LIN 3201 Sounds of Human Language Sayers -- Week 1 – August 29 & 31

What is Phonetics? Study of human speech sounds :  Describing and classifying human sounds  Understanding production of sounds  Comparing and contrasting sounds across languages  Discovering constraints and limitations of possible human speech

Purposes of Phonetic Investigation Modifying or correcting pronunciation of second language students or actors Understanding dialectal differences and historical changes in pronunciation Assisting those with speech disorders

Forensic analysis of speech in law Discovering the phonemic system of a language – the way native speakers organize and perceive sound

3 Fields of Phonetics 1. Articulatory Phonetics  Physical properties of sound – how sounds are produced in the vocal tract 2. Acoustic Phonetics  Sound as a wave – air compression and disturbance as sounds are released

3. Auditory Phonetics  Interpretation and reception of speech sounds (Forensic Phonetics)  Application of all fields to analyze legal data

Phonetics and LIN Goals: 1.Understanding of the possible modifications of sound as it travels through vocal tract What does our body do to produce a given sound? 2.Representation of sounds by a phonetic alphabet Recognizing IPA symbols Understanding the physical properties each represents

3.Production of sounds Your actual practice in physical production 4.Perception of sounds Your practice in observation and perception A t tt thorough understanding of phonemes and sound system organization

A few caveats about sound…

Or, Why Phonetics is so hard… Adapted from Hardman 1996

Sound and Perceptions – Some Basics Sound is a wave – a fluid flow of “chaos”

We attempt, as humans, to organize, shape and structure these waves into meaningful units

>> Sound, as a physical event, does not repeat itself

This means that…  You individually organize sounds based on the structures of your native language(s) & the languages you have studied  Native language(s) act as filter; don’t “hear” phonetic distinctions; don’t hear phonetics directly

SO Phonetics is hard because… You are attempting to “observe” what your brain has worked against “observing”

In theoretical terms…  Humans perceive through repetition  Any actual repetition is a function of your human capacity, not of “sound” itself

Therefore… Keep in mind that your phonetic transcriptions are not “absolute reality” At best, transcriptions are approximations

The IPA International Phonetic Alphabet  One symbol represents individual elements of speech sound  Serves as shorthand device for unique set of characteristics in vocal tract

Consonants Columns  front of mouth  back of mouth Rows  Greatest stricture  least stricture

Vowels Columns  front of mouth  back of mouth Rows  Least open  most open

Articulatory Phonetics How sounds are produced by modifying air through vocal tract

4 Processes in producing sounds 1. Airstream mechanism 2. State of Glottis 3. Manner of Articulation 4. Place of Articulation (Consonants) OR Tongue & Lip Position (Vowels)

Active articulators

Anatomy Active articulators – speech organs, generally at the top of the mouth, that move toward the upper mouth to modify air Organs & Adjectives  Lower lip - labial  Tongue - lingual  Tip - apical  Blade - laminal  Back - dorsal  Root - radical  Epiglottis - epiglottal

Passive articulators – speech organs, generally at the bottom of the mouth, that generally remain inactive during speech Organs & Adjectives  Upper lip - labial  Upper Teeth - dental  Alveolar Ridge – alveolar  Hard Palate – palatal  Soft Palate (velum) – velar  Uvula (uvular flap) - uvular

General Diagram of Vocal Tract

Other Speech Organs Organs & Adjectives  Pharynx – pharyngeal  Glottis – glottal  Larynx – laryngeal  Vocal Folds/Cords  Oral Cavity  Nasal Cavity  Lungs