Part III. Phonetic Features 1. THEORY: Phonetically speaking a) The Place of articulation Do you understand all underlined words? Once the air has passed through the larynx, it comes up and out through the mouth and/or the nose. Most consonant sounds are produced by using the tongue and other parts of the mouth to constrict , in some way, the shape of the oral cavity through which the air is passing. The terms used to describe many sounds are those which denote the place of articulation of the sound: that is, the location inside the mouth at which the constriction takes place.
Transcript
Part III. Phonetic Features1. THEORY: Phonetically speaking
a) The Place of articulation
Do you understand all underlined words?
Once the air has passed through the larynx, it comes up and out through the mouth and/or the nose. Most consonant sounds are produced by using the tongue and other parts of the mouth to constrict, in some way, the shape of the oral cavity through which the air is passing. The terms used to describe many sounds are those which denote the place of articulation of the sound: that is, the location inside the mouth at which the constriction takes place.
In relation to place of articulation we have:
Underline or highlight key information!BilabialsThese are sounds formed using both (= bi) upper and lower lips (= labia). The initial sounds in the words pat, bat and mat are all bilabials. They are represented by the symbols [p], which is voiceless, and [b] and [m], which are voiced.We can also describe the [w] sound found at the beginning of way, walk and world as a bilabial.
LabiodentalsThese are sounds formed with the upper teeth and the lower lip. The initial sounds of the words fat and vat and the final sounds in the words safe and save are labiodentals. They are represented by the symbols [f], which is voiceless, and [v], which is voiced. Notice that the final sound in the word cough, and the initial sound in photo, despite the spelling differences, are both pronounced as [f].
DentalsThese sounds are formed with the tongue tip behind the upper front teeth. The initial sound of thin and the final sound of bath are both voiceless dentals. The symbol used for this sound is [θ], usually referred to as ‘theta’. It is the symbol you would use for the first and last sounds in the phrase three teeth.The voiced dental is represented by the symbol [d], usually called ‘eth’. This sound is found in the pronunciation of the initial sound of common words like the, there, then and thus. It is also the middle consonant sound in feather and the final sound of bathe.The term ‘interdentals’ is sometimes used for these consonants when they are pronounced with the tongue tip between (= inter) the upper and lower teeth.
AlveolarsThese are sounds formed with the front part of the tongue on the alveolar ridge, which is the rough, bony ridge immediately behind and above the upper teeth. The initial sounds in top, dip, sit, zoo and nut are all alveolars. The symbols for these sounds are easy to remember – [t], [d], [s], [z], [n]. Of these, [t] and [s] are voiceless whereas [d], [z] and [n] are voiced.It may be clear that the final sounds of the words bus and buzz have to be [s] and [z] respectively, but what about the final sound of the word raise? The spelling is misleading because the final sound in this word is voiced and so must be represented by [z]. Notice also that despite the different spelling of knot and not, both of these words are pronounced with [n] as the initial sound.Other alveolars are the [l] sound found at the beginning of words such as lap and lit, and the [r] sound at the beginning of right and write.
PalatalsIf you feel back behind the alveolar ridge, you should find a hard part in the roof of your mouth. This is called the hard palate or just the palate.
Sounds which are produced with the tongue and the palate are called palatals (or alveopalatals). Examples of palatals are the initial sounds in the words shout and child, which are both voiceless. The sh sound is represented as [ʃ] and the ch sound is represented as [tʃ]. So, the word shoe-brush begins and ends with the voiceless palatal sound [ʃ] and the word church begins and ends with the other voiceless palatal sound [tʃ].One of the voiced palatals, represented by the symbol [_], is not very common in English, but can be found as the middle consonant sound inwords like treasure and pleasure, or the final sound in rouge. The other voiced palatal is [d_], which is the initial sound in words like joke and gem. The word judge and the name George both begin and end with the sound [d_] despite the obvious differences in spelling.One other voiced palatal is the [j] sound used at the beginning of words like you and yet.
