Chapter 3: The Sounds of Language PDF
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Mariam Hani
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This document covers the fundamentals of phonetics, including the classification of speech sounds. It defines consonants, vowels, and their classifications by features like articulation and placement. A detailed description of vowels and their characteristics, like how high or low the tongue is positioned, is also outlined.
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Mariam Hani Chapter 3 The sounds of Language What is phonetics? The study of characteristics of speech sounds. What are these characteristics? 1. Production: Articulatory phonetics = the study of how speech sounds are made 2. Physical...
Mariam Hani Chapter 3 The sounds of Language What is phonetics? The study of characteristics of speech sounds. What are these characteristics? 1. Production: Articulatory phonetics = the study of how speech sounds are made 2. Physical properties: Acoustic phonetics = how the sound goes through the air. 3. Perception: Auditory Phonetics = is the study of how speech sounds are perceived by the ear. Classification of sounds Sounds Consonants vowels Consonants When we describe the articulation of a consonant, we focus on three features: the voiced/voiceless distinction, the place of articulation, and the manner of articulation. articulatory phonetics ❖ Voiced and Voiceless 1. When the vocal folds are spread apart, the air from the lungs passes between them with no obstruction, producing voiceless sounds. 2. When the vocal folds are drawn together, the air from the lungs repeatedly pushes them apart as it passes through, with a vibration effect, producing voiced sounds. Mariam Hani ❖ Place of articulation Bilabials: formed by using both upper and lower lips. English Bilabials: [b], [m], [w] = voiced [p] = voiceless Labiodentals: formed using the upper front teeth and the lower lip English labiodentals: [f] = voiceless [v] = voiced Dentals: Made by the tongue tip behind the upper front teeth English dentals: [θ] = voiceless [ð] = voiced Alveolars: Front part of tongue on the alveolar ridge Alveolar ridge = the rough ridge immediately behind and above the English alveolars: [t], [s] = voiceless [d], [z], [n], [l], [r] = voiced Palatals: Made when the center of the tongue approaches the palate. English palatals: [ʃ], [ʧ] = voiceless [ʒ], [ʤ], [ʝ] = voiced Mariam Hani Velars: Produced by raising the back of the tongue to the soft palate or velum. English velars: [k] = voiceless [g], [ŋ]= voiced Glottals: produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract or, more precisely, the glottis English glottals: [h] = voiceless Mariam Hani ❖ Manner of Articulation ✓ Summary Vowels Mariam Hani What are vowels and how are they classified? In contrast to consonants, vowels are produced with a relatively free flow of air, and they are all voiced. As a result, voicing, place of articulation, and manner of articulation are not relevant. Vowels are classified by how high or low the tongue is, if the tongue is in the front or back of the mouth and whether the lips are rounded. High vowels: [i] [ɪ] [u] [ʊ] Mid vowels: [e] [ɛ] [o] [ə] [ʌ] [ɔ] Low vowels: [æ] [a] Front vowels: [i] [ɪ] [e] [ɛ] [æ] Central vowels: [ə] [ʌ] Back vowels: [u] [ɔ] [o] [ʊ][a] Front vowels Central vowels Back vowels [i] beef, me [ə] above, oven, support [u] boo, move, two, you [ɪ] bid, myth, women [ʌ] butt, blood, dove, tough [ʊ] book, could, put [ɛ] bed, dead, said [ɔ] born, caught, fall, raw [æ] bad, laugh, wrap [α] Bob, cot, swan Mariam Hani Full description of vowels Vowels are classified according to three features: Height Backness lip rounding Examples: [i]: high front unrounded vowel (tense) [u]: high back tense rounded (tense) [ʊ]: high back rounded (lax) Diphthongs Diphthongs: create sounds that consist of a combination of two vowel sounds
