Class 1: Phonetics and Phonology

WELCOME TO ENGLISH PHONETICS

PHONE: A speech sound in a language

SPEECH: the ability to talk, the activity of talking, or a piece of spoken language

LANGUAGE: a system of communication

consisting of sounds, words and grammar, or the system of communication used by the people of a particular country

LINGUISTICS: the systematic study of the structure and development of language in general or of particular languages

The LINGUISTIC study of language includes:

The study of the STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES

The study of the STRUCTURE OF WORDS

The study of MEANING

The study of HOW TO USE WORDS

(categories like nouns, verbs, & rules governing the structure of phrases, clauses and sentences)

(the meaning of words and the relationship between word meanings, and the way they combine to give the meanings of sentences)

(the words of a language, their pronunciation and their meaning)

The study of LANGUAGE, MEANING & CONTEXT

(the influence of situation on the interpretation of what people say; the study of the aspects of meaning and language use that are dependent on the speaker , the addressee and other features of the context of utterance )

(parts of the word, such as affixes)

The study of SPEECH SOUNDS OR PHONES

General Information about Phonetics and Phonology:General Information about Phonetics and Phonology:

•Every language has a small number of regularly used sounds (vowels and consonants). We call these sounds PHONEMES.

Examples: The vowels in the words ‘pin’ and ‘pen’ are different phonemesThe consonants at the beginning of the words ‘pet’ and ‘bet’ are also different phonemes

•Every language has a small number of regularly used sounds (vowels and consonants). We call these sounds PHONEMES.

Examples: The vowels in the words ‘pin’ and ‘pen’ are different phonemesThe consonants at the beginning of the words ‘pet’ and ‘bet’ are also different phonemes•English spelling has a notoriously confusing nature.

•For this reason it is important to think of English pronunciation in terms of phonemes, and not in terms of letters of the alphabet.

Examples:

The word ‘enough’ begins with the same vowel phoneme as that at the beginning of ‘inept’ and ends with the same consonant as ‘stuff’

•English spelling has a notoriously confusing nature.

•For this reason it is important to think of English pronunciation in terms of phonemes, and not in terms of letters of the alphabet.

Examples:

The word ‘enough’ begins with the same vowel phoneme as that at the beginning of ‘inept’ and ends with the same consonant as ‘stuff’

WHAT’S THE

DIFFERENCE?

They are both part of a general theory about SPEECH SOUNDS and how they are used in LANGUAGE.

•PHONETICS is concerned with the CONCRETE reality of the sounds used in language.•PHONOLOGY is concerned with HOW sounds FUNCTION in a SYSTEMATIC way IN A PARTICULAR LANGUAGE.

It deals with how speech sounds are

organised into patterns or systems for each individual

language

It deals with:

•How SPEECH SOUNDS are made

•How SPEECH SOUNDS are perceived

•SPEECH SOUNDS and the physics involved

Three branches of Phonetics

ARTICULATORY PHONETICS

AUDITORY PHONETICS

ACOUSTIC PHONETICS

Because you are going to work with the English language at an advanced level as TEACHERS,

TRANSLATORS-INTERPRETERS or RESEARCHERS...

… you will need the deeper understanding provided by the

study of Phonetic and Phonological theory to understand the principles regulating the use

of sounds in spoken English.

THE PHYSIOLOGY(*) OF THE PHYSIOLOGY(*) OF PRONUNCIATIONPRONUNCIATION

Physiology: the science that deals with the way the bodies of living things operate.

Classes 3 and 5: PHYSIOLOGY OF PRONUNCIATION

ORGANS OF SPEECH

• UPPER LIP

• LOWER LIP

• UPPER TEETH

• LOWER TEETH

• TONGUE TIP

• TONGUE BLADE

• TONGUE FRONT

• TONGUE BODY

• TONGUE BACK

• TONGUE ROOT

• ALVEOLAR RIDGE

• HARD PALATE

• SOFT PALATE (VELUM)

• UVULA

Diagram of human Diagram of human headhead

ANOTHER VIEW

HOW IS SPEECH POSSIBLE?

THE AIR STREAM EXPELLED FROM THE LUNGS IS THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR OUR VOCAL ACTIVITY.

IN THE TRACHEA OR WINDPIPE IT PASSES THROUGH THE LARYNX, CONTAINING THE VOCAL FOLDS OR VOCAL CORDS.

