Introduction to Introduction to Phonetics and Phonetics and PhonologyPhonology

Important factsImportant facts written English different from spoken written English different from spoken

EnglishEnglish need to study the sound system of English need to study the sound system of English

and its correlation to writingand its correlation to writing grown-ups cannot acquire pronunciation grown-ups cannot acquire pronunciation

as easily as children canas easily as children can HARD WORK NECESSARY!HARD WORK NECESSARY! talent also plays a role, but WORK comes talent also plays a role, but WORK comes

first first

Basic sounds I Basic sounds I different sounds at the beginnings of these different sounds at the beginnings of these

words: words:

ppierier vveereer nnearear

bbeereer shsheereer wweireir

ttierier hhearear yyearear

ddeereer lleereer chcheereer

ggearear rrearear jjeereer

ffearear mmere ere

Basic sounds IIBasic sounds II Different sound at the ends of these wordsDifferent sound at the ends of these wordsbabasese wrawraththbaibaizeze wrowrongngbabathethebeibeigegebabakeke 24 sounds altogether – CONSONANTS 24 sounds altogether – CONSONANTS

Basic sounds III Basic sounds III ffeeeel l ccaatt ttierierffiill ll ccoott ttearearffeell ll ccuutt ttourourffaallll ccururtt bbaanannanaaffuullll ccararttffooool l ffaiaillffoaoal l ffiileleffououll 20 sounds – vowels 20 sounds – vowels ffoioil l

Symbols to match the Symbols to match the sounds Isounds I

p - pip, potp - pip, pot bb - bat, bug - bat, bugt - tell, tablet - tell, table dd - dog, dig - dog, digk - cat, keyk - cat, key g - get, gumg - get, gumf - fish, phonef - fish, phone v - van, vatv - van, vatθ - thick, thump, faithθ - thick, thump, faith

ð - these, thereð - these, theres - sat, sits - sat, sit z - zebra, zapz - zebra, zapʃ - shipʃ - ship ʒ - treasure, leisureʒ - treasure, leisuredʒ - lodge, judgedʒ - lodge, judge ttʃ - chipʃ - chiph - hop, hut h - hop, hut m - man, mummm - man, mummy y n – n – nanny, nothingnanny, nothingŋ - sing, wrongŋ - sing, wrongl - let, lipsl - let, lips r - rub, ranr - rub, ranw - wait, wormw - wait, worm j - yet, yacht j - yet, yacht

Symbols to match the Symbols to match the sounds IIsounds IIShort vowelsShort vowels

ɪɪ - bit, silly - bit, sillyɛɛ - bet, head - bet, headææ - cat, dad - cat, dadɒɒ - dog, rotten - dog, rottenʌʌ - cut, nut - cut, nutʊʊ - put, soot - put, sootəə - about, clever - about, clever

Symbols to match the Symbols to match the sounds III sounds III Long vowelsLong vowels

ii:: - cream, seen - cream, seen

ɜɜ:: - burn, firm (also shown as - burn, firm (also shown as əə::))

ɑɑ:: - hard, far - hard, far

ɔɔ:: - corn, faun - corn, faun

uu:: - - tube tube, glue , glue

Symbols to match the Symbols to match the sounds IV sounds IV DiphthongsDiphthongs

aɪaɪ - spice, pie - spice, pieɛɪɛɪ - wait, fate - wait, fateɔɪɔɪ - toy, joy - toy, joyəʊəʊ - oats, note - oats, noteaʊaʊ - clown, vow - clown, vowɪəɪə - deer, pier - deer, pierɛəɛə - hair, bear - hair, bearʊəʊə - cure, fuel - cure, fuel

Phoneme Phoneme speech is divided into segments speech is divided into segments an abstract set of units called an abstract set of units called phonemesphonemes the complete set of these units – phonemic the complete set of these units – phonemic

system of a language system of a language phonemephoneme – – the smallest phonetic unitthe smallest phonetic unit, abstract , abstract

in nature in nature the smallest the smallest contrastive unitcontrastive unit why constrastive? why constrastive? we get it when we we get it when we distinguish one word from distinguish one word from

anotheranother ( (the sounds “d” and “t” in the words “bid” the sounds “d” and “t” in the words “bid” and “bit”and “bit”) – ) – minimal pairs minimal pairs

there are many slightly different ways in which there are many slightly different ways in which we can make the sounds represent the we can make the sounds represent the phonemes, e.g. in writing with a set of symbols phonemes, e.g. in writing with a set of symbols called called phonemic transcriptionphonemic transcription

sometimes same sounds are realized differently sometimes same sounds are realized differently (e.g. /t/ in (e.g. /t/ in tea tea and and eat eat – more or less aspiration)– more or less aspiration)

How does this happen? How does this happen? a phoneme isa phoneme is usually usually adapted to the spoken adapted to the spoken

context in which it occurs, in ways that do not context in which it occurs, in ways that do not alter the meaningalter the meaning

different realizations of the same phoneme – different realizations of the same phoneme – allophonesallophones

allophones are not normally represented in the allophones are not normally represented in the phonemic transcription phonemic transcription

example: example: if we isolate the if we isolate the ll sound in the initial sound in the initial position in position in licklick and in the final position in and in the final position in ballball, we , we should be able to hear that the sound is should be able to hear that the sound is (physically) different as is the way our speech (physically) different as is the way our speech organs produce itorgans produce it

tthe initial he initial ll sound is called sound is called clear lclear l, while the , while the terminal terminal ll sound is sometimes called a sound is sometimes called a dark ldark l

wwhen we want to show the detail of hen we want to show the detail of phonetic phonetic variantsvariants or or allophonesallophones we enclose the symbols we enclose the symbols in square brackets whereas in transcribing in square brackets whereas in transcribing sounds from a phonological viewpoint we use sounds from a phonological viewpoint we use slant linesslant lines