VelarsEven further back in the roof of the mouth, beyond the hard palate, you will find a soft area, which is called the soft palate, or the velum. Sounds produced with the back of the tongue against the velum are called velars. There is a voiceless velar sound, represented by the symbol [k], which occurs not only in kid and kill, but is also the initial sound in car and cold. Despite the variety in spelling, this [k] sound is both the initial and final sound in the words cook, kick and coke.The voiced velar sound heard at the beginning of words like go, gun and give is represented by [g]. This is also the final sound in words like bag, mug and, despite the spelling, plague.The velum can be lowered to allow air to flow through the nasal cavity and thereby produce another voiced velar which is represented by the symbol [ŋ], typically referred to as ‘angma’. In written English, this sound is normally spelled as the two letters ‘ng’. So, the [ŋ] sound is at the end of sing, sang and despite the spelling, tongue. It occurs twice in the form ringing. Be careful not to be misled by the spelling of a word like bang – it ends with the [ŋ] sound only. There is no [g] sound in this word.
GlottalsThere is one sound that is produced without the active use of the tongue and other parts of the mouth. It is the sound [h] which occurs at the beginning of have and house and, for most speakers, as the first sound in who and whose. This sound is usually described as a voiceless glottal. The ‘glottis’ is the space between the vocal cords in the larynx. When the glottis is open, as in the production of other voiceless sounds, and there is no manipulation of the air passing out of the mouth, the sound produced is that represented by [h].b) EXERCISE:Indicate the place of articulation for the following words:
2. THEORY & LISTENING: Phonetic features of accents
a) Listening: One woman, 17 British Accents: https://youtu.be/FyyT2jmVPAk
Rhoticity
meaning that the letter r is pronounced after vowels. So, for example, whereas somebody from London would pronounce mother as “muthah,” somebody from Bristol would say “mutherrr“. (i.e. the way people pronounce the word in America or Ireland)Indian English rhotic r: https://youtu.be/Mk-Y6PbyRAo
The trap-bath split
meaning that certain a words, like bath, can’t, and dance are pronounced with the broad-a in father. (This differs from most American accents, in which these words are pronounced with the short-a in cat.Words pronounced: https://youtu.be/R9WIEwnnovA
Glottal stopping
the letter t is pronounced with the back of the throat (glottis) in between vowels; hence better becomes IPA be?ə (sounds to outsiders like “be’uh”).Explanation: https://youtu.be/jUIRa0T0BV8
Aspiration
e.g. in Scouse the /k/ and /g/ sounds receive extra aspiration: look becomes loochhScouse aspiration: https://youtu.be/HiLr_Y65m5wExample: https://youtu.be/Sw7o6YKORvw
e.g. Monopthongal pronounciations of the /ei/ and /ou/ dipthongs, so that that face becomes IPA fe:s and goat becomes IPA go:t.
Th-fronting
The th in words like think or this is pronounced with a more forward consonant depending on the word: thing becomes “fing,” this becomes “dis,” and mother becomes “muhvah.”
The foot-strut merger
meaning that the syllable in foot and could is pronounced with the same syllable as strut and fudge. (IPA ʊ)
Trilled or tapped /r/
meaning: The alveolar tap or flap is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents dental, alveolar, and postalveolar flaps is [ɾ].
MusicalityFifty Accents of Grey: https://youtu.be/wzS8ANZBRNo
Nasalisation
meaning the production of a sound while the velum is lowered, so that some air escapes through the nose during the production of the sound by the mouth. An archetypal nasal sound is [n].Sophia Vergara (Modern Family): https://youtu.be/xBL9PfiivNE
b) EXERCISE: Now choose a different film clip from page 5-6 for each accent and indicate what you hear:
a) Do You Sound Right for the Job? Dan Woog, Monster Contributing Writer
Everyone knows it's illegal for an employer to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity and national origin. But what about an English-speaking candidate with a foreign accent? The answer is no. Well, maybe un poco.
