Problematic Aspects of the Teaching of Spanish Phonetics to Francophone University Students of West Cameroon

Abstract

According to recent theories on language learning in general and on Spanish language in particular, to be efficient in teaching and learning foreign languages, one can among other things identify the major stumbling blocks and the systematic errors common to a sample of learners who have a common profile and linguistic background. I have therefore decided, in the framework of this piece of work, to focus on the sensitive aspects of the teaching of Spanish phonetics and phonology to our Spanish students of the University of Dschang. It is noticeable that our Spanish- speakers (mostly of Bantu background, natives of the western region of Cameroon and officially francophones) are confronted with some difficulties when they want to speak Spanish. After identifying students' systematic errors, I decided to explain the causes of the respective deviant usages as compared to the phonetic norm of standard Spanish in order to improve students' pronunciation of Spanish words.