What application is suggested by findings on foreign accent in singing?

• A. Teach pronunciation grammar
• B. Teach intonation to second language speakers
• C. Focus on vocabulary
• D. Use music only for entertainment

Answer: (B)

Findings on foreign accent in singing highlight the role of prosody—intonation, pitch, and rhythm—in how a learner is perceived. When learners sing, they actively hear and reproduce melodic contours and stress patterns, which map directly onto how we use intonation to convey meaning, attitude, and emphasis in spoken language. This makes singing a practical tool for teaching intonation to second language speakers: it gives learners a memorable, musical way to practice pitch ranges, rising and falling contours, and rhythmic timing, helping them sound more natural and comprehendive in real conversations.

This approach aligns less with teaching grammar-focused pronunciation, which targets segmental sounds and rules, or with focusing primarily on vocabulary, which doesn’t address prosody. It also goes beyond entertainment, offering a concrete instructional method to develop the prosodic skills that influence how a non-native speaker is understood.