Introduction to Phonetics & Phonology

TSL 3104 Week 1

What is phonetics?

Phonetics is the study of speech sounds.

a) how they are produced (articulatory

phonetics) FOCUS b) their physical characteristics (acoustic phonetics) and c) how they are perceived (auditory phonetics).

What is phonetics?

In this module well concentrate on: a) how theyre produced (articulatory phonetics)

Sound/symbol correspondence
The need for a transcription system
Consider written English enough through thorough thought bough

Sound/symbol correspondence
The need for a transcription system
Consider written English enough through thorough thought bough think those thistle thong

Sound/symbol correspondence
The need for a transcription system
Consider written English enough through thorough thought bough think church those chemistry thistle loch thong Cheryl

International Phonetic Alphabet IPA

Devised in the 19th Century to help describe

the sounds of languages independently of a languages orthography (= writing system).

Under continuous revision. Last major revision was in 1993.

Sound/symbol correspondence
enough through thorough thought bough [f] [u:] [] [:] [a] think [] church [t] those [] chemistry [k] thistle [] loch [x] thong []

Cheryl []

Transcription the art of reducing speech to writing

Dont be influenced by English spelling!!

Transcribe what is, not what ought to be

For instance, speech sounds can influence

neighbouring sounds:

i[n] Newcastle i[m] Bolton i[] Carlisle

Trust your ears, not your years of education!!

Transcription the art of reducing speech to writing

Remember: a word in isolation may be

spoken differently to a word in connected speech

to = [tu:] give it to him = [gv t t m]

Transcription the art of reducing speech to writing

Remember: a word in isolation may be

spoken differently to a word in connected speech compare

to = [tu:] give it to him = [gv t t m]

International Phonetic Alphabet IPA

Davenport & Hannahs (2005:xvi)