PRONUNCIATION CHALLENGES OF MANDARIN PHONEMES ZH, CH, SH, D, AND T AMONG SMPIT CHENG HOO MAKASSAR STUDENTS

Abstract

The differences in the phonological systems between Indonesian and Mandarin often cause difficulties for learners, especially in the consonant sounds zh, ch, sh, d, and t which do not have direct equivalents in Indonesian. These pronunciation difficulties, especially in junior high school students, are not free from errors in pronouncing the consonants h, ch, sh, d, and t, so this study shows and describes the form of pronunciation difficulties of the consonants zh, ch, sh, d, and t directly in grade IX students of SMP IT Cheng Hoo Makassar, and identifies the factors causing these difficulties. The research method used in this study is descriptive qualitative with 15 students as subjects. Data were collected through pronunciation tests, syllable tests, observations, structured interviews, and audio recordings. The results showed that most students had difficulty pronouncing the retroflex consonants zh and ch, as well as the aspirated consonant t. Errors that emerged included difficulties in tongue articulation, failure to distinguish between aspirated and non-aspirated sounds, and interference from Indonesian, for example, zh is pronounced as j and t is pronounced as d. Physiological factors such as a stiff tongue position also affect pronunciation accuracy. In conclusion, ninth-grade students of SMP IT Cheng Hoo Makassar still face significant challenges in pronouncing certain consonants in Mandarin. These findings emphasize the need for more targeted phonetic teaching strategies, such as explicit articulation exercises and the use of audio-visual media, so that students can improve their accuracy and confidence in speaking Mandarin.