THE FRONT PORTION OF THE TRACHEA OR WINDPIPE IS PROMINENT IN THE NECK BELOW THE CHIN AND IS KNOWN AS “ADAM’S APPLE”.

VOCAL CORDS OR FOLDS

GLOTTIS: OPENING BETWEEN THE FOLDS

THE VOCAL FOLDS ACT AS VIBRATORS MOVED BY LUNG AIR.

TO PRODUCE VOICE THEY ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER AND VIBRATE.

e.g. /g/, /l/, /m/

From the larynx to the phrarinx

THE PHARYNGEAL CAVITY EXTENDS FROM THE TOP OF THE TRACHEA AND OESOPHAGUS, PAST THE EPIGLOTTIS AND THE ROOT OF THE TONGUE, TO THE REGION AT THE REAR OF THE SOFT PALATE.

Sounds such as [æ] are articulated with a strong contraction of the pharynx.

When the air escapes from the pharynx, the soft palate may be:

•LOWERED AS IN NORMAL BREATHING. THE AIR MAY ESCAPE THROUGH THE NOSE AND THE MOUTH.

ALL NORMAL ENGLISH SOUNDS (EXCEPTION OF NASAL CONSONANTS) HAVE THIS ORAL ESCAPE.

•RAISED: THE AIR ESCAPES ONLY BY THE MOUTH.

THE MOUTH

It’s no coincidence that in English and Spanish the word “tongue” refers to the organs and to language as a means of communication.

LOOK!

SPEECH MECHANISM WHICH DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF THE MAJORITY OF THE SPEECH SOUNDS BECAUSE ITS PARTS ARE EASIER TO CONTROL.

THE MOUTH

FIXED ELEMENTS:

•TEETH (IN THE FRONT)

•HARD PALATE (IN THE UPPER PART)

•PHARYNGEAL WALL (IN THE REAR)

MOVABLE ELEMENTS:

•LIPS

•VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TONGUE

•SOFT PALATE INCLUDING UVULA

•LOWER JAW

THE ROOF OF THE MOUTH

THREE PARTS:

•ALVEOLAR RIDGE OR TEETH RIDGE (BACK OF THE UPPER TEETH).

•BONY ARCH WHICH FORMS THE HARD PALATE.

•THE SOFT PALATE, FOLLOWING THE HARD PALATE AND ENDING IN THE UVULA.

TO DESCRIBE SOUNDS, WE NEED TO CONSIDER:

FOR FUTURE REFERENCE…

THE NATURE OF THE AIRSTREAM: USUALLY STRAIGHT FROM THE LUNGS

THE ACTION OF THE VOCAL FOLDS: CLOSED, WIDE APART OR VIBRATING

THE POSITION OF THE SOFT PALATE: DESCIDES IF THE SOUND HAS NASAL RESONANCES

DISPOSITION OF THE MOVABLE ORGANS OF THE MOUTH

THE CONCEPT OF THE CONCEPT OF “PHONEME”“PHONEME”

WHY DO PHOTOGRAPHERS

MAKE US SAY “CHEESE”?

WHY DO

DOCTORS MAKE

US SAY “Aaahh”?

Class 7: The concept of Phoneme

What What are these symbols?are these symbols?

• They are called phonemic symbols (as opposed to phonetic symbols).

• Each one represents a PHONEME, that is, ONE specific SIGNIFICANTSIGNIFICANT speech sound.

Significant?

• By “significant” we mean that each of these sounds can make a difference in the meaning of a word.

• Take the case of “map” and “cap”. Phonemes /m/ and /k/ are significant from the moment they can alter the meanings of words.

PHONEMES!!!

• A phoneme is the smallest contrastive contrastive unit in the sound system of a language.

• A phoneme is a minimal unit that serves to distinguish between serves to distinguish between meanings of wordsmeanings of words.

• By convention, a phoneme is represented between /slashes/,

• e.g. /b/, /m/.

HOW HOW MANY MANY PHONEMES PHONEMES

ARE ARE THERETHERE IN IN THE ENGLISH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE?LANGUAGE?

HOW HOW ARE ARE PHONEMES PHONEMES

CLASSIFIED?CLASSIFIED?

CONSONANTS

DIPTHONGS

VOWEL

S

ENGLISH VOWELS

ENGLISH VOWELS

AND DIPTHONGS

AND DIPTHONGS

12

VO

WELS

12

VO

WELS

8 D

IPTH

ON

GS

8 D

IPTH

ON

GS

SPELLING FORMSSPELLING FORMS

PRACTICE WITH TONGUE PRACTICE WITH TONGUE TWISTERS:TWISTERS:

Everybody saw Eddie and the Eskimo enter the elevator on the elephant.

