Phonetics & Phonology

Topic 3: sounds and sound patterns of language

Phonology
Description of the systems and patterns of speech sounds in a language Concerned with mental aspects of the sounds in language NOT actual physical articulation of speech sounds Concerned with abstract set of sounds in a language distinguish meaning in actual physical sounds we say & hear

The sound system of a language

Phonology Includes the inventory of sounds (phonetic & phonemic units) and rules for their combination and pronunciation The study of sound system of all languages

Different sounds of /t/

Tar Star Writer Eighth In actual speech these /t/ sounds are very different

How about these sounds?

Car Tar Far Bar Distinct meaningful sounds

Phonetics
Bat Cat Fat Hat Mat Pat Rat The study of sounds made by humans when they talk

Phonemes
Bat Cat Fat Hat Mat Pat Rat Basic form of a sound Sensed in your mind than spoken/ heard Any sound that changes the meaning of words Each phoneme is associated with 1 or more sounds English phonemes: consonants & vowels

Phonemes
a speech sound that is capable of differentiating meaning. Slash mark / / indicates a phoneme Square bracket [ ] indicates phonetic tar [t] star [th] aspirated

Speech Organs

The Vocal Tract Vocal apparatus when we speak

Pharynx Velum/soft palate Hard palate Alveolar ridge Tongue Teeth (upper & lower) Lips Larynx Jaws Nose & nasal cavity

The International Phonetic Alphabet Principles of the IPA

founded in France in 1886 an organization for teachers of language originally aims at a system that will represent all languages a separate letter for each distinctive sound universal use of one symbol for the same sound across languages use of ordinary letters of roman alphabet where possible alphabet should accord with phonemic principle and cardinal vowel system minute shades of sound for scientific purposes

The Sounds of English

Vowels Diphthongs Triphthongs (not in your syllabus) Consonants

Vowels
20 vowel sounds Articulated without any obstruction as air passes from larynx to lips Vowel changes according to a. the height of the tongue b. part of the tongue

Vowels
Long vowels
:

Short vowels ^
I

i: u: : :

e BrE

Features Describing Vowels

Length of the vowel Tongue height Part of the tongue: frontness or backness Lip-rounding/shape of the lips close lip spreading i: I neutral lip position : : e open lip rounding
close lip rounding u:

What is
Close-mid front unrounded vowel ? e Near-open front unrounded vowel? Open back unrounded vowel? Near-close near-back vowel? Mid central vowel? Open-mid back unrounded vowel? Open-mid back rounded vowel?

Diphthongs
I

- /pI/ e - /pe/ - /d/ eI - /weI/ aI - /baI / I - /bI/

- /bn/ a - /ba/

Colourless vowel
Schwa // Represent vowels in syllables that are not emphasized in speaking Short duration Pronounced with the mouth in a neutral position and brief

Weak syllable: the vowel schwa

IntImt

tend

ptIkjl kjrt phps tmru ptju:ntI setlmnt sp:t

Differences between vowels and diphthongs

Vowels Sounds in which there is no obstruction to the flow of air as it passes through the larynx to the lips Diphthongs Sequence of 2 sounds; vowel + glide /bajt/ bite /boj/ boy

Triphthongs (not in the syllabus)

A glide from 1 vowel to another & then to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption /a:u/ Vowel a: + glide towards the back close rounded area: u + ends with a mid central vowel:

Triphthongs (not in the syllabus)

Composed of the 5 closing diphthongs eI + = eI /eI/ aI + = aI /faI/ I + = oI /rIl/ + = u /slu/ a + = au /pa/