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The sounds of language
PhoneticsChapter 4
Phonetics- Basics
Definition: the study of human speech sounds
Know what an individual sound is.
Cat consists of [k] represented by the letter c, the vowel [æ] represented by a and the final [t]
The sound-spelling relationship
Did he believe that Caesar could see the people seize the seas?
To too two through threw clue shoe tough “uff“
cough “off“ bough “aw“ though “oh“ through “ooh“ borough “uh“hiccough “up“
The sound-spelling relationship
Spelling is not a reliable guide to pronouncing a word in English
A system is needed where one sound corresponds to one symbol and one symbol corresponds to one sound.
Phonetic Alphabet- one symbol for each sound.
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to symbolize all sounds of all languages
Fields of Phonetics Articulatory phonetics
How sounds are produced Acoustic phonetics
Physical properties of sounds Auditory phonetics
How sounds are perceived
This class: Articulatory phonetics
Articulatory phonetics
Questions: How can we describe speech sounds in
terms of how they are produced in the vocal tract?
How can we transcribe these sounds?Goal: A systematic method of how to describe
and transcribe the sounds occurring in human languages.
How Are Sounds Produced? Most sounds are produced by an air
stream coming from the lungs passing through one or more speech organs.
Where and how the air stream is obstructed determine the identity of the sound produced.
When the shape of the vocal tract
changes, different sounds are produced.
Speech Production Mechanism
Nasal cavity Oral cavity Pharynx
Vocal folds Glottis
Energy sourceLUNGS
LARYNX
VOCAL TRACT (shapes
sounds)
(voicing)
Vocal Organs- articulators
Consonants & Vowels Sounds
Sounds
Consonants Vowels
Obstruction of airflow Free flow of air
Consonants
Consonants are classified according to three parameters.
Voicing Place of articulation Manner of articulation
Voicing
Voicing occurs in the larynx where the vocal folds are. When the vocal folds are held together,
they start to vibrate when air passes through them → a voiced sound.
E.g. zzzzzzzzzzz vvvvvvvvvvvvv When they are held apart, they cannot
vibrate; air passes freely through them → a voiceless sound.
E.g. ssssssssssssss ffffffffffffff
Places of articulation- English
Where in the vocal tract the airflow is restricted. Bilabial- two lips [b, p, m] Labiodental- upper teeth & lower lip [f, v] Dental- between the teeth [θ, ð ] Alveolar- front part of the tongue on
alveolar ridge [s, z, n, t, d, l] Palatal- front part of the tongue on the hard
palate [ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ, j] Velar- the back of the tongue on the velum
[k, g, ŋ] Glottal- through open glottis [h]
Places of articulation
Bilabials
Places of articulation
Place of articulation
Labiodentals
Place of articulation
Places of articulation
Places of articulation
Places of articulation
Glottal stop and flap Glottal stop [ʔ] occurs when the space
between the vocal cords (the glottis) is closed completely. American pronunciation of Oh oh bottle batman
Flap [ɾ] produced by the tongue tip tapping the alveolar ridge briefly. American pronunciation of Latter writer metal
Manner of articulation
[b] and [m] → voiced bilabials [d] and [z] → voiced alveolar [t] and [s] → voiceless alveolar
How are they different? In the way the air is restricted in the
vocal tract → manner of articulation
Manners of articulation Stops → complete blockage [p, t, k, b,
d, g] (also plosives) Fricatives → partial blockage [f, v, s,
z…] Affricates → stop + fricative [tʃ, dʒ] Nasal → through nasal cavity [m, n, ŋ] glides [j, w] → take the shape of the
vowel (also semi-vowels, approximants) Liquids → lowering both sides of the
tongue [l , r]
Manner of articulation
Consonants
Consonants
Consonants Can be described by using three
parameters: voicing, place of articulation and manner of articulation
Examples:[p] voiceless bilabial stop[n] voiced alveolar nasal[d][ŋ]
What is a vowel?
A sound produced without major constriction in the vocal tract No articulators touching or even coming
close
Since the sound is not produced by constriction, the energy comes primarily from the vocal cords Vowels are all voiced
Vowels Vowels can be classified by
answering three questions
• How high is the tongue?• High- mid - low
• What part of the tongue is involved?• Front- central- back
• What is the position of the lips?• Rounded or unrounded
Tongue positions
Tongue height High [i, u] Mid [ε, o] Low [æ]
Say seat, set, sat transcribed [i], [ε], [æ]
Tongue position
Tongue backness Front [i], [æ] Central [ə] Back [u], [o], [a]
Say he and who
Front and back vowels Who [hu] He
[hi]
Preview of vocal tract shaping
Say “heave” and “have”Say “who” and “ha”
What do you notice going on in your mouth?
Classification: Tongue Height
High: Heave Who
Low: Have Ha
Lip rounding
Rounded [u], [o] [u] noon
[o] boat Unrounded
[i] heat[I] hit
Vowel Chart
Diphthongs
A combination of two sounds vowel + glide
[aw] cow, loud [ɔj] boy, void, noise [aj] buy, eye, my
Vowels description
Can be classified according to three parameters: height, backness, and lip rounding
Examples:[i] high front unrounded vowel[u] high back rounded vowel
Phonetic Transcription
The best-known system: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
IPA has been developing since 1888. The system represents each sound of
human speech with a single symbol. The symbol is enclosed in brackets [ ].
Benefits of Phonetic Transcription
We can use IPA transcription across languages, there is one symbol for EVERY possible human sound
There is a 1-1 correspondence of sound to symbol
• Cat [kæt] • Cell [sel]
Consonant chart
Activity: identifying diphthongs call top Fright joy top Haste Avoid Proud Hide
Transcription Practice
Transcribe the following words• Kick• Boot• She• The• Thin
Important terms Articulatory phonetics articulators Consonants and vowels Places of articulation Manner of articulation Voicing Parameters for describing vowels Phonetic transcription