El1oo Module 3
El1oo Module 3
El1oo Module 3
Module 3: Phonetics
LET’S LEARN
Direction: Read and understand Physical Properties of Speech
Phonology is a branch of linguistics that studies the structure and systematic patterning of
sounds in
human language.
Phoneme is a particular set of sounds produced in a particular language and distinguishable
by native
speakers of that language from other (sets of) sounds in that language
Phonetics is the study of speech sounds and their physiological production and acoustic
qualities. It deals
with the configurations of the vocal tract used to produce speech sounds (articulatory
phonetics), the acoustic
properties of speech sounds (acoustic phonetics), and the manner of combining sounds so as
to make syllables,
words, and sentences (linguistic phonetics).
Phonetics Distinctive Theory The central idea behind distinctive feature theory is the notion
that
contrasts between phonemes can be most elegantly and insightfully described in terms of
properties of segments
rather than by treating segments as alphabetic atoms. For example, if one identifies voicing as
a distinctive feature,
then it is possible to say not only that a language contrasts the phonemes /p/, /b/, /t/, and /d/
but also that the
contrast between /p/ and /b/ is in some sense the same as, or at least parallel to, the contrast
between /t/ and /d/.
The early history of distinctive feature theory is thus bound up with related issues, such as the
definition of the
phoneme, and, because many features are defined in articulatory or auditory terms, the
relation between phonology
and phonetics. Although many of the properties encoded by features had already been
discussed in earlier work
in phonetics, it was Ferdinand de Saussure (Saussure 1959) who crucially saw them as the
basic elements of
systems of phonological oppositions.
Phonemic transcription is the most common type of phonetic transcription, used in many
English
dictionaries. ... In other words, we say that “t” and “d” are two separate phonemes. On the
other hand, the flap t
(in this pronunciation of the word letter) and the regular “t” (in this one) are two very
different sounds.
Phonetic transcription is the visual representation of speech sounds. The most common type
of phonetic
transcription uses a phonetic alphabet, such as the International Phonetic Alphabet.
Articulatory phonetics is the branch of phonetics concerned with the production of speech
sounds.
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is an alphabetic system of phonetic notation
based
primarily on the Latin alphabet. It was devised by the International Phonetic Association in
the late 19th century
as a standardized representation of the sounds of spoken language.
CONSONANT CHART (IPA)
VOWEL CHART (IPA)
CONSONANT SOUNDS
1.Voiced: a voiced sound is a sound where the vocal cords vibrate, thus producing some sort of pitch.
2.Voiceless / unvoiced: a voiceless or unvoiced sound is one where the vocal cords do not vibrate,
thus making the
sound very whispery and without a pitch. It can tend to make a letter sound harsher when
pronounced.
3.Stop: a consonant sound where the airflow is stopped completely by the mouth and then sharply
released. Think
of sounds like “p,” “k,” and “t.” All languages contain stops.
4.Fricative: a consonant sound where the airflow becomes noisy and turbulent because it only has a
very small
space to travel through in the mouth. Think of sounds like “f,” “s,” and “sh.”
5.Nasal: a consonant sound where the airflow passes exclusively through the nose instead of the
mouth. Think of
sounds like “m,” “n,” or “ng.” Almost all languages have nasals.
6.Affricate: a consonant sound that begins like a stop but then releases like a fricative, thus making it
a sort of
combination sound. Think of sounds like “ch” and “j.” Affricates are common, especially in English.
7.Alveolar ridge: a ridge found on the roof of the mouth between the upper teeth and the hard
palate, which is used
in conjunction with the tip of the tongue to make many sounds
8.Soft palate: the soft tissue in the back of the roof of your mouth, which is used In conjunction with
the back of
the tongue to make many sounds
9.Glottis: the part of the larynx (air passage) that contains the vocal cords and the opening between
them.
VOWEL SOUNDS…Three major factors in the production of vowels are the openness, or height, of the
mouth,
the position of the tongue, and the roundness of the lips. If a vowel is produced while the mouth is
almost closed,
it would be considered a close If the vowel is slightly more open, it would be considered a mid vowel.
And if the
mouth is open very tall, it would be considered an open vowel.
If the tongue is positioned near the front of the mouth, any vowel produced would be a front If the
tongue
were set slightly more back in the mouth, the vowel would be a central vowel. If the tongue were set
in the far back
of the mouth, the vowel would be a back vowel.
If a vowel is produced while the lips are tense and rounded, it would be considered a rounded. If the
vowel is
produced while the lips are relaxed, it would be considered an unrounded vowel.
PHONOLOGY: THE SOUND PATTERNS OF LANGUAGE
The Pronunciation of Morphemes: Plurals
Sometimes certain morphemes are pronounced differently depending on their context. For example,
the English
plural morpheme has three different pronunciations depending on what noun you attach it to:
– It is pronounced as a [z] for words like cab, bag, and bar. [z] occurs after voiced nonsibiliant
segments. – It is pronounced as [s] for words like cap, back, and faith. [s] occurs after voiceless
nonsibilant segment
– It is pronounced a [əz] for words like bus, garage, and match. [əz] occurs after sibilant segments.
Allomorph
Environment
/z/
after /b/, /d/, /g/. /v/, / /, /m/, /n/, / ɳ /, /l/, /r/, / a /. / ɔɪ/
/s/
After /p/,/t/, /k/, /f/, / θ/
/əz/
After /s/, /ʃ/, /z/. / Ӡ/,/ ʈʃ/, / ʤ/
Vowel phonemes in English: When you transcribe you are creating minimal pairs.