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Chapter 1

Problems in Pronunciation

What is phonetics?
Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that
studies the sounds we make, how we
produce them, how they are transferred
from the speaker to the hearer and how
we perceive them.

Branches of phonetics
1. Articulatory phonetics studies the parts of
the body used in producing speech (vocal
organs).
2. Acoustic phonetics studies how sounds are
transferred through the air as sound waves.
3. Auditory phonetics studies how sounds are
heard and perceived.

Language starts with the ear


Children up till the age of 10 listen and imitate.
When we grow up, the habits of our native
language are too difficult to break, as if we have
a fixed number of sound boxes in our heads
(e.g. p. 2).

The aim is to build a new set of boxes for English


sounds.

You must listen to English


In order to build a store of sound-memory (e.g.,
movies, songs, news, radio programs, etc).
Listening to the same passage several times is
better than listening to different passages.
Concentrate on individual sounds and how
different they are from the nearest sound in your
native language.

Practicing makes perfect


Say the sounds; it is no use practicing silently.
Compare the sounds coming out of your mouth
to those in your sound-memory.
Record for yourself and repeat.
Work towards perfection.

Which English?

There are many different kinds of English as there


are speakers of it.
English pronunciation varies in different
geographical areas.
English accents have more similarities than
differences.
Choose your model (American vs. RP).

The basic sounds


Consonants vs. vowels.
There are 24 distinctive consonants and 20
vowels in English (see p.6-7).

Letters vs. Sounds


The same letter can represent different sounds
and different letters can represent the same
sound (e.g., p.7).
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) was
invented so that each sound is represented by
one and the same symbol.
This is known as transcription.

Phonemes vs. Allophones


Phonemes make a difference in meaning.
Allophones are different ways of pronouncing
the same phonemes in different contexts.
If two sounds are allophones in your language,
but phonemes in English this can cause
confusion.

Words and Utterances


Sounds and words are connected to form longer
utterances with difficulties of their own:
1. Utterances must be pronounced smoothly
without hesitation.
2. Some words are more important than others
(stress).
3. Syllable length must be correct (rhythm).
4. Choosing the correct tone or melody
(intonation).

Conclusion
No book can really teach you practical phonetics.
Only close listening and practice can do that.

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