Phonology: Study of Sound Systems in Language

Sound Classification

Phonology

• Study of the sound system of a language, focusing on the distribution and patterning of speech sounds
• Examines the sound patterns and sound changes in a language
• Concerned with the sound system as a whole, rather than individual sounds
• Key concepts:
  • Phonemes: smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish meaning
  • Allophones: variations of phonemes that do not change the meaning of words
  • Syllable structure: pattern of sounds within a syllable
  • Phonological rules: rules governing the combination of sounds in a language

Phonetics

• Study of the physical properties of speech sounds, including their production, transmission, and perception
• Examines the characteristics of individual sounds, such as their place, manner, and voicing of articulation
• Concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds, rather than their linguistic function
• Key concepts:
  • Articulation: the process of producing speech sounds
  • Acoustics: the study of the physical properties of sound waves
  • Audition: the process of perceiving speech sounds
  • Transcription: representing speech sounds using phonetic symbols (e.g. IPA)

Sound Classification

Phonology

• Phonology is the study of a language's sound system, focusing on the distribution and patterning of speech sounds.
• It examines sound patterns and sound changes in a language.
• The sound system is considered as a whole, rather than individual sounds.
• Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish meaning.
• Allophones are variations of phonemes that do not change the meaning of words.
• Syllable structure refers to the pattern of sounds within a syllable.
• Phonological rules govern the combination of sounds in a language.

Phonetics

• Phonetics is the study of the physical properties of speech sounds, including their production, transmission, and perception.
• It examines the characteristics of individual sounds, such as their place, manner, and voicing of articulation.
• The physical properties of speech sounds are considered, rather than their linguistic function.
• Articulation is the process of producing speech sounds.
• Acoustics is the study of the physical properties of sound waves.
• Audition is the process of perceiving speech sounds.
• Transcription represents speech sounds using phonetic symbols, such as the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

Sound Classification

Phonetics

• Physical properties of speech sounds are studied in phonetics
• Examines production, transmission, and perception of speech sounds
• Description of speech sounds involves acoustic, articulatory, and auditory properties
• Three subfields of phonetics:
  • Articulatory phonetics: physical properties of speech sounds in production
  • Acoustic phonetics: physical properties of speech sounds in transmission
  • Auditory phonetics: perception of speech sounds by the listener

Phonology

• Study of the sound system of languages is phonology
• Examines distribution and patterning of speech sounds in languages
• Focus on sound patterns, including relationships between sounds and their distribution
• Key concepts in phonology:
  • Phonemes: smallest units of sound distinguishing meaning
  • Allophones: variations of phonemes without changing word meaning
  • Phonological rules: patterns of sound change in languages
  • Syllable structure: arrangement of sounds within syllables
  • Phonotactics: rules governing possible sound combinations in a language