1. Chapter 2 Phonetics and Phonology

2. Phonetics
----A branch of linguistics which studies the characteristics of speech sounds and provides methods for their description, classification and transcription, e.g. [p] bilabial, stop.

3. Three branches of phonetics
Articulatory phonetics----from the speakers’ point of view, “how speakers produce speech sounds”
Auditory phonetics----from the hearers’ point of view, “how sounds are perceived”
Acoustic phonetics----from the physical way or means by which sounds are transmitted from one to another.

4. Speech organs: three important areas
Pharyngeal cavity ---- the throat;
The oral cavity ---- the mouth;
Nasal cavity ---- the nose.

5. The diagram of speech organs
Lips
Teeth
Teeth ridge (alveolar)
Hard palate
Soft palate (velum)
Uvula
Tip of tongue
Blade of tongue
Back of tongue
Vocal cords
Pharyngeal cavity
Nasal cavity

6. Orthographic representation of speech sounds
---- A standardized and internationally accepted system of phonetic transcription is the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The basic principle of the IPA is using one letter to represent one speech sound.
Broad transcription ---- used in dictionary and textbook for general purpose, without diacritics, e.g. clear [ l ], [ pit ]
Narrow transcription ---- used by phonetician for careful study, with diacritics, e.g. dark [ l ], aspirated [ p ]

7. Some major articulatory variables
---- dimensions on which speech sounds may vary:
Voicing---- voiced & voiceless
Nasality ---- nasal & non-nasal
Aspiration aspirated & unaspirated

8. Classification of English speech sounds
---- English speech sounds are generally classified into two large categories:
Vowels
Consonants
Note: The essential difference between these two classes is that in the production of the former the airstream meets with no obstruction of any kind in the throat, the nose or the mouth, while in that of the latter it is somehow obstructed.

9. The Table of Phonetic Transcription in English

10. Classification of consonants
---- English consonants may be classified according to two dimensions:
The manner of articulation
The place of articulation

11. The manner of articulation
stops/plosives: [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g];
fricatives: [f], [v], [s], [z], [W], [T], [F], [V], [h];
affricates: [tF], [dV];
liquids: [l](lateral), [r];
nasals: [m], [n], [N];
glides/semivowels: [w], [j].

12. The place of articulation
bilabial: [p], [b], [m], [w];
labiodental: [ f ], [v];
dental: [W], [T];
alveolar: [t], [d], [s], [z], [n], [l], [r];
palatal: [F], [V], [tF], [dV], [ j ];
velar: [k], [g], [N];
glottal: [h].

13. The place of articulation
Bilabial;
Labiodental;
Dental or interdental;
Alveolar;
Palatoalveolar;
Palatal;
Velar;
Uvular;
Glottal.

14. The description of English consonants
Place
manner
Voic-ing
Bila-
bial
Labio-
dental
Dental
Alveo-lar
Palatal
Velar
Glottal
Stops or plosives VL
[ p ]
[ t ]
[ k ] VD
[ b ]
[ d ]
[ g ]
Frica-tives
[ f ]
[ W ]
[ s ]
[ F ]
[h]
[ v ]
[ T ]
[ z ]
[ V ]
Affri-
cates
([tF] )
[tF]
([dV])
[dV]
Nasals
[m]
[n]
[ N ]
Liquids
[l], [r]
Glides
[w]
[ j ]

15. Classification of vowels
---- English vowels can be divided into two large categories:
Monophthongs or pure/single vowels
Diphthongs or gliding vowels

16. Monophthongs or pure/single vowels
----According to which part of the tongue is held highest in the process of production, the vowels can be distinguished as:
front vowels: [I:], [I], [e], [Z], [A], [B];
central vowels: [E:], [E], [Q];
back vowels: [u:], [u], [C:], [C], [B:].

17. According to the openness of the mouth
Close: [I:], [I], [u:], [u].
Semi-close: [e], [E:];
Semi-open: [E], [C];
Open: [A], [B], [C], [B:], [Q];

18. The diagram of single vowel classification by applying the two criteria so far mentioned:

19. According to the shape of the lips or the degree of lip rounding
rounded: [u:], [u], [C:], [C];
unrounded: [I:], [I], [e], [Z], [A], [B], [E:], [E], [Q], [B:].

20. According to the length of the vowels
long: [I:], [E:], [u:], [C:], [B:]
short: [I], [e], [Z], [A], [E], [Q], [B], [u], [C].

