English Phonetics and Phonology

English Phonetics and Phonology2013 SpringSzcsnyi, KrisztinaLecture 215 February 2013RevisionPhonetic symbols + Ndasdy p. 8.Remember: there is no such thing as a stupid question!21 Phonetics and phonologyThe two approach the sounds of language in different ways.1.1 Phonetics Auditory, acoustic, articulatory phonetics (for more details see Lect1)

Separating different types of soundsspeech sounds from noise speech sounds from other speech sounds (the segments)

Suprasegmental (above segment) features like stress, intonation1.2 PhonologyThe sound patterns of (a) language, the system of sounds within a language, how sounds affect each other.

Different patterns of assimilation: what happens when a voiced and a voiceless obstruent (see chart) are next to each other? Different, but equally logical systems.

1.2.1 Hungarian voice assimilationTwo or more obstruents: the last one determines the voiced/voiceless nature of the preceding one:

a. hztl /st/megfr/kf/hzd ki/stk/

b.lesgl/g/szp zld/bz/lisztbe/zdb/

Always backwards, regressive voice assimilation1.2.2 English voice assimilationNo voicing, always (partial!) devoicing

hes tired /zt/live show/v/

matchbox/b/anecdote/kd/

The direction of assimilation is not fixed.1.2.3 Comparison of English and Hungarian assimilationEnglish: it is always devoicing, if the voiceless obstruent precedes the voiced one, assimilation is progressive, otherwise regressive. What is fixed is the property that spreads (voicelessness).

Hungarian: it is always regressive, if the last obstruent is voiced, the one(s) preceding it will also be voiced, if it is voiceless, the preceding obstruents will be voiceless as well. What is fixed is the direction of assimilation (always backwards).1.2.4 Potential problems due to the interaction between the two systemsPotential misunderstanding:

Write back vs. Ride back

Hungarian pronunciation of write back ends up the same as ride back, the two are different in English (t does not become voiced)!2 The pronunciation of EnglishWhat do you have to know?

The phonetic componentThe nonphonetic component2.1 The phonetic componentSegmental elementsProunouncing them the right way: potential native language transfer problems. //

Pronouncing them the right way in the right position: matchbox, //: exists in Hungarian, but only as a variant (called allophone, see later today) of /n/.Sample material: WallanderUncool honk

Wallander.1x03.honk.avi

Connected speech, dark L (before consonants and word-finally), aspirated p, t

2.1 The phonetic componentSuprasegmental elementsStress: H.: always on the first syllable of the word; E.: on different syllables + unstressed syllables with weak vowels (especially for function words)Intonation: e.g. yes/no questions2.1 The phonetic componentPerception: the passive side of pronunciation.

heat /hi:t/ may be perceived as /hit/ due to Pre-Fortis Clipping (also called Pre-Voiceless Vowel Shortening)

bang/b/may be perceived as /bn/2.2 The nonphonetic component of pronunciationLexical knowledge: storing unconnected bits of information in our memory (arbitrary connection between sound and meaning, idiosyncratic information, e.g. irregular verbs)

gone vs gunwild vs wilderness lead vs lead (phonetically different!)

2.2 The nonphonetic component of pronunciationThe knowledge of rules

Letter-to-sound rules: the regularities of spelling (they exist and should definitely be taught and learnt)

hall: a is never pronounced a diphthongj is always //w never /v/c /k/ after a, o, u

2.2 The nonphonetic component of pronunciationThe knowledge of morpheme alternations:

the: the act vs the mouse/i/ //

-ed: listened vs waited vs looked/d/ /d/ /t/

potential mistakes resulting from the lack of this kind of knowledge as well if you do not use the appropriate alternant

2.2 The nonphonetic component of pronunciationThe knowledge of regular sound alternations

The reduction of vowels: //, rebel Noun: /reb()l/, Verb: /rbel/, /rbel/

Pre-R Breaking: the change of the quality of most long vowels before r:Judy vs jury/u:di//ri/Been vs beer/bi:n//b(r)/

2.2 The nonphonetic components of pronunciationConclusion: phonetics pronunciation

Why is English pronunciation difficult then?

Different systems (stress, weak forms, rhythm)+ the relative unreliability of spelling + the reliable part has a logic different from Hungarian.

E.: morpheme identity: insane insanity, past tense ed, plural -s

H.: morpheme alternation: nyr-nyarak; ssz, nzz, bnts (all hiding an underlying j)3 Sound, allophone, phonemeHow many sounds are there in a language/in English?

Acoustically every speaker produces different sounds.

How do we perceive them as one and the same e.g. /e/ sound?3.1 PhonemesThe function of sounds: to identify morphemes, to distinguish one morpheme from another. If you use different sounds (or the same sounds in a different order) you expect to get a different word.

batrat, play-clay, try-fry, send-sand

Only one sound responsible for the change in meaning: phonemes of a language can be identified using this minimal pair technique.

3.1 PhonemesThe difference in the phonemes is not simply phonetic in nature but they also have a distinctive function: they distinguish meanings. Not just a surface difference but an underlying one.

Definition: a phoneme is an underlying sound unit capable of distinguishing one word from another in a given language.3.2 AllophonesOne phoneme may have different realizations, the same underlying unit may appear as different sounds on the surface in actual pronunciation.

The /p/ sounds in pink/pear and lip/sleepy

aspirated vs unaspirated voiceless stops : /p/, /t/, /k/

/p/: [p] and [p]3.2 Allophones[p] and [p] are the realizations of the same /p/ phoneme, the difference between the two is subphonemic, they do not distinguish meanings, they cannot even appear in the same position. It is predictable which variant will appear in a given environment: they are in complementary distribution.

/p/ is aspirated at the beginning of a word or a stressed syllable.3.2 AllophonesDefinition: the alternants of a phoneme whose occurance is regularly predictable from the environment are called the allophones of that phoneme.

Native speakers use the right phoneme instinctively, it is part of their knowledge of language.3.2 Allophones/p/ phoneme

[p][p] allophones

Sample material: WallanderPrivate place: does aspiration take place when /p/, /t/, /k/ are followed by e.g. /r/, /l/? The /r/ in private is different from the /r/ in right.

Wallander.1x03.private place.avi4 ConsonantsThe consonant system: based on place and manner of articulation (for English consonats see chart uploaded as a separate handout).

Important distinction within manner: voiced/voiceless

Obstruents: voiced or voiceless

Sonorants: all of them voiced, closer to vowels5 Exam practice5.1 Sound identificationVoiceless palatoalveolar affricateBilabial nasalAlveolar liquidGlottal stopVoiceless coronals///m//l////t/ ///s/ ////5.2 TranscriptionClaramatrixmutualpolarslang

A difference between RP and GA: (RP) vs. o (GA)

/kler/ /kler/ /metrks//metrks//mjutul//mjutul//pl//polr//sl//sl/5.3 Stress identificationchronologychronologicalintersectcommissioncommissionairechronlogychrnolgicalntersctcommssioncommssionire

5.4 DefinitionsIPA stands for ....The branch of phonetics dealing with the perception of sounds is called ....

(Key: International Phonetic Alphabet; auditory phonetics)5.5 Multiple choice testsWhat is constant in Hungarian voicing assimilation is ....the direction of voicing.the manner of voicing.the spreading of the voiced property .the spreading of the voiceless property .

Which of the following is a place of articulation?A) obstruent B)velar C)nasalD) fricative

: Weeping Song (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) lots of //s!

Enjoy and thank you for your attention!