An Introduction to Linguistics PHONETICS An Introduction to Linguistics

The study of speech sounds Phonetics The study of speech sounds

How to ‘write down’ sounds A transcription system should be consistent and unambiguous. One sound One symbol

Is English a good transcription system? The same sound is spelled differently. Sea, see, receive The same letter represents different sounds Sign, pleasure, resign A single sound is spelled by more than one letter. Shop, chair, special A single letter represents more than one sound. Exit, use Letters might represents no sound at all. Doubt, psychology

What do we use to transcribe the sounds? IPA International Phonetic Alphabet

An anatomy of articulation

CONSONANTS

How to describe consonants Voicing Place of articulation Manner of articulation

PLACE OF ARTICULATION

labials/bilabials [p], [b], [m]

dentals/interdentals [ð] [θ]

labiodentals [f], [v]

alveolars [t], [d], [s], [z], [n], [l],

[ž]/[ʒ], [š]/[ʃ], [ʧ]/[č], palatals [ž]/[ʒ], [š]/[ʃ], [ʧ]/[č], [ʤ],

velars [k], [g], [ŋ]

glottals [h]

Summary: place of articulation category places examples bilabials Two lips [b], [p], [m] Labio-dentals Lip & teeth [f], [v], Inter-dentals Between teeth [θ], [ð] alveolars Alveolar ridge [t], [d], [n], [l] [s], [z] palatals palate [ž]/[ʒ], [š]/[ʃ], [ʤ], [ʧ]/[č] velars Velum [k]. [g], [ŋ] glottals glottis [h]

MANNER OF ARTICULATION

Manner of articulation 1 stops By forming the complete obstruction of the airstream in the oral cavity [p, b, t, d, k, g] fricatives By forming the nearly complete obstruction of the airstream in the vocal tract and therefore producing slight ‘friction’ or ‘turbulence’. [s, z, ʃ, ʒ] affricates By shortly obstructing the airstream completely and then releasing it [a stop + a fricative] [ʤ, ʧ]

Manner of articulation 2 liquids The constriction of the airstream is not narrow enough to block the vocal tract or cause turbulence. [l], [r] glides By forming a slight closure of the articulators. Little or no obstruction of the airstream with the tongue in gliding fashion [j], [w] Nasals By lowering the velum so that the airstream goes through the nasal cavity only. [m], [n], [ŋ]

Manner of articulation (1) category distinction example Voiced vs. voiceless Vibration of vocal cord [p] vs. [b] Aspirated vs. unaspirated The ‘timing’ of vocal cord closure Top vs. stop Nasal vs. oral Air thru nose [m], [n], [ŋ]

Web Resources Phonetic flash http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/flashin.htm

How to describe a sound Voicing Place of articulation Manner of articulation Consonant description

Exercise 1 [p]=voiceless bilabial stop [v]= [g]= [z]= [ʤ]= [ŋ]=

Exercise 2 Voiceless interdental fricative= [ ] Voiced palatal affricate= [ ] Voiceless alveolar stop= [ ] Voiceless labiodental fricative = [ ] Bilabial nasal=[ ] Voiceless palatal fricative= [ ] Voiced velar stop= [ ]

VOWELS

How to describe vowels: criteria Height of tongue High, mid, low The part of the tongue is involved Front, central, back Position of lips Rounded, non-rounded Tense vs. lax

Vowel Chart FRONT BACK ROUND HIGH [i] (T) [I] [u] (T) [U] MID [e] (T) [ɛ] [o] (T) [ɔ] LOW [æ] [a]

[o]= tense rounded mid back vowel How to describe a vowel [vowel]= Tense/lax + (Rounded) + High/mid/low + front/back [æ]= low front vowel [o]= tense rounded mid back vowel

Suprasegmental features

Segmental Individual sounds suprasegmental length Intonation Tone Stress Pitch

The contrast of meaning due to length difference Inherent differences High vowels are shorter than low vowels [i] < [æ] Influenced by the sounds around. Bead > beat

The pitch variation that causes the contrast of meaning. Level tones A relatively fixed tone Contour tones A single syllable produced with tones that glide from one level to another.

Mandarin Chinese: a tone language segments Tone pattern Tone type [ma] High level Level High rising Contour Low falling rising High falling

Web Resources Online Intonation Pitch http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/oi/oiin.htm Pitch http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wtutor?tutorial=pitch

SOUNDS IN INTERACTION

Phonetics vs. phonology Describing individual speech sounds Phonology Describing sound patterns Describing the interactions between sounds

Example Phonetics Phonology [s] is a voiceless alveolar fricative. [z] is a voiced alveolar fricative. Phonology Cats, dogs /s/ is pronounced as [s] before a voiceless sound. /s/ is pronounced as [z] before a voiced sound.

Contrast between sounds/segments Sounds that contrast Example fine/dine; like/bike Contrast between sounds/segments [f] and [d] are contrastive sounds

A pair of words whose contrast lies in only one sound. Minimal pairs Example beat [bit]/boat [bot]/bat [baet] lobe [lob]/load [lod] A pair of words whose contrast lies in only one sound. The one-sound contrast also causes difference in meaning.

There is a minimal pair. What are the two words There is a minimal pair. What are the two words? What are the two contrastive sounds? Describe the sounds.

Phonological rules Assimilation vs. Dissimilation Insertion vs. Deletion Metathesis Strengthening vs. Weakening S j huang

Assimilation sink /-nk/ Assimilation sink [-ŋk] A sound becomes more like a neighboring sound due to certain phonetic property.

Fricative dissimilation Sixth[-ks] Fricative dissimilation Sixth[-kst] A sound becomes less like a neighboring sound due to certain phonetic property.

Voiceless stop insertion Hamster /hmst/ Voiceless stop insertion Hamster [hmpst] A phonemic segment is added to the phonetic form of a word.

deletion A phonemic segment is deleted at the phonetic level Ask him /skhim/ /h/-deletion Ask him [sk_m] A phonemic segment is deleted at the phonetic level

metathesis The order of the sounds is changed. Ask /sk/ metathesis Ask [ks] The order of the sounds is changed.

Questions?