Dianne Markley, a professor at the University of North Texas at Denton (UNT) whose graduate research focused on how accents affect the hiring process, says it is "almost impossible to speak any language acquired later in life without an accent." A UNT study showed "an incredibly strong statistical correlation between judging someone as cultured, intelligent, competent, etc., and placing them into prestigious jobs," based on the lack of a readily identified accent.
Accents Trigger Emotional Responses
"A professional tries not to let an accent get in the way of hiring decisions," says Victor Arias, co-managing partner of the diversity practice at executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles. "But subtle emotions can come into play, and they may make a difference. Clearly, people make judgments based on accents."
Arias notes that assumptions work two ways: "Not only may someone with a Hispanic accent be deemed ‘less educated,' but someone with a British accent may be seen as ‘more intelligent,' again with no basis." By the same token, Markley says, an Asian accent could be viewed as a plus by a scientific or engineering company. "It's all very situational," she adds.
be viewed as more educated or worldly than someone with a thick accent. "I've fallen for that," Arias admits. "I've heard a thick accent and thought, ‘Boy, he hasn't left the neighborhood.' And I've been completely wrong. I've had to slap myself."
An accent, Markley notes, is "a pattern of pronunciation." That is not the same as whether a person uses language well and forms sentences correctly. "A person can speak flawless English, but an accent causes him or her to be seen as someone who can't do the job," she says.
Strong Accents Can Affect Hiring Chances
Candidates should be hired on their qualifications alone, Markley says -- provided their verbal abilities are appropriate for the job. Unfortunately, "sometimes an accent leads to the perception that that person can't perform this job," she adds. In fact, it is legal to not hire someone whose accent materially affects his ability to perform key aspects of a job.
Markley cites the example of a customer service representative: "That position requires excellent communication skills, and someone who could not be understood well would honestly interrupt the flow of business."
However, Markley emphasizes, "It's not OK to use an accent as a proxy for discrimination based on national origin." For example, a company can't claim a person with a thick Hispanic accent can't communicate with English-speaking customers, while someone with an equally heavy French accent can.
Focus on Clear Speaking Skills
Arias says that while most companies understand the importance of diversity, he knows of no company that addresses the effect of accents on hiring. As a result, every person with hiring responsibility should be aware of the possibility of unconscious bias against speakers with accents.
Markley's advice for job seekers with accents:
Relax: "An accent is part of who you are," she says. "It connects you with your family and a particular part of the world. An accent is not a bad thing."
Watch Your Language: "Be sure to use good grammar," she says. "Speak slowly. Don't get frustrated if you have to repeat yourself. There's plenty of stress in job seeking. Don't add more by worrying about your accent."
Carlos Soto, president of the National Hispanic Corporate Council, adds this hint: "Prepare more than anyone else. Practice your answers in English. An accent shouldn't matter, but it does. That's life."
b) VOCABULARY and WRITING Do you understand all underlined words? Now write an 8-10 line commentary on this text. Do you agree or not?
What are your thoughts on the subject?
3. Case Study: Cockney
a) Intro: Example: David Beckham: https://youtu.be/qYmQ46TJDSY
Example: Mike Flanagan: https://youtu.be/1W45t3kTXHM
b) EXERCISE: Listen for these specific features in these two film clips. Find examples of these specific features of Cockney:
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF COCKNEY
Raised vowel in words like trap and cat so these sounds like “trep” and “cet.”
Non-rhoticity: see explanation above under Received Pronunciation, above.
Trap-bath splitLondon vowel shift: The vowel sounds are shifted around so that
Cockney “day” sounds is pronounced IPA dæɪ (close to American “die”) and Cockney buy verges near IPA bɒɪ (close to American “boy”).
Glottal Stopping: the letter t is pronounced with the back of the throat (glottis) in between vowels; hence better becomes IPA be?ə (sounds to outsiders like “be’uh”).
