PhoneticsPhonetics

The study of speech sounds

What’s the problem here?What’s the problem here?Each, ache, chandelier

Great, bait, fate, reign

Laugh, fix, phony

Don’t think in terms of Don’t think in terms of lettersletters

We will not use letters. We will use the IPA symbols.

We will only speak in terms of sounds.Sounds will surrounded by [brackets].

When we talk about TRANSCRIPTION, we are talking about the IPA symbols in these brackets.

For example: [k] = the initial sound in coin, kick and chemical

Three ways to define Three ways to define soundssounds

1. Voiced/Voiceless (+V/-V) --Vibration in your throat

2. Places of articulation--Where the sound is made in your mouth

3. Manners of articulation--How the sound is made

Voiced/VoicelessVoiced/VoicelessVoiced – can feel vibration in your

throat Ex: [z], [b], [v]

Voiceless – no vibration Ex: [s], [p], [f]

Places of ArticulationPlaces of Articulation

Please refer to chart on p. 31

WHERE?--BilabialsWHERE?--Bilabials

Made using both lips

[b], [p], [m], [w]

WHERE?--DentalsWHERE?--DentalsMade by using your teeth

Like words teeth, bath (-V)

Like words loathe, bathe (+V)

WHERE?--LabiodentalsWHERE?--LabiodentalsMade using your lips and teeth

[v] and [f]

WHERE?--AlveolarsWHERE?--AlveolarsMade by using your tongue and

the part of your mouth just behind your teeth (the alveolar ridge)

[t], [d], [s], [z], [n]

WHERE?--PalatalsWHERE?--PalatalsThe voiceless sounds are in chip,

chocolate or brush and shoe The voiced sounds are in rouge or

pleasure or judge and George The [j] sounds, pronounced like initial

sounds of you or yet (be careful because it looks like the letter “j”).

WHERE?--VelarsWHERE?--VelarsFurther back in your mouth is a

soft area, called the velum.

[k] sound as in kid, cough[g] sound as in go, gather, tagAlso, the –ing [ŋ] sound in rolling,

sung, tongue

Manner of articulationManner of articulationThis not where the sound is

made, but how the sound is made.

For example, [d] and [z] are made in the same spot, but how you make them is the difference.

HOW?--StopsHOW?--StopsMade by stopping your airstream

very briefly

[p], [b], [d], [t], [k], [g]

HOW?--FricativesHOW?--FricativesMade by blocking the airstream

and allowing only a some air to escape, causing friction

[f], [v], [s], [z], Three, These, shoe, azure (for

last 4 phones)

HOW?--AffricatesHOW?--AffricatesAlmost like a fricative…almost.

Initial sounds of cheap and jeep

HOW?--NasalsHOW?--NasalsAir is briefly blocked then

released through the nasal cavity

[m], [n], [

Be careful…NASALS are part of the HOW, or MANNER of articulation, not the WHERE, or place of articulation.

HOW?--LiquidsHOW?--LiquidsMade by using the tongue

[l] and [r]

*Both are voiced*

What language backgrounds typically have difficulty in distinguishing these phones?

HOW?--GlidesHOW?--GlidesThe tongue moves to make what

is almost a vowel sound

[w], [j], [h] ([h] can also be considered as being a fricative)

[j]=yet, yellow

HOW?--Glottal stopHOW?--Glottal stopMade when vocal cords are

(briefly) closedTranscribed In the words “uh-oh” or “uh-uh”This is also associated with

stereotypical British-English speakers – bottle, butter, etc.

HOW?--The FlapHOW?--The FlapMade with the tongue hitting the

alveolar ridgeAs in butter, rider, metal

VowelsVowelsUnlike consonants, vowels are

made by allowing air to flow.ALL VOICED!Can occur in the front, middle, or

back of the mouthCan also occur in the high,

middle, or lower part of the mouth

Say these aloud and try to Say these aloud and try to feel the differencefeel the differenceHitHeatHatHotHut

MoreMorePoolPolePailPilePeelPalPill

DiphthongsDiphthongsWhen vowels and glides ([w] and

[j]) merge together, they create diphthongs.

[ej]=day[aj]=buy[j]=boy[aw]=doubtOur mouths move from one

position to another

VariationVariationObviously, not everyone speaks

the in the same way.

Most of that distinction comes in the form of vowel variance.

Can you think of any examples?

RECAP: Three ways to define RECAP: Three ways to define soundssounds

Voiced/Voiceless (+V/-V) –Whether or not there is vibration in your throat

Places of articulation--Where the sound is made in your mouth

Manners of articulation--How the sound is made

Give me some examples of each. **Page 40, #1 through #6, is GREAT practice!**

Let’s try it again…Let’s try it again…Each, ache, chandelierTough, doughDead, beadMeat, great, threatSure, bees, cats Peace, celloOF COURSE…a YOUTUBE video! Yippee!http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=JF6QVxJoiKo