Topics 1: Overview

Phonetics and Phonology

MRA2011

Phonetics: The study of the articulation (articulatory) and the perception (acoustic) of speech sounds: The position, shape, and movement of articulators or speech organs, such as the lips, tongue, and vocal folds. Phonology The study of how sounds are organized and used in natural languages. For example how [p] when used with the sounds [e] and [n] produces the word /pen/ and when changed to the sound [m] produces the word /men/. Task 1:Read the article (Handout 1) and tabulate the differences between phonetics and phonology.

Phonetics VS Phonology
Phonetics
Physical description of sounds

Phonology

Description of sound interrelation and function presence vs. absence of sounds complementary vs. contrastive presence vs. absence of features narrow transcription in square brackets transcription symbols the same across languages redundant vs. contrastive (phonemic) features broad transcription in slanted brackets transcription symbols generalized, unique to each language

PHONETICS
Speech organs and articulation Articulatory Phonetics Consonants Vowels Diphthongs

PHONOLOGY
Children learn pronunciation by imitation. So it is important for teachers to be good role models for pronunciation. Phonetics: the study of speech sounds Phonetic script: International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Phonemes: the smallest unit of sound in a language which carries distinctive meaning. E.g. /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/

IRA/IPS

THE PRODUCTION OF SPEECH SOUNDS

SPEECH ORGANS

IRA/IPS

SPEECH ORGANS
Normal name
lips teeth alveolar ridge (hard) palate

Fancy name
labia

Adjective
labial dental alveolar palatal

soft palate
uvula upper throat voicebox

velum
pharynx larynx

velar
uvular pharyngeal laryngeal

SPEECH ORGANS
Normal name tongue tip tongue blade tongue body tongue blade tongue body tongue root Fancy name apex lamina dorsum (back) lamina dorsum (back) Adjective apical laminal dorsal laminal dorsal radical

Task 2: Read handout 2 and do the exercise (handout 3)

Speech Production/Articulation
There are 3 sound (auditory) production processes: (a) initiation (b) phonation (c) articulation

Initiation
The production of any speech sound requires the creation of an air stream in the vocal tract. The airstream is initiated by the lungs (Pulmonic egressive air stream).

10

Phonation
As the airstream passes through the larynx, it is modified by the vocal cords, through the introduction of voice. When the vocal cords are brought together, air passing out of the lungs cause them to vibrate, and voice is produced (e.g. zoo). If the vocal cords are pulled back, they cannot vibrate. These sounds are called voiceless (e.g. sue).
11

Phonation

VOICELESSGlottis open Glottis closed

GLOTTAL STOP

VOICED
12

Articulation
The air is pushed up the throat and into the oral cavity (mouth) or nasal cavity (nose). As the airstream passes through the vocal tract, it may be modified by the movement of the active articulators (lips and the tongue) obstructing its passage through the vocal tract to varying degrees. This is articulation. The obstruction of the airstream may occur at any point in the vocal tract and is the result of the active articulators moving towards a passive articulator (e.g. alveolar ridge, hard palate, etc). The air is expelled out of the body.
13

Speech Sounds
Human speech sounds fall into classes according to their phonetic properties. All speech sounds are either consonants or vowels. Consonants have some obstruction of the airstream in the vocal tract, unlike vowels which have free flow of airstream.

THE INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET

Task 3: Study the IPA Phonetic Chart (Handout 4) and complete the exercise. Now lets practice pronunciation.