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Phonetics
Is the science which studies the characteristics of human speech sounds, the sounds
produced by people when speaking, talking, discussing
This science provides methods for the description of sounds, for their classification and also
for their transcription
In order to classify something you need a criterion, which means that first we describe
sounds and then we classify them
Phonetics has three branches:
1. Articulatory Phonetics
2. Acoustic Phonetics
3. Auditory Phonetics

1. Articulatory Phonetics
Studies the way in which sounds are made or produced and technically articulated
by the vocal cords
2. Acoustic Phonetics
Studies the physical properties of speech sounds, that is why acoustic phonetics
borrows its terminology from physics and from the sub branch of physics called
acoustic
3. Auditory Phonetics
Studies the perception of sounds or more exactly the perceptional response to
speech sounds

Phonetics uses terminology which is in part borrowed from anatomy, physiology (refers on
how organs work) and from physics
EAR Auditory nerve Brain
Speaker --- Articulatory Phonetics
Sounds --- Acoustic Phonetics
Hearer --- Auditory Phonetics
Each of the three branches of Phonetics correspond more or less to the three stages of
communication
Methods of communication
In principle the methods used in Phonetics are equally valued for all human speech
sounds, regardless of the language
Its expected to use the same terminology in Phonetics for each studied language
First, Phonetics may study the general articulatory, acoustic and auditory properties of
speech sounds
Secondly, Phonetics may study the properties of the sounds of a specific language

1. Articulatory Phonetics
Most of the terminology is borrowed from anatomy and physiology
Has traditionally held the central place in the study of phonetics
First of all, because the articulations of the speech sounds are more or less on the
control of the speaker
Secondly, the movements involved in articulation can be explained or put into words
Thirdly, because the movements involved in articulation are relatively accessible to
vision or observation
LEC Brozba Curs 2 Miercuri, 16.10.2013

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We pronounce words without thinking, or order someone to pronounce words,
which seems that we are in control with this action
By contrast, in articulatory phonetics you cannot mean what you hear
We can explain easily articulatory phonetics but it is very complicated to explain
how we hear
If we compare articulation to acoustics, it becomes clear that we cannot observe
with our eyes how high or how low a voice is or how long a sounds is
Besides the describing and the classifying of sounds from the point of view of
transcription, articulatory phonetics also provides the bases for the transcription of
sounds
Sounds are transcribed by using the IPA (International Phonetics Association)
The transcription system of IPA consists of different types of symbols which form the
Phonetic Alphabet
The Phonetic Alphabet can be used to transcribe the sounds of any language
The spelling alphabet cannot be used for every language
As a consequence, if you know the IPA, then you can pronounce words from a
language, even if you dont know the language or you dont understand the meaning
The IPA system consists of symbols of various origins (Latin alphabet, Greek
Alphabet), and specially invented symbols or diacritics signs (combined with other
symbols)
* Longman Pronunciation Dictionary by John C. Wells
* Cambridge English Pronunciation Dictionary by Peter Roach

2. Acoustic Phonetics
It studies the physical properties of speech sounds
o Frequency (Hz)
o Intensity (db)
o Lenght (msec)
In principal, acoustic phonetics provides objective data or measurable data
Acoustic evidence is or can be brought in support of an analysis in terms of
articulatory or auditory phonetics
Disadvantages of acoustic phonetics
o The main disadvantage is the fact that acoustic phonetics are entirely
dependent on the use of specialized equipment (specialized technical
instruments)
o The second disadvantage is that the same acoustic data may be interpreted
in different ways which means that sometimes acoustic data may be in
conflict with auditory data
Acoustic phonetics wears concepts like : spectrogram or formant
o F1 --- 300 Hz
o F2 --- 300 1000 Hz
o F3 --- 1000 2000 Hz
o F4 --- 2000/2500 3500/4000 Hz
o F5 --- 3500/4000 5000 Hz (550 woman, 8000 children)

3. Auditory Phonetics
Is the least developped branch of phonetics
It is also totally dependent on the use of equipment and instrumental techniques
Is the least developped branch also because of the main difficulties involved in
identifying and measuring the neurological and physiological responses of reactions
to human speech sounds