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CHAPTER 6:CHAPTER 6:PHONETICS:PHONETICS:

THE SOUNDS OF LANGUAGETHE SOUNDS OF LANGUAGE(221-254)(221-254)

PowerPoint by Don L. F. NilsenPowerPoint by Don L. F. Nilsento accompany to accompany

An Introduction to LanguageAn Introduction to Language (8e, 2007) (8e, 2007)by Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman by Victoria Fromkin, Robert Rodman

and Nina Hyamsand Nina Hyams

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ARTICULATORY PHONETICS (Callary 120)(cf Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)

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PLACE OF ARTICULATIONPLACE OF ARTICULATION

BILABIALS LABIO-DENTALS INTERDENTALS ALVEOLARS PALATALS VELARS

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 235)

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MANNER OF ARTICULATIONMANNER OF ARTICULATION

STOPS FRICATIVES AFFRICATES NASALS (NASALIZING) VOICING (Fromkin Rodman Hyams 235)

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MANNER OF ARTICULATION MANNER OF ARTICULATION EXERCISEEXERCISE

TALKING SOFTLY: Everyone in the class should talk softly TALKING SOFTLY: Everyone in the class should talk softly as they say something.as they say something.

WHISPERING: Everyone in the class should whisper as they WHISPERING: Everyone in the class should whisper as they say something. say something.

NOTE: In talking softly all of the vowels and most of the NOTE: In talking softly all of the vowels and most of the consonants are voiced, but in whispering none of the vowels consonants are voiced, but in whispering none of the vowels or consonants are voiced. When you talk softly in church or consonants are voiced. When you talk softly in church rather than whispering, your voice will carry throughout the rather than whispering, your voice will carry throughout the church.church.

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)

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NASALIZATION: The velic in the back of the NASALIZATION: The velic in the back of the throat opens and closes the nasal cavity to throat opens and closes the nasal cavity to allow nasalization or not. allow nasalization or not.

Everyone in the class should keep the velic Everyone in the class should keep the velic open as they say something so that all of the open as they say something so that all of the sounds will be nasalized.sounds will be nasalized.

NOTE: If the velic is defective, or if the palate NOTE: If the velic is defective, or if the palate is defective, then many sounds become is defective, then many sounds become nasalized that should not be nasalized. This nasalized that should not be nasalized. This is why people with a detective palate must is why people with a detective palate must have an artificial palate installed.have an artificial palate installed.

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)

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DENALIZATION: Everyone in the class should keep the velic DENALIZATION: Everyone in the class should keep the velic closed as they say something so that none of the sounds will be closed as they say something so that none of the sounds will be nasalized.nasalized.

NOTE: People with adenoid problems, or with colds in their NOTE: People with adenoid problems, or with colds in their noses sound denasalized.noses sound denasalized.

Now everyone in the class should hold their nose as they say Now everyone in the class should hold their nose as they say something. Is the resulting sound a nasal sound, or a something. Is the resulting sound a nasal sound, or a denasalized sound? Explain.denasalized sound? Explain.

QUESTION: Are the nasal sounds in English stops or QUESTION: Are the nasal sounds in English stops or continuants?continuants?

ANSWER: From the point of view of the mouth, they are stops; ANSWER: From the point of view of the mouth, they are stops; however, from the point of view of the nose, they are however, from the point of view of the nose, they are continuants.continuants.

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)

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CHANGE OF PITCH: The “voice box” is also called CHANGE OF PITCH: The “voice box” is also called the “larynx.” the “larynx.”

As air passes through the larynx it can be cut off As air passes through the larynx it can be cut off (voiceless), or it can be allowed through (voiceless).(voiceless), or it can be allowed through (voiceless).

If the air is allowed through, but the vocal folds are If the air is allowed through, but the vocal folds are held close together the result is a high pitch; if they held close together the result is a high pitch; if they are held close together the result is a low pitch. are held close together the result is a low pitch.

Pitch can be heard only in voiced continuants. Pitch can be heard only in voiced continuants.

