Unit 5 Phonetics and Phonology

Phonetics Sounds produced by the human speech organs are called the “phonic/auditory medium” Phonetics is the study of the phonic medium; it deals with the physical part of speech; it describes and classifies speech sounds and their characteristics

Three branches of phonetics Articulatory phonetics – investigates and classifies production of speech sounds by speech organs Acoustic phonetics – transmission of the speech sounds through sound waves from speaker to hearer Auditory phonetics – perception and identification of speech sounds by the hearer’s ear and brain

Basic division of sounds: VOWELS vs. CONSONANTS Vowels: produced without any obstruction or restriction of the airstream Consonants: produced by temporarily obstructing or restricting the airstream as it passes through the mouth

Phonology Phonology is one part of the study and description of language systems; phonology draws upon the findings of phonetics Phonology deals with sound systems of particular languages

Phonology Phonetics: all the people have the same speech organs, the same production and perception of sounds Phonology: every particular language has its own selection of voices as well as its features