Pronunciation errors: do they point to a decline in Hong Kong’s English standards?
A recent survey found that one in two Hongkongers mispronounced all 10 common words they should have known, raising questions about whether English standards are declining
Concerns over perceived falling English standards are not new in the city, but when a recent survey revealed that one in two Hongkongers mispronounced 10 out of 10 commonly used words, it set alarm bells ringing again.
The survey, conducted by market research company MPEG, quizzed 300 working adults aged above 18 who had an educational level of at least Secondary 5 on the pronunciation of words such as “triangle” and “southern”, with standard British, American and Canadian pronunciations accepted.
Prime English Learning Centre, which commissioned the poll, said these words were considered to be examples that would exist in the vocabulary of secondary, or even primary students.
Although academics have questioned the validity of the survey given its small sample size and possible limitations on the testing procedures, the findings have reignited the debate over what role English plays in the city.
While there are no widely accepted studies comparing English pronunciation standards over the years available in Hong Kong, educators the Post spoke to are mostly of the view that pronunciation standards have dropped.