Ling 240: Language and Ling 240: Language and MindMind

PhoneticsPhonetics

Phonetics The study of physical properties of

sound Sounds may not be represented

systematically by spelling. Examples?

Why not just spell? Sounds may not be represented

systematically by spelling because... Same spelling for different sounds Combination of letters representing

one sound, Some letters are silent

Phonetic AlphabetPhonetic Alphabet One symbol represents one soundOne symbol represents one sound

Each speech sound has a distinct symbolEach speech sound has a distinct symbol

Cross-linguistically applicableCross-linguistically applicable

IPAIPA

IPA symbols for IPA symbols for TranscriptionTranscription

[p]= [p]= ppat at [b]= [b]= bbatat[t]= [t]= ttapap[d]=[d]=ddamam

[k]= [k]= ccarar[g]=[g]=gguaruardd[f]= [f]= ffootoot[v]= [v]= vvanan

[h]= [h]= hhatat[m]=[m]=mmullull[n]= [n]= nnull ull [[ŋŋ]= ri]= ringng

IPA symbols for transcriptionIPA symbols for transcription

[s] = [s] = ssapap[z] = [z] = zzipip[[θθ] = ] = ththinkink[[ðð] = ] = ththisis

[[ʃʃ]= ]= shshineine[[ʒʒ] = ] = vivissionion[[ʧʧ]= tou]= touchch[[ʤʤ]= ]= jjuudgdgee

[ɹ]= [ɹ]= rringing[l]= [l]= lleafeaf[[jj] = ] = yyeses[w]= [w]= wwithith

IPA symbols for IPA symbols for transcriptiontranscription

[i]=sh[i]=sheeeepp

[[ɪɪ]=sh]=shiipp[[ɛɛ]= ]= eendnd

[u]= [u]= bboooott

[[ʊʊ]=p]=puutt[[ɔɔ]= ]=

oopenpen

[æ]=[æ]=aashsh[ɑ]= f[ɑ]= faatherther[[əə]=]=aaboutbout[[ʌʌ]= b]= buutt

Diphthongs (Complex Diphthongs (Complex Vowels)Vowels)•Complex because they are Complex because they are

two-part vowelstwo-part vowels•But count as a single But count as a single sound because two vowels sound because two vowels are articulated together. are articulated together. Examples:Examples:[ɑɪ] =b[ɑɪ] =biitete[ɔɪ] = b[ɔɪ] = boyoy[eɪ]= bait

IPA symbols for IPA symbols for transcriptiontranscription

nextnext chinchin lamb lamb kitekite catcat meet meet

PRACTICE!PRACTICE!(Remember brackets!)(Remember brackets!)

IPA symbols for IPA symbols for transcriptiontranscription

next [nnext [nɛkstɛkst] ] chinchin [[ʧɪn]ʧɪn] lamb lamb [læm][læm]

kite [kɑɪtkite [kɑɪt]] cat [kæt] cat [kæt] meet [mitmeet [mit]]

PRACTICE!PRACTICE!

The Vocal Tract

Consonants vs. Vowels consonantal soundsconsonantal sounds: obstruction of : obstruction of

airflow in vocal tractairflow in vocal tract vowel soundsvowel sounds: little to no obstruction : little to no obstruction

of airflowof airflow

Features of ConsonantsFeatures of Consonants Voicing (state of the glottis)Voicing (state of the glottis) Place of articulationPlace of articulation Manner of articulationManner of articulation Site for listening to the sounds of Site for listening to the sounds of

American English:American English:http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html

Voicing

Voicing

Place of Articulation Articulator: Organ a speaker employs

to produce and distinguish certain speech sound (e.g. lips are active articulators and hard plate is a passive articulator)

Place of articulation: Identifies the location of articulators

Place of ArticulationPlace of Articulation BilabialBilabial [p] [p] [b][b] [m] [w][m] [w] Labiodental [f] Labiodental [f] [v][v] Interdental [θ]Interdental [θ] [ð][ð] AlveolarAlveolar [t] [d] [n] [s] [z][t] [d] [n] [s] [z] [l] [ɹ][l] [ɹ] PalatalPalatal [ʃ] [ʒ] [ʧ] [ʤ][ʃ] [ʒ] [ʧ] [ʤ] [j][j] VelarVelar [k][k] [g][g] [ŋ][ŋ]

Manners of articulationManners of articulation Stops [p] [b] [t] [d] [k] [g]Stops [p] [b] [t] [d] [k] [g] Fricatives [f] [v] [θ] [ð] [s] [z] [ʃ] [ʒ]Fricatives [f] [v] [θ] [ð] [s] [z] [ʃ] [ʒ] AffricatesAffricates [ʧ] [ʤ][ʧ] [ʤ] LiquidsLiquids [l] [ɹ][l] [ɹ] Glides [w] [j]Glides [w] [j]

Consonant Chart for EnglishConsonant Chart for English

Phonetic features of consonants

To describe phonetic features of consonants, list (a) voicing (b) place of articulation and (c) manner of articulation for consonants (3 features)e.g. [p] = Voiceless bilabial stop

[z] = Voiced alveolar fricative

Features of vowelsFeatures of vowels All vowels in English are voiced and involve All vowels in English are voiced and involve

a continuous flow of air through the oral a continuous flow of air through the oral cavity. English vowels can be categorized cavity. English vowels can be categorized by 4 distinctive features:by 4 distinctive features:(1) Height of the tongue (1) Height of the tongue

(2) Frontness/backness of the tongue(2) Frontness/backness of the tongue

(3) Tenseness/laxness i.e. whether the tongue muscle is (3) Tenseness/laxness i.e. whether the tongue muscle is tense or laxtense or lax

(4) Round/unrounded i.e. whether the lips are rounded or not(4) Round/unrounded i.e. whether the lips are rounded or not

Every vowel is a combination Every vowel is a combination of 4 features.of 4 features.

[i] as in [i] as in mmeeeett is is high front tense high front tense unroundedunrounded vowel

[æ] as in [æ] as in ppaatt is is low front lax low front lax unroundedunrounded

[[ɑɑ] as in ] as in ppoott is is low back lax low back lax unroundedunrounded

Vowels of English

What knowledge do we have about the sounds of our native

language? We know which sounds are distinctive

e.g. “l” and “r” are perceived as different sounds in English but not in Japanese

We know which sounds can (and can’t combine)e.g. Are these possible English words?

mbeem, tsub, coofb

What do we know about sound in (and not in) our language?

Recognize “foreign accents”

How does a French speaker pronounce the word “this”?

How does a German speaker pronounce the word “think”?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64vBaFOfawI