Phonological interference in the ESP context: an analysis of Uzbek medical students’ pronunciation challenges

This article investigates the phonological challenges faced by Uzbek medical students in learning English, with a focus on pronunciation, stress, and intonation. Taking classroom observations, the study identifies common errors, such as mispronunciations of medical terminology and common general words, confusion over vowel and diphthong sounds, incorrect stress placement, and difficulty with intonation and connected speech. These issues often come from L1 (Uzbek) interference and a lack of systematic phonological training. The study highlights the importance of integrating explicit pronunciation instruction into English for Specific Purposes (ESP), particularly in medical contexts, where clear and accurate communication is critical. The research also reviews prior studies and teaching strategies to propose effective approaches for improving medical students’ phonological competence. The findings emphasize the need for targeted, context-sensitive phonological training to foster more confident and accurate English use among medical professionals.