IUG English Majors’ Awareness of the Differences Between British English (RP) and Standard American English (SAE) in Pronunciation and Vocabulary

Abstract

The study aimed at recognizing learners' awareness of the differences between British English (RP) and Standard American English (SAE) in pronunciation and vocabulary at Islamic University of Gaza (IUG). The descriptive analytical approach was used to achieve the objectives of the study. For this purpose, the researcher designed and distributed two tests, achievement test and transcription test, for a sample of English language 3rd level majors who studied the Phonetics course during the first semester of 2018-2019. The sample involved 70 male and female students. In order to answer the questions of this research, the researcher used the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study revealed some significant results: 8.3% of the respondents have an awareness of the differences in pronunciation and 56% of them don’t have an awareness of the differences in vocabulary. In the light of what has been mentioned, the study has proposed the following recommendationsAdditional attention must be paid to develop the level of awareness of the students to the differences between "Received Pronunciation” (RP) and "Standard American English" (SA) in general, and pronunciation, vocabulary in particular. Such attention is supposed to be since early stages of learning English. • English language learners, since early stages of learning English, should be exposed to the differences of RP and SA English as much as possible in order to improve their awareness of these differences in general. هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى قياس إدراك طلبة الجامعة الإسلامية للاختلافات في النطق والمفردات بين الإنجليزية البريطانية والإنجليزية الأمريكية, ولتحقيق هدف الدراسة استخدم الباحث المنهج الوصفي التحليلي, وأعد لهذا الغرض اختبار وزع على عينة من طلبة قسم اللغة الإنجليزية المستوى الثالث والذين أنجزوا مادة الصوتيات في الفصل الدراسي الأول 2018-2019, وقد بلغ حجم العينة (70) طالب وطالبة, وقد استخدام الباحث برنامج الرزم الإحصائية spss للإجابة على تساؤلات الدراسة