.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY EACH TARGET SOUND?CAN YOU IDENTIFY EACH TARGET SOUND?

The important Indian was ill with injuries inside the igloo.

Oliver had an operation in October, and Oscar gave him an octopus.

Andrew and Alice asked if Annie's active animals were angry.

On Mondays Michael's mother Mary mostly mopped.

Uncle was upset because he was unable to put his umbrella up.

The excited experts explained that the extra X-rays were excellent.

ENGLISH CONSONANTS

ENGLISH CONSONANTS

Bill and Betty baked brown bread for Barbara's baby. Carol and Claire can cook carrots, corn, cabbage, and candy.

Harry had a horrible headache and hated to hear Henry howl. John got juice and jelly on his jacket when Judy jumped on him. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Tommy tricked Tim and took his train off the track.

Virginia visited Vicky and gave her violets and vegetables with vitamins.

When the weather is warm we will walk with William in the wild woods.

Yesterday you yelled in the yard for a yellow yo-yo.

HOW DO THESE SYMBOLS HELP HOW DO THESE SYMBOLS HELP US?US?

• THEY ARE WRITTEN REPRESENTATIONS OF SIGNIFICANT SOUNDS.

• WE CAN PRONOUNCE A WORD WITHOUT HAVING HEARD IT.

• OUR MESSAGE IS UNDERSTOOD AS IT WAS THOUGHT.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN:

CAP CUPBAG BUGCAT CUTRAG RUG

The answer is: one PHONEME! One SIGNIFICANT sound makes a new word.

These contrastive examples are called MINIMAL PAIRS.

They will help you teach your students to pronounce beautifully.

PHONEMES AND ALLOPHONESPHONEMES AND ALLOPHONES

An allophone is any of the variant An allophone is any of the variant forms of a single phoneme.forms of a single phoneme.

Allophones are NOT SIGNIFICANTAllophones are NOT SIGNIFICANT

THINK OF: “TOP” V. “LATER”.

•THE TWO /t/ SOUNDS ARE PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY. (THE FIRST ONE IS ASPIRATED AND THE SECOND IS UNASPIRATED)

•THEY ARE VARIATIONS OF THE SAME PHONEME.

•THEY DO NOT ALTER THE MEANING OF THE WORDS.

““The true teacher defends his pupilsThe true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence”against his own personal influence”

Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888) Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888) USUS educator & Transcendentalist educator & Transcendentalist

THE TRUE TEACHER IS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN STUDENTS AND CONTENTS…

THE TRUE TEACHER IS AVAILABLE WHEN NECESSARY ONLY…

THE TRUE THE TRUE TEACHER KNOWS TEACHER KNOWS WHEN TO BE WHEN TO BE SILENT…SILENT…

THE TRUE TEACHER FORMS THE TRUE TEACHER FORMS AUTONOMOUS LEARNERS!!!AUTONOMOUS LEARNERS!!!

THIS IS WHAT I’LL

TRY TO DO

WITH YOU

TODAY…

THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WHAT

YOU WILL YOU WILL TRY TO DO TRY TO DO

WITH WITH YOUR YOUR

STUDENTS STUDENTS IN THE IN THE

FUTURE!FUTURE!

TODAY’S CLASS:THE ARTICULATION OF

SPEECH SOUNDS

HOW DO WE MAKE THE SOUNDS WE

PRONOUNCE?

JUST A REMINDER… a few concepts…

IN THE FIRST PLACE: ORGANS OF SPEECH

WHAT ORGANS OF

SPEECH

DO WE HAVE?

• UPPER LIP

• LOWER LIP

• UPPER TEETH

• LOWER TEETH

• TONGUE TIP

• TONGUE BLADE

• TONGUE FRONT

• TONGUE BODY

• TONGUE BACK

• TONGUE ROOT

• ALVEOLAR RIDGE

• HARD PALATE

• SOFT PALATE (VELUM)

• UVULA

Diagram of human Diagram of human headhead

PASSIVE ARTICULATOR? UPPER LIP

LOWER LIP

UPPER TEETH

LOWER TEETH

TONGUE TIP

TONGUE BLADE

TONGUE FRONT

TONGUE BODY

TONGUE BACK

TONGUE ROOT

ALVEOLAR RIDGE

HARD PALATE

SOFT PALATE (VELUM)

UVULA

ACTIVE ARTICULATOR?

