Introduction to English Pronunciation English Vowels

Introduction to English Pronunciation Overview Production of Speech Sounds The Articulators Vowel-Consonant Distinction Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters) Cardinal Vowels English Vowel System (R.P.) Short Vowels Long Vowels Diphthongs and Triphthongs

1. Production of Speech Sounds How are speech sounds produced? Sound is produced when air is set in motion. The speech production mechanism consists of: an air supply: the lungs and muscles in the chest muscles that modify the flow of air to produce sound: the vocal folds and larynx a set of filters that modifies the sound in various ways: the pharynx the oral cavity the nasal cavity

Nasals and Orals

The Articulators

The Tongue

Introduction to English Pronunciation Overview Production of Speech Sounds The Articulators Vowel-Consonant Distinction Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters) Cardinal Vowels English Vowel System (R.P) Short Vowels Long Vowels Diphthongs and Triphthongs

2. Vowel-Consonant Distinction Sounds can be classified as consonants or vowels: 1. Phonetically: Articulatory distinction: The obstruction of the air stream: Consonants are produced with greater obstruction to the air stream Acoustic distinction: Prominence: Vowels are more prominent than consonants

Problem with the Phonetic Distinction… The phonetic definition doesn’t always work... Consider /w/, /h/ & /j/ phonetically like vowels: no obstruction Should they, therefore, be classified as vowels?

Distribution Sounds can be classified as consonants or vowels: 2. Phonologically (by their distribution – their position): This is the syllable structure for the word wet: w e t Consider the distribution of /w/ in word, or /h/ as in hi or /j/ as in yellow /w/, /h/ & /j/ are phonologically like consonants: in their distribution Syllable (Consonant) (Vowel)

Vowel Classification Can we classify vowels as voiced/voiceless? All vowels are voiced, the vocal cords vibrate during their production Can we classify vowels as oral/nasal? All vowels are oral, the velum is raised during their production In what way, then, do vowels differ from each other?

Introduction to English Pronunciation Overview Production of Speech Sounds The Articulators Vowel-Consonant Distinction Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters) Cardinal Vowels English Vowel System (R.P) Short Vowels Long Vowels Diphthongs and Triphthongs

3. Variety in Vowels(Phonetic Parameters) Vowels vary according to: 1. Tongue Height (the vertical distance between the upper surface of the tongue and the palate) e.g. /i:/ as in see  close/high vowel tongue is held near the roof of the mouth /æ/ as in cat  open /low vowel the distance between the surface of the tongue and the roof of the mouth is greater Tongue height can be changed by: i. moving the tongue up or down ii. moving the lower jaw up or down

Introduction to English Pronunciation Tongue Height

Variety in Vowels 2. Tongue Position: Frontness/Backness (describing the part of the tongue that is raised highest in the horizontal axis) e.g. /i:/ as in see, /æ/ as in cat  front vowels: front part of the tongue is the highest /α:/ as in calm /u:/ as in too  back vowel: back part of the tongue is the highest

Tongue Position

Variety in Vowels 3. Lip Rounding (the shape of the lips) There are three possibilities: Rounded: the corners of the lips are brought together and pushed forward. e.g. /u:/ as in too. ii. Spread: the corners of the lips are moved away from each other, as for a smile. e.g. /i:/ as in see. iii. Neutral: the lips are not noticeably rounded or spread. e.g. /ɜ:/ as in bird.

Lip Rounding

Lip Rounding

Length vowel length is the perceived duration of a vowel sound Many languages do not distinguish vowel length, and those that do usually distinguish between short vowels and long vowels Cantonese Minimal pairs: Ship sheep wet wheat Bitten bite Lab label the italian man who went to malta

Phonetic Parameters Tongue Height (high vs. low) + (close vs. open) Tongue Position (front vs. back) Lip Rounding (round vs. unrounded) Length (long vs. short)

Introduction to English Pronunciation Overview Production of Speech Sounds The Articulators Vowel-Consonant Distinction Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters) Cardinal Vowels English Vowel System (R.P) Short Vowels Long Vowels Diphthongs and Triphthongs

4. Cardinal Vowels

Cardinal Vowels

Introduction to English Pronunciation Overview Production of Speech Sounds The Articulators Vowel-Consonant Distinction Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters) Cardinal Vowels English Vowel System (R.P) Short Vowels Long Vowels Diphthongs and Triphthongs

5. English Vowel System (R.P.) There are 20 vowel sounds in BBC English/RP (GA has 15) These are divided into monophthongs and diphthongs. The 12 monophthongs can be differentiated along the 4 dimensions we have mentioned: horizontal tongue position (tongue forward, mid, or back in the mouth) vertical tongue position (tongue high, mid, or low in the mouth) lip position (round, spread, or neutral) length (short or long – long vowels are transcribed with / :/)

English Vowels (R.P.)

Introduction to English Pronunciation Overview Production of Speech Sounds The Articulators Vowel-Consonant Distinction Variety in Vowels (Phonetic Parameters) Cardinal Vowels English Vowel System (R.P) Short Vowels Long Vowels Diphthongs and Triphthongs

6. Diphthongs and Triphthongs Diphthongs are glides beginning on or near one monophthong and moving towards (but not necessarily arriving at) another monophthong They are divided into closing and centring   The closing diphthongs (sometimes called rising) begin with the tongue low in the mouth and glide upwards towards /ɪ/ or /Ʊ/ from front or back tongue positions upwards The centring diphthongs glide from front or back tongue positions towards /ə/ in the centre of the mouth

Diphthongs and Triphthongs

Diphthongs and Triphthongs What diphthongs occur in the following? Now my boy   They know Hear their fury

Diphthongs and Triphthongs The 5 triphthongs in BBC/RP are formed by adding schwa /ə/ to the diphthongs which do not already end in schwa.   Which triphthongs occur in the following? layer loyal fire power lower /eIə/ /ɔIə/ /aIə/ /aʊə/ /əʊə/

materials adapted from: Acknowledgements materials adapted from: Altweejry, Thekra Jenkins, Jennifer Roach, Peter