Exploring The Linguistic Factors in English Pronunciation Difficulties : A Narrative Inquiry of Junior High School Students

Alfiana, Noni (2025) Exploring The Linguistic Factors in English Pronunciation Difficulties : A Narrative Inquiry of Junior High School Students. Undergraduate Thesis thesis, UIN K. H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan.

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Abstract

In Indonesian junior high schools, English pronunciation remains a persistent challenge due to the significant differences between the phonological systems of English and Bahasa Indonesia. These differences often lead to systematic mispronunciations among learners, particularly when encountering unfamiliar sounds or complex syllable structures. This study investigates the linguistic factors contributing to English pronunciation difficulties among junior high school students through a narrative inquiry approach. It focuses on two main linguistic factors: first language (L1) interference and phonotactic constraints. Data were collected from three purposively selected eighth-grade students through in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that L1 interference leads to the substitution of unfamiliar English sounds (e.g., /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/) with similar native phonemes and the insertion of vowels in consonant clusters, reflecting adaptation to the phonological rules of Bahasa Indonesia. Additionally, differences in phonotactic rules between Indonesian and English were found to create confusion and mispronunciations, especially when written forms do not match pronunciation. Students’ experiences also demonstrated emotional barriers such as anxiety, embarrassment, and lack of confidence when speaking English, but supportive classroom interactions and repeated exposure enhanced their motivation and performance. The study concludes that improving English pronunciation instruction requires integrating both linguistic and experiential aspects to help learners overcome pronunciation challenges effectively. This research contributes to the understanding of how L1 interference and phonotactic constraints intersect with learner experience, offering valuable insights for enhancing pronunciation pedagogy in EFL contexts. Keywords: English Pronuciation Difficulties, Linguistic Factors, Junior High School, Experience

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