21. Diphthongs/gliding vowels
[ei], [ai], [aU], [EU], [Ri], [iE], [ZE], [UE].

22. Exercises: underline the words that begin with a sound as required.
A bilabial consonant: mad sad bad cad pad had lad
A velar consonant: nod god cod pod rod
Labiodental consonant: rat fat sat mat chat vat pat
An alveolar consonant: nick lick sick tick kick quick
A palato-alveolar consonant: sip ship tip chip lip zip
A dental consonant: lie buy thigh thy tie rye
A glide: one war yolk rush

23. Underline the words that end with a sound as required:
A fricative
pay horse tough rice breath push sing wreathe hang cave message
A nasal
train bang leaf limb
A stop
drill pipe fit crab fog ride laugh rack through
tip
An affricate: rack such ridge booze

24. Underline the words that contain the sound as required:
A central vowel:
mad lot but boot word
A front vowel:
reed pad load fate bit bed cook
A rounded vowel:
who he bus her hit true boss bar walk
A back vowel:
paid reap fool top good father

25. Describe the underlined consonants according to three dimensions:
vd/vl place manner
Letter
Brother
Sunny
Hopper
Itching
Lodger
Calling
Singing
Robber
either

26. Phonology
Warming Up
Why Vowels in English are not classified as consonants?
How English vowels are classified? Or What possible ways do we have to divide the English vowels into different classes?
Describe [u:] by means of the different ways of classification. If a vowel is described as back, rounded, open and short, what sound is it?
What is liaison, elision and assimilation? Illustrate them with examples.

27. 2.3 Phonology
Phoneme: smallest phonological unit that distinguish meaning.
Form and meaning: signifier vs signified
Identifying the sounds:
sip zip alveolar/fricative/+-voicing
fine vine labiodental/fricative/+-voicing
chunk junk palatal/liquid/+-voicing
Phonemes involved: /s//z//f//v/t///
4. Testing: substitution (pen/ben; pen/pin)

28. 2.3 Phonology
Minimal pair: a pair of words identical in every way except for one sound segment in the same position.
Minimal set: a group of words differentiated by one sound segment in the same position.
Chunk
Ban
Bet
Fan
Fine
Sink
Site
Seed
Junk
bin
bat
van
vine
zinc
Side
soup
vowel
Feat; fit; fate; fat; fought; foot
consonant
Big; pig; rig; fig; dig; wig

29. 2.3 Phonology
Free variation: When the substitution of two or more sounds in the same position does not result in any change of meaning, they’re said to be in free variation. economics
You say [i]ther and I say [ai]ther,
You say [ni:]ther and I say [nai]ther,
[i:]ther [ai]ther [ni:]ther [nai]ther
Let’s call the whole thing off.
Distinctive features: features that distinguish one phoneme with another. Seal/zeal b d g
Stop +
Voiced
Bilabial -
Alveolar
velar

30. 2.3 Phonology
Supresegmental features: distinctive features above the level of individual segments over a sequence of two or more phonemic segments such as syllable, word, phrase and sentence which may also distinguish meaning.
Syllable: longer than one sound and smaller than a word.
Phonetically: a unit consisting of a center which has little or no airflow and sounds comparatively loud.(sonority scale: klasp14521)
Structurally:
syllable
onset rhyme
nucleus coda
Phonologically: it concerns the way vowels and consonants combine to form various sequences. (sequential rule:CCCVCCCC)sixths
Terms: Close/open syllable; Initial cluster: splash; medial cluster: pastry; final cluster: test
Three-consonant cluster
i. [s] ii. [p] [t] [k] iii. [l] [r] [w] [j]
e.g. spring, scream, string, squeal, square, splendid, stew

31. 2.3 Phonology
Stress: intensity or prominence given to one syllable rather than another.
Word stress: import/import
Phrase stress: black bird; green house
Sentence stress: I love you.
Logical stress: I love YOU.
Tone: pitch variation (妈麻马骂 car)
Intonation: variation in stress, pitch or loudness (falling; rising; fall-rise; rise-fall)
That’s not the book he wants.
Tone group
John didn’t come because of Mary.

32. 2.3 Phonology Summary: Phonology
Difference between phonetics and phonology
Phoneme
Minimal pair/set
Free variation
Distinctive features
Suprasegmental features: syllable, stress, tone, intonation, tone group
Homework: exercise 5,6 and 7.

33. THANK YOU