Phonetics/fənetIks/

The Study of Speech Sounds

What is Phonetics?Phonetics is the science of speech sounds, which aims to provide the set of features or properties that can be used to describe and distinguish all the sounds used in human language

Three Stages in Speech Chain

1. The production of the messageThe study on how speech sounds are produced is called Articulatory Phonetics. Sounds are classified according to the position of the lips and tongue, how far open the mouth is, whether or not the vocal cords are vibrating, etc.

Three Stages in Speech Chain

2. The transmission of the messageThe study that deals with the transmission of speech sounds through the air is called Acoustic Phonetics. Various instruments are used to measure the characteristics of these sound waves. PRAAT is one of the popular software to analyze speech sounds.

Three Stages in Speech Chain

3. The reception of messageThe study on how speech sounds are perceived by the listener is called Auditory Phonetics. For example, the differences in aspiration of the phoneme /p/ in [pIt] and [tIp].

The Sound Producing System

Sound is produced when air is pumped out of our lungsOn the way out, air is filtered by other mechanisms (articulators) to produce sounds.These mechanisms are parts of the vocal tract: larynx, pharynx, oral cavity, and nasal cavity etc.

Articulators

The larynx: viewed from above

Thyroid Cartilage

Glottis

Cricoid Cartilage Vocal Ligament

Arytenoid Cartilage

Corniculate CartilageCricoid Cartilage

Articulators above the Larynx

Soft palate (velum)

Pharynx

Articulators1. Larynx

The vocal folds (vocal cords) are located here. The opening between the folds is called glottis. The different positions of the vocal folds (wide, narrow, touching each other, tightly closed) produce different kind of sounds.

2. PharynxA tube which begins above the larynx. Its top end is divided into two: the back of the mouth and the beginning of the nasal cavity

3. TongueIt can be moved into many different places and different shapes.

4. Velum (soft palate)In speech, it is raised so that air cannot escape through the nose. Sounds produced in this area are called velar.

5. Alveolar ridgeIt is between the top front teeth and the hard palate. Sounds made with the tongue touching here are called alveolar.

tip blade front back

root

6. The hard palateSounds made with the tongue touching the hard palate are called palatal.

7. The teeth (upper and lower)Sounds made with the tongue touching the front teeth are called dental.

8. The lips (upper and lower)They can be pressed together (bilabial), brought into contact with the teeth (labiodental), or rounded to produce lip-shape for vowels like /u:/.

Consonants

Speech sounds made by a closure or narrowing in the vocal tract so that airflow is either completely blocked, or so restricted that audible friction is produced.Consonants can be described as follows:1. Voicing2. Place of articulation3. Manner of articulation

VoicingSpeech sounds which are produced with the vocal folds (cords) vibrating are called voiced. The vibration can be felt when touching the neck in the region of the larynx.Speech sounds which are produced without vibration of the vocal cords are called voiceless.Vowels are usually voiced. Consonants can be differentiated with the presence or absence of voicing

Place of ArticulationMany parts of the mouth and throat are used in the production of speech sounds. The main ones for the articulation of English consonants are:1. The two lips (bilabial): /p/ and /b/2. The lower lip touching the upper teeth (labiodental): /f/

and /v/3. The tongue touching the upper teeth (interdental): /Ө/

and /ð/4. The tongue touching the alveolar ridge (alveolar): /t/ and /d/5. The back of the tongue touching the soft palate (velar): /k/

and /g/6. The tongue touching the hard palate (palatal): /tʃ/ and /dʒ/

Manner of Articulation

The way in which a speech sound is produced by the speech organs. There are different ways of producing speech sounds. The airstream may be:

1. stopped and released suddenly (STOP): /t/2. allowed to escape with friction (FRICATIVE):

/f/3. stopped and then released slowly with friction

(AFFRICATE): /tʃ/

Cont.

4. allowed to escape through the nose (NASAL): /m/

5. blocked but escape at one or both sides of the blockage (LIQUID/LATERAL): /l/ and /r/

6. Allowed to escape almost freely (GLIDE): /j/ and /w/

ENGLISH CONSONANTS

ʃ

Ʒ

tʃdƷ

How could we identify each of them?

j

VowelA speech sound in which the airstream from the lungs is not blocked, and which is usually pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords.The type of vowel sound which is produced depends largely on the position of the tongue and lips.

1. Which part of the tongue (front, central or back) is raised.

2. How far the tongue is raised (close, close-mid, open-mid and open)

3. Whether the lips are rounded or spread.

English Vowels

I (bit, pin)

e (bet, yes)

æ (bat, man)

ʌ (but, some)

ɒ (pot, gone)

ʊ (put, pull)

i: (beat, mean)

3: (bird, fern)

ɑ: (card, half)

Ɔ: (board, torn)

u: (food, soon)

front central backclose

close-mid

open-mid

open

Rounded Vowels: /u:/ /ʊ/ /Ɔ:/ /ɒ/

Tutorial Activities

1. For each of the following pair of sounds, state whether they have the same or different place of articulation. Then identify the place of articulation for each sound.

[s] : [k] [m] : [n] [b] : [f][p] : [g] [f] : [h] [s] : [v][l] : [r] [w] : [j] [d] : [c]

2. State the manner of articulation for the same pair of sounds above.

Cont.3. After each of the following articulatory descriptions, write

the phonetic symbols for the sound described.a. voiceless velar stopb. voiced labio-dental fricativec. voiced palato-alveolar affricated. voiced velar nasale. voiceless dental fricative

4. Describe the quality of the following vowels in the pairs listed below. Which has the same or different quality.a. back sat e. cot courtb. cot caught f. hide heightc. bid key g. oak ownd. ooze deuce h. pour pout