In the June 15 letter, "Good pronunciation comes first," Masayuki Aihara makes a significant point. I suggest that katakana be banned from the study of English. It's a common understanding that most Japanese can't help pronouncing katakana-style English, but all English words need not end with vowels. If one says, "Ai aamu goingu to New Yorku to watchu baseballu gamu," someone unfamiliar with katakana pronunciation must take time to grasp the meaning. It may be true that the Japanese make efforts to sound out English as perfectly as possible; unfortunately their katakana background can hinder progress.
arun d'souza
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