Phonetics and Received Pronunciation

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following words contains a fixed schwa?

preposterous
banana (correct)
reasonable
national

How do dictionaries typically represent a variable schwa that may disappear?

In brackets or with superscript (correct)
By using a low tone
By using a different font
In italics

What vowel sound is often produced by people from south of the town of Birmingham?

/ə/
/i/
/u/
/ʌ/ (correct)

Which of the following accents tends to produce /u/ instead of /ʌ/?

Geordie accent (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of Received Pronunciation (RP) regarding the vowel /ʌ/?

It consistently produces /ʌ/ regardless of region. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the mid-word schwa in spontaneous speech?

It may disappear. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words is an example of a variable schwa?

average (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which speaker is associated with producing /u/ in various words?

Cheryl Cole (A) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'Received Pronunciation' (RP) refer to?

A sociolect associated with professional people (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why is word stress important in English?

It can determine if a word is understood by native speakers. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How are stress indicators traditionally marked in dictionaries?

By a high stress mark before the stressed syllable (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words has stress on the first syllable according to the examples provided?

satellite (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of dictionaries are recommended against for checking pronunciation?

Bilingual dictionaries (B) Signup and view all the answers

In which position can stress occur in a word as mentioned?

In mid-word, beginning, or end positions (C) Signup and view all the answers

What could happen if someone misplaces stress in words like 'angelo' or 'vangelo'?

The words may not be understood by native speakers. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a defining characteristic of Received Pronunciation?

It is associated with certain social classes and professions. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Where does the primary stress fall in the word 'comfortable'?

Second syllable (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main distinction between primary stress and secondary stress?

Primary stress is indicated by a high stress mark. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words has secondary stress?

opportunistic (D) Signup and view all the answers

In the example provided, what is emphasized when someone says 'I said THIRteen, not FOURteen'?

The stress is on the second syllable. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the stress of nouns ending with the suffixes -ance and -ence typically relate to their related verbs?

They both have the same stress pattern. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does 'schwa' refer to in phonetics?

The most common phonetic vowel in English. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by a low stress mark in polysyllabic words?

Secondary stress (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following pairs demonstrates a difference in stress between a noun and its verb form?

insist/insistence (A) Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of Theresa May's accent is confirmed by her pronunciation of the words are and our?

Her accent is non-rhotic. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words reflects Theresa May's non-rhotic accent?

future (B), frustrating (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which option correctly describes Theresa May's pronunciation of hour?

It can be pronounced as /ɑː/ or /auə/. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What do the words country and frustrating demonstrate in terms of accent?

They display non-rhotic features. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words contains a fixed schwa according to Kit Harington's speech?

brother (C) Signup and view all the answers

In Kit Harington's speech, which word demonstrates a variable schwa?

people (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does Kit Harington describe the reaction of his parents regarding information he shared?

They were the first to know. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of non-rhotic accents is identified in Theresa May's pronunciation of 'are'?

The 'r' sound is dropped. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the pronunciation of 'angel' in standard speech?

/ˈeɪndʒel/ (A), /ˈeɪndʒəl/ (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which singer pronounces 'angel' as /ˈeɪndʒəl/ in the sequence 'angel of Harlem'?

Bono (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words does the fixed schwa occur at the end in its typical pronunciation?

salvation (A), patience (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the song 'Patience', which syllables are pronounced as pure vowels instead of a schwa?

the final syllable (B) Signup and view all the answers

What phonetic transcription corresponds to 'valuable prizes'?

/ˈvæljʊəbl ˈpraɪzɪz/ (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which term indicates the pronunciation of the final syllable as a schwa when sung?

fixed schwa (D) Signup and view all the answers

In the phrase 'angel of Harlem', how does Bono pronounce the word 'angel'?

/ˈeɪndʒəl/ (A), /ˈeɪndʒel/ (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following words is pronounced with a schwa in its final syllable in standard speech?

merger (B), sugar (D) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Received Pronunciation (RP)

RP is a British accent associated with professional people, such as doctors, politicians, and teachers.
It is a social accent, not regional, although it shares similarities with accents in south-east England.

Word Stress

Word stress is crucial for comprehension, especially in languages like Italian and English.
Dictionaries use a high stress mark (like an apostrophe) placed before the stressed syllable.
Example: "satellite" /ˈsætəlaɪt/ (first syllable stress), "control" /kənˈtrəul/ (last syllable stress), “comparative" /kəmˈpærətɪv/ (mid-word stress).

