Uttalslära Introduction to phonetics and English phonology

Diphthongs Also known as glides. Two sounds (di- = two, double) Two types of diphthongs: falling where the first sound is more pronounced than the second sound, and rising where the second sound is more pronounced. English has eight diphthongs, all of them falling.

/eı/ as in say Spellings:a, ai, ay, ei, ey Examples raven/'reıvən/ train/treın/ weigh/weı/

/aı/ as in iron Spellings: i, y, ie, ye Examples bite/baıt/ die/daı/ rye/raı/

/ ɔ ı / as in boy Spellings: oi, oy Examples joint/d ʒɔ ınt/ toy/t ɔ ı/

/ a ʊ / as in scout Spellings: ou, ow Examples noun/na ʊ n/ howl/ha ʊ l/ out/a ʊ t/

/ ə ʊ ||o( ʊ ) / as in boat Spellings: o, oa, oe, ou, ow Examples nose/nə ʊ z||no ʊ z/ boat/bə ʊ t||bo ʊ t/ toe/tə ʊ ||to ʊ / tow/tə ʊ ||to ʊ /

/ıə/ as in dear Spellings: e, ea, ee, ie (all before r) Examples here/hıə(r)/ beard/bıə(r)d/ beer/bıə(r)/ pierce/pıə(r)s/

/eə/ as in hair Spellings: a, ae, ai, ei, ey (all before r) Examples hair/heə(r)/ bare/beə(r)/ heir/eə(r)/ bear/beə(r)/

/ ʊ ə/ as in poor (uncommon) Spellings: oo, u (both before r) NB! Only in RP. Is becoming replaced by / ɔ :/ Examples jury/d ʒʊ ərı || d ʒ u:rı/ poor/p ʊ ə || p ɔ :r/

Related words — different pronunciations grave /greıv/gravity / ˈ grævıtı/ nation / ˈ neı ʃ ən/ national / ˈ næ ʃ ən(ə)l/ type /taıp/typical / ˈ tıpıcəl/ Bible / ˈ baıb(ə)l/biblical / ˈ bıblık(ə)l/ discrete /dı ˈ skri:t/discretion /dı ˈ skre ʃ ən/ compete /kəm ˈ pi:t/ competitor /kəm ˈ petıtə(r)/

Consonants Produced by obstructing the airstream through the oral cavity. Can be voiced or voiceless

Mute consonants Some words are spelled with one or more consonants that are not pronounced. thumb/θ ʌ m/ Christmas/'krısməs/ sigh/saı/

Two ways of describing consonants The place in the mouth (for instance dentals – produced with the tongue touching the teeth) The manner of articulation (for instance fricatives – produced by creating friction in the mouth)

Types of consonants in English Plosives (stops) Fricatives Nasals Affricates Semi-vowels

The consonants of English 1 VoicelessVoiced Plosives/p/ pet/b/ bag /k/ kite/g/ bag /t/ take/d/ dog Fricatives/f/ fan/v/ van /s/ so/z/ zoo / ʃ / shore/ ʒ / vision /θ/ thin/ð/ then /h/ hat Nasals/m/ men /n/ men /ŋ/ sing

The consonants of English 2 VoicelessVoiced Affricates/t ʃ / church/d ʒ / judge Semi-vowels/w/ well /j/ yes Lateral/l/ long Frictionless continuant/r/ rose

Plosives Also known as stops. The flow of air is completely blocked and then released all at once. English has six plosives; three voiced and three voiceless.

The English plosives VoicelessVoiced /p/ pin/b/ bin /t/ tin/d/ din /k/ coat/g/ goat

/p/ as in pin, /b/ as in bin “p” is mute in words with pn- and ps- psalm/s ɑ :m/ pneumonia/nju:'mə ʊ nıə/ “b” is mute in most words with -mb thumb/θ ʌ m/, climb/klaım/ “b” is also mute in subtle/s ʌ tl/, doubt/da ʊ t/

/t/ as in tin, /d/ as in din Pronunciation: the tip of the tongue not touching the teeth “t” is mute in some words with -st- listen/'lısən/ castle/'k ɑ :s(ə)l || 'kæs(ə)l/ Christmas/'krısməs/ “d” is mute in a few words handkerchief/'hæŋkərt ʃ ıf/ Wednesday/'wenzdeı/

/k/ as in coat Spellings: k, c, qu king/'kıŋ/ cane/keın/ liquid/'lıkwıd/ quay/ki:/ “k” is mute in words with kn- knight/naıt/ knit/nıt/

/g/ as in goat “g” is mute in words with gn- or -gn: gnat/næt/ reign/reın/ sign/saın/ There are also other pronunciations of the letter “g”.

Fricatives The flow of air is partially blocked, to create friction. English has nine fricatives; four voiced and five voiceless.

The English fricatives VoicelessVoiced /f/ fan/v/ van /s/ so/z/ zoo / ʃ / shore/ ʒ / vision /θ/ thin/ð/ then /h/ hat

/f/ as in fan, /v/ as in van /f/ Spelling: f, ph, gh Phil/fıl/ enough/ı'n ʌ f/ /v/ Spelling: v Important contrast between /v/ and /w/ ! Note: of/ ɒ v|| ʌ v/

/s/ as in so Spellings: c, ss, sc, s-, sometimes -s cease/si:s/ advice/əd'vaıs/ miss/mıs/ sing/sıŋ/

/z/ as in zoo Spellings: z, sometimes s seize/si:z/ keys/ki:z/ has/hæz/ is/iz/

/s/ versus /z/ decision /dı ˈ sı ʒ ən/position /pə ˈ zı ʃ ən/ hiss /hıs/his /hız/ sink /sıŋk/zinc /zıŋk/ niece /ni:s/ knees /ni:z/ Slightly longer vowel sound before a voiced consonant!

/ ʃ / as in shore Spellings: sh, -ti-, -ci-, -si-, sometimes ch machine/mə' ʃ i:n/ Asia/'eı ʃ ə/ ancient/'eın ʃ ənt/ Charlotte/' ʃɑ :(r)lət/

/ ʒ / as in pleasure Spellings: -su-, -sion (preceded by a vowel), -ge treasure/'tre ʒ ə/ television/'teləvı ʒ ən/ prestige/prə'sti: ʒ /

/ θ / as in thin Spelling: th faith/feıθ/ Thursday/'θ ɜ :(r)zdeı/ thin/θın/ cathedral/kə'θi:drəl/

/ ð / as in then Spelling: th Important to know when to use /ð/ and when to use /θ/! then/ðen/ brother/'br ʌ ðə(r)/ breathe/bri:ð/ (but: breath /breθ/ )

/ h / as in hat “h” is mute in some words vehicle/vi:ıkl/ shepherd/' ʃ epəd/ Birmingham/'b ɜ :(r)mıŋəm/ heir/eə(r)/

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