L-vocalization: The l at the end of words often becomes a vowel sound Hence pal can seem to sound like “pow.” (I’ve seen this rendered in IPA as /w/, /o,/ and /ɰ/.)
Th-Fronting: The th in words like think or this is pronounced with a more forward consonant depending on the word: thing becomes “fing,” this becomes “dis,” and mother becomes “muhvah.”
Aon – one Dhà – two Trì – three Ceithir – four Còig – five Sia – six Seachd – seven Ochd – eight Naoi – nine Deich – ten
b) SPEAKING: Now discuss with your group:
· Do you think Scottish Gaelic would be easy to learn? · Some people think that by the end of the century 90% of the world’s 6000 languages will be extinct and there will only be ten languages spoken in the world. Do you think this may happen? · Do you think it’s important to keep minority languages alive? Why / why not? · How can we try to keep minority languages alive? · Do you think your native language will ever die? · Do you think that the growth of ‘English as an international language’ is helping to kill other languages?
c) LISTENING: Trainspotting: https://youtu.be/vc3E7UkIzt4
Who are the main characters? What is Begbie recounting? What is the scene about? Why is there a fight? What is the theme of the film?
d) THEORY & EXERCISE: Did you hear examples of these distinctive
features?
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF SCOTTISH GAELIC:
Rhotic, with trilled or tapped r’s.
Glottal stopping of the letter t when in between vowels (similar to Cockney and related accents).
Monopthongal pronounciations of the /ei/ and /ou/ dipthongs, so that that face becomes IPA fe:s and goat becomes IPA go:t.
Vowel di-/tri-graphs
The language uses many vowel combinations. These can be categorised into two types depending on the status of one or more of the written vowels in the combinations.Category 1 : vowel plus glide vowels.In this category, vowels in digraphs/trigraphs that are next to a neighbouring consonant are for all intents and purposes part of the consonant, showing the broad or slender status of the consonant.Category 2 : 'diphthongs' and 'triphthongs'.In this category, vowels are written together to represent either a diphthong, or what was in Middle Irish a diphthong.
Strong initial word-stress and vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.
Falling intonation in most types of sentences, including questions.
e) EXTRA: Learning Gaelic!
Tha mi I am Tha thu You are (informal) Tha e He is
Tha i She is Tha sinn We are Tha sibh You are (formal) Tha iad They are
Tha Seumas sgìth = James is tiredTha an teine teth. = The fire is hotTha an cù aig an dorus ach tha an cat anns an taigh = The dog is at the door but the cat is in the house
sgìth tired fluich wet teth hot fuar cold tinn sick tioram dry luath swift dubh black bàn fair, white mór big, great
beag small, little agus and ach but cù dog cat cat teine fire dorus. door taigh house falt hair Seumas James
Màiri Mary aig at air on anns in an the
Try to make a correct sentence in Gaelic:
f) VOCABULARY: A few typical words in Scottish dialect: What do they mean, so you think? Remember 3 of them.
1) wee 2) aye 3) lassie 4) laddie
7) clarty 8) dinnae 9) fitba 10) guid
13) murky14) loch15) Sassenach16) bitch-fou
5) bairn 6) bonnie
11) fag 12) hogmanay
17) auld
a) girlb) dirtyc) darkd) smalle) beautifulf) New Year’s Eve
m) cigaretten) yeso) I don’t knowp) English personq) old
g) EXTRA: Translate these proverbs (= gezegdes) into Standard English:
A bald heid is suin shaved. A blind man needs nae leukin-gless. A ill wife an a new-kindled candle should hae their heids hadden doun. A bawbee cat can leuk at a king. A craw will no wash white. A dink maiden aft maks a dirty wife. A faain maister maks a standin man. A close mooth catches nae flees. A man at forty is aither a fuil or a physician. Drink little, that ye micht drink lang.
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