick is to pay attention to how words are utilized. When practising, break them down until you’re confident enough to utilise them in conversation.
- The internet is your best friend when it comes to learning languages. It has a plethora of resources to assist you in mastering the English language, even if you’re just getting started with English for beginners. There is a lot of stuff available for learners, which can assist you in determining what works best for you. Some YouTube channels feature extremely short tutorials on how to pronounce tough words correctly. Reading a book while listening to the audiobook can also be beneficial because it allows you to hear how a skilled reader would pronounce the words in the text. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn new vocabulary, gain insight into the culture, and practise your pronunciation all in one place. Similarly, there are podcasts on almost any topic imaginable, and many of them provide transcripts of each episode so you can read along while listening.
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- The greatest approach to learning to speak English like a native speaker is to converse with one. Don’t let the fact that you don’t know any native speakers living nearby stifle your progress. there are numerous excellent forums and other websites where language learners may connect and educate one another.
- While you may not enjoy watching the news all of the time, you may use it to improve your pronunciation. To deliver their messages, newscasters usually talk slowly and clearly. It’s even better if there are subtitles accessible. Watching the news can help you put English words into context and hear how they sound in everyday situations. Furthermore, news broadcasts employ a lot of graphics and videos to help strengthen their messages, which will make things easier for you to grasp.
- As said previously, English may not always sound as it is written. This problem will affect any student of the said language. But people whose native language has scripts similar to English but sounds different and the people who speak a phonetic language as their mother tongue will find it more confusing. Certain languages are “phonetic.” That is, you can glance at a written word and immediately know how to pronounce it. You can also hear a word and immediately know how to spell it. There is a clear relationship between spelling and sound in phonetic languages. So, it is better to partially turn a blind eye to the association between letters and sounds in some cases while you are learning the English language.
- Dictionaries are usually helpful when things get rough. Having one on hand is usually a good idea, especially if you have a smartphone. Every word in the dictionary app has a simple yet efficient pronunciation guide. While they are useful and will inform you of what you need to know, learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) will teach you how to pronounce words precisely. This will be difficult at first, but once you’ve mastered IPA, no English word will be too difficult.
- Slow equals smooth, and smooth equals fast. It’s natural to get enthusiastic and start speaking right away once you learn how to pronounce a word, but the best thing you can do is be patient and keep practising until you can say it flawlessly. Don’t worry if you sound odd or speak too slowly; your friends and teachers will understand.
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Vocabulary
A person’s vocabulary is defined as “all the words he or she knows and can use.” A word-stock or wordstock is another name for it. A vocabulary grows with age and acts as a useful and essential tool for communication and knowledge acquisition. One of the most difficult aspects of learning a second language is acquiring a large vocabulary. Vocabulary is important in the reading process since it contributes greatly to a reader’s comprehension. A reader cannot comprehend a document unless they are aware of the meanings of the majority of the words. Students obliquely learn the meanings of most words through everyday oral and written language exercises. Other words are learned through diligent practice.
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Ways to Improve Vocabulary
- Create a reading habit. When you encounter words in context, it’s simple to expand your vocabulary. It can be significantly more convenient to see words in a novel or a newspaper than it is to see terms in a vocabulary list. It aids in the acquisition of new vocabulary.
- Make use of the dictionary and thesaurus. When utilised correctly, online dictionaries and thesauruses are valuable resources. They can jog our minds for synonyms that would be better in the context of what you’re writing. Another technique to learn vocabulary is to look up root words, antonyms, and similar words in a full glossary definition.
- In a conversation, introduce new words. It’s possible to amass a large vocabulary without actually knowing how to utilise it. By experimenting in low-stakes situations, one can learn the art of word choice and, with a little trial and error, find the correct word for a given situation.
- Make use of flashcards. Using flashcards to study words is a simple approach to building a broad vocabulary. A large range of smartphone apps makes flashcards available and easy to assemble in today’s digital age. One new word every day is a reasonable goal.
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We have attempted to comprehend some pronunciation and vocabulary complexities in this post. We began by learning about each one individually and developing a clear picture of what is what. After that, we looked at strategies to improve our pronunciation and vocabulary. All of this brings us back to our original question of which is more difficult: pronunciation or vocabulary. The explanations in the preceding sections provide us with a good notion of the peculiarities of both pronunciation and vocabulary. Because both are necessary for a reasonable command of a language, it comes down to our learning capacities to a large part.
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As a result, we might conclude that toughness in this context is very relative. With so many tactics and methodologies at our disposal, improving our pronunciation and vocabulary might be simple if we are committed to doing so. However, due to years of incorrect learning, developing proper pronunciation can be more challenging at times. Once again, vocabulary is heavily reliant on recollection, and not everyone has the same amount of memorization skills. As a result, it’s acceptable to believe that both pronunciation and vocabulary are difficult while also being simple. Download the Entri app to help you with the improvement of both English pronunciation as well as English vocabulary.