Schwa /ə/

The schwa /ə/ is the most common phonetic vowel in English.
Fixed schwas are always pronounced and always present in dictionary transcriptions.
- Example: "again" /əˈɡen/, "harbour" /ˈhɑːbə/, "Christopher" /ˈkrɪstəfə/, "Madonna" /məˈdɒnə/
Variable schwas may or may not be pronounced, often depending on speech speed.
- Example: "preposterous" /prɪˈpɒst(ə)rəs/, "reasonable" /ˈriːz(ə)nəbəl/, "restaurant" /ˈrest(ə)rɒnt/
Dictionaries may indicate variable schwas with brackets or superscripts.

/ʌ/ vs. /u/

The vowel /ʌ/ is common in RP and accents south of Birmingham in England.
- Example: "brother", "mum", "public", "trusted"
The vowel /u/ is more common in accents north of Birmingham.
- Example: "snuggly jumper", "cup of tea", "dull"
RP speakers, regardless of origin, produce /ʌ/.
- Example: Daniel Craig (from Liverpool)

Theresa May's Accent

Theresa May's RP pronunciation demonstrates a non-rhotic accent with a /bʌs/ pronunciation.
Example: matters, future, our, are, never (non-rhotic), country, frustrating, come, does (/bʌs/)

Singers and Fixed Schwas

Singers sometimes deviate from fixed schwas for emphasis.
- Example: "angel" /ˈeɪndʒəl/ in normal speech, but /ˈeɪndʒəl/ in U2’s “Angel of Harlem”
This can also be seen in Take That's "Patience", where pure vowels are used instead of /ə/ in “patience, frustration, salvation”.

Phonetic Transcription 7

/saʊθ kəˈrɪə/ - South Korea
/ˈvæljʊəbəl ˈpraɪzɪz/ - valuable prizes
/ ʌnˈɜːnd ˈɪnkʌm/ - unearned income (rendita)
/bɜːst ˈtaɪə/ - burst tire (American: tire)
/ˈmembə^r^ əv ˈpɑːləmənt/ - member of parliament
/ˈwaɪdspred ˈflʌdɪŋ/ - widespread flooding
/ˈnjuːklɪə^r^ ˈenədʒi/ - nuclear energy
/əˈfɔːdəbəl ˈpraɪsɪz/ - affordable prices
/nɔːˈwiːdʒən əkɒməˈdeɪʃən/ - Norwegian accommodation
/ˈdʒækɪt pəˈteɪtəʊz/ - jacket potatoes
/ˈdjʊəl ˈsɪtɪzənʃɪp/ - dual citizenship
/ˈbaɪsɪkəl ˈhaɪə/ - bicycle hire
/ˈkɒlɪflaʊə tʃiːz/ - cauliflower cheese
/ˈwɪndskriːn ˈwaɪpə/ - windscreen wiper
/ðə ˈjuːʒʊəl səˈluːʃən/ - the usual solution
/ə ˈnɜːsɪz ˈweɪdʒɪz/ - a nurse’s wages
/suːˈpɜːb jɒt/ - superb yacht
/kiːʃ ləˈreɪn/ - quiche lorraine
/ɪnˈdeɪndʒəd ˈspiːʃiːz/ - endangered species
/smuːð ˈɒpəreɪtə/ - smooth operator (referring to a character from the song)
/ˈpɪrɪəd ət jeɪl/ - period at Yale
/ˈsliːpɪŋ pəˈliːsmən/ - sleeping policemen
/aɪl pʊt jə θruː/ - I'll put you through (on the phone)
/ˈtiːðɪŋ ˈprɒbləmz/ - teething problems
/ˈrəʊlɪŋ ˈʃʌtə/ - rolling shutter
/ˈhendrɪksɪz ˈdʒiːnɪəs/ - Hendrix’s genius
/ˈpɒthəʊlɪŋ ɪnˈθjuːzɪæst/ - pot-holing enthusiast
/ˈpɑːsli ənd seɪdʒ/ - parsley and sage
/ˈsiːzənz ˈɡriːtɪŋz/ - season's greetings
/ʌnˈsetəld det/ - unsettled debt

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Description

This quiz explores key concepts in phonetics, including Received Pronunciation, word stress, and the schwa vowel sound. Test your understanding of how these elements function in English and their importance in comprehension. Perfect for students and enthusiasts of linguistics.