UPPER LIP X

LOWER LIP X

UPPER TEETH X

LOWER TEETH (JAW) x

TONGUE TIP X

TONGUE BLADE X

TONGUE FRONT X

TONGUE BODY X

TONGUE BACK X

TONGUE ROOT x

ALVEOLAR RIDGE X

HARD PALATE X

SOFT PALATE (VELUM)

X

UVULA X

WHAT’S MOVING? … WHAT’S FIXED?

UPPER LIP

LOWER LIP

UPPER TEETH

LOWER TEETH

TONGUE TIP

TONGUE BLADE

TONGUE FRONT

TONGUE BODY

TONGUE BACK

TONGUE ROOT

ALVEOLAR RIDGE

HARD PALATE

SOFT PALATE (VELUM)

UVULA

•/k/

•/∫/

•/d/

•/g/

•/f/

TO DESCRIBE SOUNDS, WE NEED TO CONSIDER:

THE AIRSTREAM MECHANISM

THE ACTION OF THE VOCAL FOLDS

THE POSITION OF THE SOFT PALATE

DISPOSITION OF THE MOVABLE ORGANS OF THE MOUTH

• The lungs are the source of air to produce most speech sounds.

• The normal flow of air from the lungs is uninterrupted, thus there is no sound production as when we sleep.

• HOWEVER! Snoring… even when sleeping we can produce sounds!!

1. THE AIRSTREAM MECHANISM

• Two lung processes: INHALING AND EXHALING.

• Inhaling: our lungs and chest cavity expand.

• Exhaling: they contract and the air is expelled to…

• THE BRONCHI and then to…• THE TRACHEA OR WINDPIPE to • THE LARYNX and to the THE THROAT

1. THE AIRSTREAM MECHANISM

• THREE POSITIONS:– OPEN: NORMAL BREATHING

AND VOICELESS SOUNDS

– TIGHTLY CLOSED: GLOTTAL STOPS

– VIBRATING: VOWELS AND VOICED SOUNDS

2. THE ACTION OF THE VOCAL FOLDS

• THREE POSITIONS:

– LOWERED: NORMAL BREATHING THE AIR ESCAPES THROUGH THE NOSE AND THE MOUTH

– LOWERED TO LET THE AIR COME OUT THROUGH THE NOSE

– RAISED: THE AIR ESCAPES ONLY THROUGH THE MOUTH

2. THE POSITION OF THE SOFT PALATE

3. POINT OF ARTICULATION

BILABIALS

LABIO-DENTALSDENTALS

ALVEOLARS

PALATALS

VELARS

GLOTTALPOST-ALVEOLARS

PALATO-ALVEOLARS

3. MANNER OF ARTICULATION

REFERS TO THE VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE ARTICULATORS

3. MANNER OF ARTICULATION

PLOSIVES

GLIDES OR SEMIVOWELS

LIQUIDS (LATERALS AND FRICTIONLESS CONTINUANT)

NASALS

AFFRICATES

FRICATIVES

OUR CHALLENGE…

Articulation of VOWELS

1. In the shape and position of the tongue

a. The vertical distance between the palate and the upper surface of the tongue.

b. The part of the tongue, between front and back which is raised highest. (horizontal)

a. The vertical distance between the palate and the upper surface of the tongue.

HIGH VOWELS

MID VOWELS

LOW VOWELS

cheesepin

friend

bad

Come, bus

Burn, turn

About, clever

Dance, barkPot, got

caught, or

Full, bookFool, glue

Also known as CLOSE vowels

Also known as OPEN vowels

TO

NG

UE H

EIG

HT

b. The part of the tongue, between front and back which is raised highest. (horizontal)

FRONT VOWELS

CENTRAL VOWELS

BACK VOWELS

CAN YOU THINK

OF TWO MORE

WORDS FOR

EACH VOWEL

SOUND?

FR

ON

TN

ES

S A

ND

B

AC

KN

ES

S

2. Another important variable of vowel quality is LIP-ROUNDING

ROUNDED VOWELS

NEUTRAL VOWELS

SPREAD VOWELS

English Diphthongs

day

eye

boy

mouth

nose

ear

hair

pure

Think of two

more words for

each diphthong