An Analysis of the Accuracy in Pronouncing Words Inflected by Inflectional Morpheme –ed and –s of Second Year Students of English Department of Bung Hatta University

Abstrak

Pronounciation is important for students since the competency of pronounciation is one aspect that determines the level of someone’s speaking ability. A mistake that is made in pronouncing words may raise misunderstanding in communication. Because of its importance, pronounciation must be paid attention in language teaching and learning. In our educational system, the students often receive extensive grammar instruction (including past tense, plurals, possessive and parts of speech) at the early stage, but the pronounciation aspect of such grammar lesson is not always addressed (Murcia, 1996, 266).  In order to master pronunciation skill and avoid a fossilized pronounciation, the students should learn and practice from the early ages or at least when they are entering middle and high school. However it is not an easy thing to do. Many factors contribute to unsuccessful pronounciation learning like exposure to the language, native language of the speaker, and the age of the speakers (Lane, 2010:4). As it happened to the second year of English Department Students of Bung Hatta University, they had some difficulties in pronouncing some words. So, this research investigated the students’ ability in pronouncing words inflected by inflectional morpheme –ed and –s.

The population of this research was the second year students of English Department of Bunghatta University in academic year 2017/2018. The number of population was 25 students. The researcher used total sampling technique. To collect the data, the researcher used a technique: oral pronounciation test. The researcher used interrater method. It was found that the reliability index of the test in the form of pronouncing word inflected by inflectional morpheme –ed and –s was very high (.93). It means that the instrument was reliable. The researcher counted the percentage of the students who had accurate and had no accurate pronounciation  in pronouncing words inflected by inflectional morpheme “–ed”.

The result of this research indicates that the students’ pronounciation of words inflected by inflectional morpheme –ed was showed that 40% students had accurate, and this research indicates that the students’ pronounciation word inflected by inflectional morpheme –sshowed that 36% students had accurate. It was found that there were 10 students who had accurate pronounciation were 40% and 15 students who had no accurate, and the number of the students who had accurate and had no accurate pronounciation in pronouncing words inflected by inflectional morpheme “-s”. It was found that there were 9 students who had accurate 36% and 16 students who had accurate 64%.

In line with finding of this study as discussed above, it can be cocluded that students will be good in pronouncing word inflected by inflectional morpheme –ed and –s, the students should keep studying and practicing more about inflectional endings especially –s and –ed inflectional endings every time; practicing can help them pronounce –s and –ed inflectional endings better.

Key Word: pronounciation, accuracy, inflectional morpheme