TODAY’S AGENDA

•Information Sheet/Attendance

•Introductions (names/enrollment; my turn)

•Syllabus

•A Little Phonetics

8/24/04

A simple, formal definitionA simple, formal definition: the study of the physical and physiological basis of speech sounds.

Among other things, phoneticians want to know:

how speech sounds are made

how to describe, represent, and categorize speech sounds

how speech sounds are transmitted and received

Branches of Phonetics�Acoustic phonetics is concerned with the physical

properties of the speech sound waves and their transmission (frequency, wavelengths, etc.).

�Articulatory phonetics is concerned with how sounds are made in the vocal tract.

�Clinical phonetics is argued by speech-language pathologists to be a third branch of phonetics; it is equivalent to articulatory phonetics but has a special emphasis on disordered speech.

Branches of Phonetics

�Articulatory phonetics is concerned with how sounds are made in the vocal tract.

The 3 Systems of Speech

The Respiratory System

Ä lungs, rib cage, abdomen

The Supralaryngeal System (vocal tract)

The Laryngeal System

Ä trachea, larynx, vocal folds

Ä pharynx, oral/nasal cavities

The 3 Systems of Speech

The Respiratory System

Ä lungs, rib cage, abdomen

The Laryngeal SystemÄ trachea, larynx, vocal folds

The Respiratory System

Respiratory system - larger view

Image from Shriberg, L.D. & Kent, R.D. (1995). Clinical Phonetics (2nd Edition). Allyn & Bacon. p. 15.

Airstream Mechanisms: Pulmonic

When air is pushed out from the lungs, there is said to be a pulmonic airstream mechanism (from Latin pulmon = lung).

Ø Default airstream mechanism for most speech sounds.

Ø Involves the lungs, diaphragm, rib cage, abdomen.

Most consonants in the world’s languages involve an egressive or outward flow of air from the lungs and use the pulmonic airstream mechanism.

Airstream Mechanisms: Pulmonic

One type of egressive consonant is called a plosive or stop because air is completely obstructed in the mouth before it is released.

English has a number of stop consonants and all are produced with an egressivepulmonic airstream:

p t k b d g

Interestingly, these kinds of stop consonants can be produced with other airstream mechanisms as well.

The Laryngeal System

Laryngeal System - detailed viewImages from Shriberg, L.D. & Kent, R.D. (1995). Clinical Phonetics (2nd Edition). Allyn & Bacon. pp. 15-16.

States of the Glottis

The space between the vocal folds is referred to as the glottis.

Based on the actions of the vocal folds, the glottis can assume four different shapes. This results in four different types of phonation:

� voiceless �breathy or murmur� voice �creaky or laryngealized

(1) Voiceless

The vocal folds are pulled apart.

Air flows freely through the spread glottis. Hence, vocal fold vibration does not occur and no voicing is produced.

ðTruly voiceless sounds (like “f” and “s” in English) involve little or no flow of air through the glottis.

(2) Voice

The vocal folds are close together (but not shut).

The vocal folds in action

The air pushing through the constricted glottis causes the vocal folds to vibrate, producing voicing.

(3) Breathy Voice ~ Murmur

First method: the vocal folds are pulled apart but a greater amount of air flows through than with voiceless sounds, causing the vocal folds to vibrate slightly.

English aha [A ú A] vs. heart [hA r t]

Try:

[ú] ~ [h] [úA] ~ [p ú A]

Second method: the vocal folds are pulled apart between the arytenoid cartilages but are closed at the anterior end.

(3) Breathy Voice ~ Murmur

Breathy vowels in Gujarati Breathy consonants in Nepali

A large amount of airflow through the glottis causes the vocal folds to vibrate slightly.

Indicated by two dots under the sound:[bA Ð] [nÐA Ð]

(4) Creaky Voice ~ Laryngealized

The vocal folds are closed between the arytenoid cartilages but are open at the anterior end.

Creaky voice in Mazatec Creaky voice in Mpi

A large amount of airflow through the glottis causes the vocal folds to vibrate slightly.

Indicated by a tilde under the sound:

[j A 0] vs. [j A]

When air from the lungs is contained below the glottis, a rapid movement of the glottis up or down pushes the trapped air in those directions. When this happens, theglottalic airstream mechanism is being used.

Back to Airstream Mechanisms: Glottalic

àAn upward (egressive) movement of the glottis will push the air out of the mouth.

à A downward (ingressive) movement of the glottis will cause air to be sucked into the mouth.

Glottalic Egressive: EjectivesConsonants made with an egressive glottalicairstream mechanism are called ejectives.

Ejectives in Quechua Ejectives in Navajo

Because the vocal folds are shut, the sounds are necessarily voiceless.

Indicated with an apostrophe after the sound:

[p’] [p’a] [ap’a][t’] [t’a] [at’a][k’] [k’a] [ak’a]

Glottalic Ingressive: Implosives

Consonants made with an ingressive (inward) glottalic airstream mechanism are called implosives.

Implosives in IgboImplosives in Sindhi

In these sounds, the vocal folds are not completely closed, so the sound is usually voiced:

[º] [ºa] [aºa]

[ë] [ëa] [aëa]

[©] [©a] [a©a]

Airstream Mechanisms: Velaric

Movement of the air between two points of closure in the mouth (one at the velum and another further forward) is called a velaricairstream mechanism.

Clicks in Xhosa Clicks in Nama

ðConsonants made with an ingressive velaricairstream mechanism are called clicks.

Respiratory

Laryngeal

Supralaryngeal (vocal tract)

Pulmonic (egressive)

Glottalic (egressive & ingressive)

Velaric (ingressive)

Voice

Voiceless

Breathy/Murmur

Creaky/Laryngealized

3 Airstream Mechanisms

4 States of the Glottis

3 Systems of Speech