Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology

Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology

• Yevgeniy Yurievich Puzikov is a teaching professor in the Department of Applied Linguistics and Translation Studies.
• He is a candidate of Philological Sciences
• His email address is: [email protected]

What is Phonetics?

• Phonetics deals with the physical description of sounds used in human languages.
• It studies sounds as units of oral speech.

What is Phonology?

• Phonology studies the linguistic function of consonant and vowel sounds.
• It covers syllabic structure, word accent, and prosodic features like pitch, stress, and tempo.
• It explores how speech sounds are organized into systems within individual languages, considering combinations, relations, and mutual influences.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

• The IPA is a standardized system of phonetic notation.
• It was established in 1996 to represent the sounds of speech.

Organs of Speech (Vocal Mechanism)

• The presentation includes a diagram illustrating the structure of the vocal tract and identifies its 14 key components.

Terminology

• Key terms like phonemes, allophones, sounds, sonorant, respiratory mechanism, larynx, glottis, articulatory phonetics, auditory phonetics, acoustic phonetics, supraglottal cavities, soft palate, uvula, and hard palate are defined and categorized.

More on Phonetics and Phonology

• Phonetics describes the physical properties and production of sounds, focusing on their actual manifestation in speech.
• Phonology's scope encompasses the abstract system that organizes these sounds within language.

Examples of Phonemes and Allophones

• The presentation shows that /t/ and /d/ are phonemes that are manifested as related allophones (like in "tick" and "stick").

Human Speech

• Human speech involves a psychological stage (cognitive psychology), physiological stage (anatomy/physiology, audiology), the physical or acoustic transmission (acoustics), and a linguistic interpretation (cognitive psychology) stage.

Vowels (Monophthongs and Dipthongs)

• The presentation lists a set of monophthongs with their IPA symbols and example words (e.g., /ɪ/ - bit).
• Also, a list of diphthongs with their IPA symbols and example words (e.g., /eɪ/ - day).

Consonants and Sonorants

• A list of consonants and sonorants and their IPA symbols and example words.

Phonemes vs. Allophones

• Phonemes are the abstract units of sound in a language.
• Allophones are the specific variations of a phoneme.
• The presentation uses the example of "book" and its phonetic transcription as an illustration.

Organs of Speech (Vocal Mechanism) Details

• The presentation includes a detailed diagram showing the location and function of various organs of speech in producing sounds.

Respiratory or Power Mechanism

• It describes the windpipe, the trachea as the air passage from the throat to lungs, and lungs as the organ that produces air pressure to power speech.

Articulatory Differences for vowels, consonants and sonorants

• The presentation provides information on articulatory differences in regard to vowels, consonants and sonorants in terms of articulation presence/absence of obstruction, force during exhalation, and muscular tension involved.

Larynx (Vocal Cords)

• The presentation explains the role of the vocal cords (abducted and adducted states) in breathing and speech production.
• It also discusses voice production and pitch variations (frequency) in speech.

Glottis

• The presentation introduces the glottis as the opening between the vocal cords.
• Pictures relating to the detailed anatomy are included.

Vocal Cord Vibration Frequencies (Pitch)

• It states that there are differences in vibration frequency (pitch) associated with male and female voices.

Supraglottal Cavities

• The presentation highlights nasal and mouth cavities including the hard palate, soft palate (velum), and uvula, as key elements in speech.

Soft Palate (Velum)

• The role of the velum in closing either the nasal or mouth cavity to regulate the flow of air, is elaborated.

Tongue

• Explanation includes how the tongue's position affects speech production (articulation).

Lips

• Their function in shaping sounds, according to whether they are rounded, close to the teeth, or closed to block the air stream.

Teeth

• The presentation differentiates between alveolar, interdental, and labiodental consonant productions.

This quiz covers essential concepts of phonetics and phonology, including the physical properties of speech sounds and their linguistic functions. It also introduces the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and the organs of speech involved in sound production.