Korean speakers often struggle with pronouncing the final "s" in English words due to differences in the phonological systems of Korean and English. Here are some key reasons:
Absence of Final Consonant Clusters in Korean: Korean phonology does not allow for consonant clusters (multiple consonants in a row) at the end of syllables. In English, words like "cats" or "dogs" end with a consonant cluster (-ts or -gz), which can be challenging for Korean speakers to pronounce accurately.
Simplification of Final Consonants: Korean tends to simplify final consonants. For example, in Korean, the final "s" sound might be dropped or softened because Korean syllables typically end with a single consonant, and it is often unreleased or pronounced lightly.
Lack of Voicing Distinction: Korean does not distinguish between voiced and voiceless consonants in the same way English does. For example, the "s" in "cats" is voiceless, while the "z" in "dogs" is voiced. Korean speakers may not consistently differentiate between these sounds, leading to mispronunciation.
Phonotactic Constraints: Korean phonotactics (the rules governing sound combinations) do not permit certain sounds at the end of syllables. As a result, Korean speakers might substitute or omit the final "s" to conform to Korean phonological patterns.
Influence of Korean Orthography: Korean writing (Hangul) represents sounds differently than English. For example, the English "s" sound might be approximated in Korean as "스" (seu), which can lead to mispronunciation when carried over to English.
When Does This Tend to Happen?
Korean speakers are more likely to mispronounce the final "s" in the following situations:
Plural Nouns: Words like "cats," "dogs," or "books" may be pronounced without the final "s" or with an incorrect sound.
Third-Person Singular Verbs: Words like "runs," "eats," or "walks" might be mispronounced.
Possessive Forms: Words like "James's" or "boss's" may also be challenging.
Strategies for Improvement
Awareness and Practice: Korean learners can benefit from targeted practice with final consonant clusters and voicing distinctions.
Listening and Imitation: Exposure to native English speech and imitation of correct pronunciation can help.
Phonetic Training: Learning the specific mouth and tongue positions for English sounds can improve accuracy.
Understanding these challenges can help both learners and teachers address pronunciation issues more effectively.
