Chapter 1

Chapter 1Problems in Pronunciation

What is phonetics? Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that studies the sounds we make, how we produce them, how they are transferred from the speaker to the hearer and how we perceive them.

Branches of phoneticsArticulatory phonetics studies the parts of the body used in producing speech (vocal organs).Acoustic phonetics studies how sounds are transferred through the air as sound waves.Auditory phonetics studies how sounds are heard and perceived.

Language starts with the earChildren up till the age of 10 listen and imitate. When we grow up, the habits of our native language are too difficult to break, as if we have a fixed number of sound boxes in our heads (e.g. p. 2).

The aim is to build a new set of boxes for English sounds.

You must listen to English In order to build a store of sound-memory (e.g., movies, songs, news, radio programs, etc). Listening to the same passage several times is better than listening to different passages. Concentrate on individual sounds and how different they are from the nearest sound in your native language.

Practicing makes perfect Say the sounds; it is no use practicing silently. Compare the sounds coming out of your mouth to those in your sound-memory.Record for yourself and repeat.Work towards perfection.

Which English?There are many different kinds of English as there are speakers of it. English pronunciation varies in different geographical areas.English accents have more similarities than differences. Choose your model (American vs. RP).

The basic soundsConsonants vs. vowels.There are 24 distinctive consonants and 20 vowels in English (see p.6-7).

Letters vs. SoundsThe same letter can represent different sounds and different letters can represent the same sound (e.g., p.7).The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) was invented so that each sound is represented by one and the same symbol. This is known as transcription.

e.g. p. 7, city, busy, women, pretty, villageBanana, man, many, car, bathe What do you notice?9

Phonemes vs. AllophonesPhonemes make a difference in meaning.Allophones are different ways of pronouncing the same phonemes in different contexts.If two sounds are allophones in your language, but phonemes in English this can cause confusion.

Words and UtterancesSounds and words are connected to form longer utterances with difficulties of their own: Utterances must be pronounced smoothly without hesitation. Some words are more important than others (stress).Syllable length must be correct (rhythm). Choosing the correct tone or melody (intonation).

Conclusion No book can really teach you practical phonetics. Only close listening and practice can do that.