1. Introduction to phonetics and English phonology
Uttalslära
Introduction to phonetics and English phonology

2. Course outline
Part of the language structure course (together with grammar, translation and vocabulary)
Written exam on 26 November

3. Course outline The course will focus on • Basic terminology
• Transcription and the International Phonetic Alphabet
• Spelling-sound differences
• Contrasts between Swedish and English

4. Course material
Introducing English Pronunciation by Rönnerdal & Johansson
Study Guide
Exercises

5. Variants of English Received Pronunciation (RP) “British English”
General American (GA) “American English”

6. Spelling versus transcription
Transcription is a way of writing down the sounds of the spoken language (phonemes)
In English, spelling does not correspond exactly to pronunciation

7. Spelling versus transcription: examples
Spelling Transcription
pin /pın/
juice /dʒu:s/
gnat /næt/
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): used for transcription of all languages

8. Voiced - voiceless
Voiced sounds are produced with the help of the vocal cords.
Examples: /a/ /n/ /r/
Voiceless sounds are produced without the vocal cords.
Examples: /f/ /t/ /s/

9. Vowels
A vowel is a voiced sound that is produced without any obstruction of the oral cavity. A syllable normally has one vowel sound.
English has 20 vowel sounds (but only 5 vowel letters).

10. Vowels: three characteristics
Vowels are open or close,
front or back,
rounded or unrounded.

12. The vowel sounds of English
/ı/ pit
/e/ pet
/æ/ pat
/ʊ/ put
/ʌ/ but
/ə/ above
/ɒ/ pot (only RP)
/i:/ see
/3:/ girl
/ɑ:/ father
/ɔ:/ door
/u:/ noon
/eı/ face, pain
/aı/ iron
/ɔı/ boy
/aʊ/ scout
/əʊ||o(ʊ)/ boat
/ıə/ hear (only RP)
/eə/ bear (only RP)
/ʊə/ poor (only RP, uncommon)

13. Monophthongs Also known as pure vowels. Only one sound (mono- = one)
Monophthongs can be short or long.

14. Short vowels /ı/ pit /e/ pet /æ/ pat /ʊ/ put /ʌ/ but /ɒ/ pot (only RP)
/ə/ above

15. /e/ as in bed Spellings: e, ea Examples herring /'herıŋ/ bread /bred/
said /sed/

16. /æ/ as in bad
Spellings: a
Examples
sad /sæd/
cabin /'kæbın/

17. /e/ versus /æ/ said /sed/ sad /sæd/ bed /bed/ bad /bæd/
head /hed/ had /hæd/
etc...

18. /ʊ/ as in put Spellings: u, oo, o Examples bull /bʊl/ wool /wʊl/
wolf /wʊlf/

19. /ʌ/ as in cut Spellings: u, o Examples but /bʌt/ none /nʌn/
front /frʌnt/

20. /ɒ/ (RP) as in got Spellings: a, o
GA has /ɑ:/ or /ɔ:/ in most words where RP has /ɒ/. A difference in length (quantity) as well as sound (quality).
Examples
gone /gɒn || gɔ:n/
bomb /bɒm || bɑ:m/
quality /'kwɒlıtı || 'kwɑ:lıtı/

21. /ı/ as in sit Spellings: e, i, y
Can occur in stressed or unstressed syllables
Examples
begin /bı'gın/
target /'tɑ:(r)gıt/
city /'sıtı/

22. /ə/ (schwa)
Spellings: primarily a, o, u ; sometimes e, i Only in unstressed syllables.
Examples
above /ə'bʌv/
polite /pə'laıt/
suppose /sə'pəʊz/

23. /ə/ or /ı/ ?
In an unstressed syllable, the vowel is sometimes realised as /ə/ and sometimes as /ı/.
The high front /ı/ is the usual realisation of e and i in unstressed position, while the mid central /ə/ is the realisation of a, o, and u, and in some words e or i:
center/centre /'sæntə(r)/
happily /'hæpəlı/

24. Long vowels
/i:/ see
/3:/ girl
/ɑ:/ father
/ɔ:/ door
/u:/ noon

25. /i:/ as in see Spellings: ee, ea, e, i, ie Examples free /fri:/
bead /bi:d/
police /pə'li:s/

26. /3:/ as in earth Spellings: e, ea, i, u Examples heard /h3:(r)d/
girl /g3:(r)l/
lurk /l3:(r)k/

27. /ɑ:/ as in dark
Spellings: a
Examples
castle /kɑ:sl/
star /stɑ:(r)/

28. /ɔ:/ as in door Spellings: a, au, aw, o, oa, oo, ou Examples
stalk /stɔ:k || stɑ:k/
yawn /jɔ:n || jɑ:n/
gone /gɒn || gɔ:n/
sword /sɔ:(r)d/

29. /u:/ as in cool Spellings: ew, oo, ou, u, ue Examples blue /blu:/
blew /blu:/
soup /su:p/
pool /pu:l/

30. Thank you for listening!