Etude certains aspects des difficultes phonetiques rencontrees par les eleves de langue maternelle Bemba apprenant le francais a l'ecole secondaire

The main object of the present study is to investigate pronun¬ciation difficulties encountered by Benba students learning French in Secondary School on the Copperbelt. Many years of teaching French have proved tome that many students have difficulties in pronouncing certain French sounds. This is so because of the differences that exist between Benba and French phonological systens.
In order to establish causes for mispronouncing French sounds, contrastive analysis (CA) between Benba and French phonological systens was undertaken., This is in line with the theoretical assumption that students make errors because of contrasts and differences existing between First Language (L1) and Second Language (L2). After contrasting the two systens, it was ascertained that 17 French sounds are absent in Benba and are a source of pronunciation difficulty to Benba learners of French. Secondly, error analysis (EA) based on data from auditive discrimination,pronunciation and free expression tests given to Grades 9, 10, 11 (niveaux d'etudes a 1'ecole secondaire) was done to show the hierarchy of perception and pronunciation difficulties.
The collected data from the three tests has clearly indicated that Benba learners of French find the 17 French sounds difficult to pronounce. But some sounds have a higher percentage of difficulty in terms of perception and pronunciation. However, students find easier French sounds which they have learnt in English than those they have not met before.
Finally we must state that this study is fourfold :
- it provides data about French sounds that are absent in Benba
and may cause perception and pronunciation difficulties to
Benba learners of French;
- it identifies French sounds with higher percentages of perception
and pronunciation difficulties;

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- it illustrates problems arising fron the confusion in
perceiving and pronouncing two different French sounds; and
- it highlights the difficulties in pronouncing sounds either
at the beginning,in the middle or at the end of a word.
It is therefore hoped that this study will be found useful by teachers teaching French to Benba learner