[[ll] is clear l, while ] is clear l, while [ɫ][ɫ] is dark is dark ll

PHONETICS: PHONETICS: the study of the sounds of human the study of the sounds of human speechspeech

cconcerned with the actual properties of speech oncerned with the actual properties of speech sounds (phones), and their production, audition sounds (phones), and their production, audition and perception and perception

deals with the sounds themselves rather than deals with the sounds themselves rather than the contexts in which they are used in languages the contexts in which they are used in languages

PHONOLOGY: tPHONOLOGY: the study of the sound system of he study of the sound system of languages languages

describes the way sounds function within a given describes the way sounds function within a given language or across languages language or across languages

which sounds are distinctive units within a which sounds are distinctive units within a language language

alsoalso studies how sounds alternate studies how sounds alternate and topics and topics such as syllable structure, stress, accent, and such as syllable structure, stress, accent, and intonation intonation

when we talk, sounds and words are connected when we talk, sounds and words are connected together into longer utterances, which should be together into longer utterances, which should be pronounced smoothlypronounced smoothly

in some utterances some words bear more in some utterances some words bear more importance than others – in speech realized with importance than others – in speech realized with more prominencemore prominence

rhythm – different lengths which syllables in rhythm – different lengths which syllables in English are given English are given

tune/melody – rising and falling and the tune/melody – rising and falling and the combinations of the twocombinations of the two

Exercises: Exercises:

1. How many phonemes are there in the 1. How many phonemes are there in the following words: following words: write, through, measure, write, through, measure, six, half, where, one, first, voice, castle, six, half, where, one, first, voice, castle, scissors, should, judge, father, lambscissors, should, judge, father, lamb??

2. 2. BearBear and and barebare are spelt differently but are spelt differently but pronounced the same. Make a list of pronounced the same. Make a list of other words which are spelt differently other words which are spelt differently but pronounced in the same way. but pronounced in the same way.

Speech organs Speech organs

we speak with the air from our lungswe speak with the air from our lungs we draw it in, release it slowly and then we draw it in, release it slowly and then

interfere with its passage in various interfere with its passage in various ways and in various places ways and in various places

necessary to know how the speech necessary to know how the speech organs work to be able to learn how to organs work to be able to learn how to pronounce betterpronounce better

vocal cords, the palate, the teeth, the vocal cords, the palate, the teeth, the tongue, the lips tongue, the lips

Vocal cords Vocal cords the air from lungs first arrives at the larynx, the air from lungs first arrives at the larynx,

which contains two small bands of elastic tissue which contains two small bands of elastic tissue lying opposite each other across the air passage lying opposite each other across the air passage

the vocal cords can move towards each other, the vocal cords can move towards each other, they can meet completely and they can separate they can meet completely and they can separate completely completely

when they are brought together completely, no when they are brought together completely, no air can pass between them air can pass between them

when they are separated, sounds are made when they are separated, sounds are made rapid movement of vocal cords (even 800 times rapid movement of vocal cords (even 800 times

per second) produces per second) produces voiced soundsvoiced sounds when vocal cords are drawn apart, when vocal cords are drawn apart, voiceless voiceless

sounds sounds are produced are produced

all vowels are voiced all vowels are voiced some consonants are voiced, some are some consonants are voiced, some are

voiceless voiceless consonants normally go in consonants normally go in voiced-voicelessvoiced-voiceless

pairs (e.g. p-b, t-d, k-g), but there are pairs (e.g. p-b, t-d, k-g), but there are consonants which do not have their “pair” (e.g. consonants which do not have their “pair” (e.g. m, n, h)m, n, h)

The palateThe palate forms the roof of the mouthforms the roof of the mouth separates the mouth and the nasal cavityseparates the mouth and the nasal cavity alveolar ridge alveolar ridge begins right behind the teethbegins right behind the teeth hard palatehard palate is the highest part of the palate is the highest part of the palate soft palatesoft palate lies towards the throat, above lies towards the throat, above

the root of the tonguethe root of the tongue hard palate is immobilehard palate is immobile soft palate can move, participates in soft palate can move, participates in

making sounds making sounds

The teethThe teeth

lower front teeth are not important in making lower front teeth are not important in making soundssounds

the two upper front teeth are used in English to the two upper front teeth are used in English to some extentsome extent

The tongueThe tongue the most important of the speech organs the most important of the speech organs has the greatest variety of movementhas the greatest variety of movement conventionally divided into 4 parts: tip, blade, conventionally divided into 4 parts: tip, blade,

front, backfront, back tip: the most forward parttip: the most forward part blade: follows the tipblade: follows the tip front: lies under the hard palatefront: lies under the hard palate back: lies under the soft palate back: lies under the soft palate the tongue easily changes its shape, it easily the tongue easily changes its shape, it easily

rises and fallsrises and falls

The lips The lips very mobile, like the tongue very mobile, like the tongue positions: they can be brought together, the positions: they can be brought together, the

lower lip can be drawn inwards and slightly lower lip can be drawn inwards and slightly upwards, they can be kept apart flat or roundedupwards, they can be kept apart flat or rounded

Exercises Exercises

1. Which sounds in Serbian are voiced and which 1. Which sounds in Serbian are voiced and which are voiceless? are voiceless?

2. Can you sing a voiceless sound? 2. Can you sing a voiceless sound?

3. How does the soft palate affect the air stream? 3. How does the soft palate affect the air stream?