Phonetic Transcription Quiz: Test Your IPA Transcription Skills

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Questions and Answers

What happens to the air as it passes through the vocal cords when producing voiced sounds?

It causes the vocal cords to vibrate (correct)

It passes through without vibration

It blocks the air from passing through

It changes the air's direction

Where are the articulators that release a burst of air when producing voiced sounds?

The tongue

The lips (correct)

The vocal cords

The throat

What happens to the vocal cords when producing [p] sounds?

They vibrate together

They are blocked

They are together but not vibrating

They are apart (correct)

What is the main characteristic of consonant production?

There is obstruction of air Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the square brackets around a phonetic transcription?

To distinguish it from orthographic spelling Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the symbols and the sounds they represent in Nigerian languages compared to English?

There is a closer one-to-one correspondence in Nigerian languages Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of vowel production?

There is little obstruction of air Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the production of speech sounds?

Articulation Signup and view all the answers

How are sound segments in languages categorized?

Into consonants and vowels Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the glottis in speech production?

It is the opening of the vocal cords Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the pharynx in speech production?

It is the tube that runs from the lungs to the mouth Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the area that houses the articulators such as the tongue and lips?

Oral cavity Signup and view all the answers

How is the alveolar consonant produced as a flap or tap?

By raising the tip of the tongue in a slightly curled back position Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of the air passing through the mouth in the production of the alveolar approximant?

The air passes along the sides of the tongue Signup and view all the answers

What is the position of the lips during the production of the alveolar flap?

The lips are slightly rounded Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between the alveolar trill and the alveolar flap?

The alveolar trill is produced with the tip of the tongue closer to the alveolar ridge Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of the airflow in the production of the alveolar trill?

The air passes with some obstruction Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the alveolar approximant?

Liquid Signup and view all the answers

What is the main mechanism of producing sounds like [duϸs’è] in Hausa?

A release of the buildup of air in the oral cavity that flows out through the partial closure between the teeth and alveolar ridge Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the velum in producing the voiceless velar ejective sound [ƙ]?

It is closed so that air cannot pass to the nasal cavity Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of fricatives in terms of air flow?

A partial obstruction in the flow of air Signup and view all the answers

What is the place of articulation for bilabial fricatives [ɸ] and [β]?

The upper and lower lips Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between voiceless and voiced fricatives?

The presence or absence of vocal cord vibration Signup and view all the answers

How many Hausa words are given as examples of voiceless velar ejectives in the text?

Two Signup and view all the answers

What is the most prominent sound segment in loudness in a one-syllable word?

The vowel Signup and view all the answers

What is the obligatory component of a syllable?

The nucleus Signup and view all the answers

What is the part of the syllable that follows the vowel?

The coda Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following languages permits only one consonant in the onset position?

Hausa Signup and view all the answers

What is the general structure of a syllable guided by?

The general structure of a syllable Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a consonant that can function as a nucleus?

Syllabic consonant Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Speech Sounds

The production of sounds involves the movement of air from the lungs through the opening of the vocal cords, up into the throat, and out through the mouth or nose.
The vocal cords and glottis are found in the larynx, also known as the 'voice box'.

Organs of Speech

The tube that runs from the lungs through the throat up into the mouth area is called the pharynx.
The oral cavity houses several 'articulators' such as the alveolar ridge, the tongue, the teeth, and the lips.
There is a junction from the throat that veers off into the oral cavity, and further up to the soft and hard palate (velum), which leads to the nasal cavity.

Ejective Sounds

Ejective sounds are produced by a release of the buildup of air in the oral cavity that flows out through the partial closure between the teeth and alveolar ridge.
Examples of ejective sounds in Hausa include [duϸs’è] 'stone', [s’oϸhoϸ] 'old (person)', and [s’aϸwoϸ] 'long'.

Velar Ejective

The articulators for velar ejective sounds are the same as for velar sounds, the velum and the tongue.
The velum is closed so that air cannot pass to the nasal cavity, and the glottis is also closed, causing the air trapped in the vocal tract to build up behind the tongue and velum.
The ejective sound is made when the back of the tongue is lowered to release the air in the vocal tract.

Fricatives

Fricatives are produced with a partial obstruction in the flow of air such that air passes through a narrow passage with some noise.
Bilabial fricatives are produced with the same articulators as bilabial stops, the upper and lower lips.
The fricatives are produced with some friction created by the flow of air passing through the narrow passage between the two lips.

Sound Segments

All sound segments in languages of the world fall into two major categories, consonants and vowels.
The main distinction between the two categories is that consonants are produced with obstruction in air coming from the lungs, while for vowels there is relatively little or no obstruction of air.

Alveolar Sounds

Alveolar trill [r] is produced with the tip of the tongue raised in a slightly curled back position while approaching the alveolar ridge.
Examples of alveolar trill include Urhobo: [ϸè] 'Alveolar trill', Igbo: [riϸ] 'eat', and [rù] 'carry'.
Alveolar flap is produced with the tip of the tongue raised close to the alveolar ridge enough to cause some obstruction in the flow of air passing through the mouth.
Examples of alveolar flap include English: [raund] 'round', [fri:] 'free'.

Alveolar Approximant

Alveolar approximant [l] is a lateral consonant that is produced by a complete closure between the centre of the tongue and the alveolar ridge.
Examples of alveolar approximant include English: [lænd] 'land', [paϸl] 'pile', Igbo: [leϸ] 'look', and [àlà] 'earth'.

Syllable Structure

The structure of a syllable consists of an onset, a rhyme, a nucleus, and a coda.
The rhyme is further divided into the nucleus and the coda.
The nucleus is the obligatory component of a syllable and can be a vowel or a syllabic consonant.
The onset and the coda are optional components of a syllable.
Languages differ in the structure of their syllables, with some languages permitting more than one consonant in the onset position and others permitting only one consonant.

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Description

Learn how to write words using phonetic symbols, understand the purpose of square brackets, and explore the production of phonetic consonant and vowel sounds. This quiz is based on the concepts introduced in Units 1 and 2.

Phonetic Transcription and Sound Production

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