The Phonetics of English Pronunciation - Week 6 W.Barry Institut für Phonetik Universität des Saarlandes IPUS Version SS 2008
There were two tasks for homework! Identification and description of pronunciation problems Articulogram of „Index finger“
What problems did you identify? Sentence 3 & 4: One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building.
What problems did you identify? How many -related points? One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building. Potential problems: 11
What problems did you identify? How many FVC-related points? One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building. Potential FVC problems: 15
What problems did you identify? How many /l/-related points? One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building. Potential /l/ problems: 5 (+5 US)
What problems did you identify? How many R-related points? One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building. Total potential problems: 9 (+7 US)
What problems did you identify? How many /w/-related points? One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building. Potential /w/ problems: 5 (+ 2 over-correction danger spots)
What problems did you identify? How many dangers? One of the secretaries had whispered rather loudly to her friend that there were plans being hatched to close the local primary school and bus the children to the neighbouring village. The doors and windows would then be bricked up to discourage vandals, pending a decision on the future use of the building. Potential problems: 0
Your second task: mouth velum glottis Articulogram of: „Index finger“ / I n d e k s f I N g / alv alv vel alv lab-d vel vel xxxxxxxx
G _ rm _ ns’ pr _ bl _ ms w _ th _ ngl _ sh v _ w _ ls In written language, the consonant letters carry more information than the vowel letters. In spoken language, vowels carry much more information than the consonants. No vowels: No consonants: Both: Wh–n th– s–nl–ght str–k–s r– –ndr–ps –n th– – –r
Conson. When the sun - light strikes rain - drops in the air Vowels [ e aI aI eI / A I i E ] [ w nD s nl str ksr ndr ps nD ? ]
Which vowels are problematical? We identified the German pure vowels (monophthongs) in our second lecture: FRONT BACK unrounded rounded rounded Longbieten /i:/ hüten /y:/Bude /u:/ CLOSE Short bitten / I / Hütten / Y / bitte / / Butter / U / Longbeten /e:/ löten / O :/Boden /o:/ (Long bäten) / E :/ Short Betten / E / Götter / / Dotter / / bitter / / Long raten /a:/ Short Ratten /a/ OPEN
Which vowels are problematical 2? We can fit some of the English „pure“ vowels (Brit&USA) into the same framework: FRONTBACK unrounded rounded rounded Longbeaten -----booty CLOSE Short bitten -----fitter bushes Long Long (fairground) Short better bottle (fitter) Long father Shortfatter OPEN ////
Which vowels are problematical 3? Some of the English vowels seem to fit the framework….. but they are NOT identical FRONTBACK unrounded rounded rounded Longbeaten -----booty CLOSE Short bitten -----fitter bushes Long Long (fairground) Short better bottle (fitter) Long father Shortfatter OPEN /i:/ /u:/ /U//U/ //// US //// /A//A/ /A//A/ //// ////
Which vowels are problematic 3? We can fit some of the English „pure“ vowels (Brit&USA) into the same framework: FRONTBACK unrounded rounded rounded Longbeaten -----booty CLOSE Short bitten -----fitter bushes Long Long (fairground) Short better bottle (fitter) Long father Shortfatter OPEN /i:/ /u:/ /U//U/ //// US //// /A//A/ /A//A/ //// //// bait / eI / boat / U /
Vowel quality and symbols Universal Vowel Framework (Cardinal Vowels) I/Y U o/ e/Oe/O E/ // a/ A/ Close Close-mid Open-mid Open Front Central Back i/y /u
Vowel quality and symbols 2 ?i?i I ?e?e (E)(E) ?? US Br A US Br ii yy Y I U uu oo ee E (E)(E) OO a/a German English eI uu U UU / / Br US AA ()() Br US
Vowel quality and symbols 3: (diphthongs) I U I German English U aI aU II Br aI US aI Br aU US aU US I Br I
Vowel quality variants ii I e ii e I beat /i / bit /I/ bet /e/ bat / / ii I e SBE NZ & SA NBE
Vowel quality variants 3 “No hope” / U/ SBE/US-South Mid-West Conserv. RP NZ & Aus. Scottish NBE
Summary & Conclusions Vowels are very prominent signals of the sort of accent you speak The symbols used to represent vowels are only a rough indication of the vowel quality to produce. Nearly all English vowels (whether American or British) are phonetically different from German vowels. You need to understand what the differences are, hear them, and automate their production! Read Chap. 5, pp. 105 ff Complete and hand in the exercise (see exercise sheet)