All of our vowels, and most of our consonants are All of our vowels, and most of our consonants are voiced continuants. voiced continuants.

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227, 235)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227, 235)

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CONTRAST THE SOUNDS & SPELLINGS CONTRAST THE SOUNDS & SPELLINGS OF THE FOLLOWING WORDSOF THE FOLLOWING WORDS

psycho-sockspsycho-socks

though-thoughtthough-thought

easy-essayeasy-essay

pneumonia-newpneumonia-new

gnew-newgnew-new

knew-newknew-new

Thomas-tankThomas-tank

phone-peasphone-peas

rough-throughrough-through

bleached-blackenedbleached-blackened

cheese-cowcheese-cow

which-whowhich-who

wash-sugarwash-sugar

singer-fingersinger-finger

gem-getgem-get

(Fromkin Rodman (Fromkin Rodman Hyams 251)Hyams 251)

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REGIONAL DIALECTSREGIONAL DIALECTSCONTRAST THE FOLLOWINGCONTRAST THE FOLLOWING

cot-caughtcot-caughtmerry-marry-Marymerry-marry-Marymourning-morningmourning-morningpin-penpin-penwitch-whichwitch-which

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REGIONAL DIALECTSREGIONAL DIALECTSPRONOUNCE THE FOLLOWINGPRONOUNCE THE FOLLOWING

calfcalf

creekcreek

eithereither

greasygreasy

hoghog

lot lot

Mrs.Mrs.

nearnear

outhouseouthouse

roofroof

scheduleschedule

spoonspoon

tomatoestomatoes

washwash

withwith

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IDENTIFY THE SOUNDIDENTIFY THE SOUNDIDENTIFY THE FEATURESIDENTIFY THE FEATURES

Your teacher will give you three features, Your teacher will give you three features, and you will give the unique sound that and you will give the unique sound that these three features identify.these three features identify.

Your teacher will give you a sound, and you Your teacher will give you a sound, and you will give the three or more features that will will give the three or more features that will uniquely identify the sound.uniquely identify the sound.

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 235)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 235)

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POINTS OF ARTICULATION POINTS OF ARTICULATION (Nilsen & Nilsen (Nilsen & Nilsen Pronunciation ContrastsPronunciation Contrasts 85) 85)

(cf Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)(cf Fromkin Rodman Hyams 227)

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PHONETIC ALPHABET FOR ENGLISHPHONETIC ALPHABET FOR ENGLISH(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 225)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 225)

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PHONETIC SYMBOLSPHONETIC SYMBOLS(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 235)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 235)

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AMERICAN VOWELSAMERICAN VOWELS(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 239)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 239)

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PUNSPUNS

Richard Lederer in the introduction to his Get Thee to a Punnery said that puns are “a three-ring circus of words: words clowning, words teetering on tightropes, words swinging from tent-tops, words thrusting their heads into the mouth of lions.”

Tony Tanner said that a pun is like an adulterous bed in which two meanings that should be separated are coupled together.

(Nilsen & Nilsen 181)

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Debra Fried defined puns as “the weird accidents, amazing flukes and lucky hits that the one-armed bandit of language dishes up….”

This last example is a case of once-removed personification, since a “one-armed bandit” is itself a personified reference to a gambling machine.

(Nilsen & Nilsen 181)

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SIGN LANGUAGE SIGN LANGUAGE ARTICULATIONARTICULATION

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SIGN LANGUAGESIGN LANGUAGE(Klima and Belugi 42)(Klima and Belugi 42)

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 248)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 248)

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(Klima and Belugi 42)(Klima and Belugi 42)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 248)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 248)

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(Klima and Belugi 42)(Klima and Belugi 42)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 248)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 248)

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SILENT CONSONANTSSILENT CONSONANTS

For each of the following words with a silent For each of the following words with a silent consonant, think of a related word in which consonant, think of a related word in which the consonant is pronounced. This is not the consonant is pronounced. This is not possible for all words.possible for all words.

autumn, bough, corps, debt, ghost, gnaw, autumn, bough, corps, debt, ghost, gnaw, gnostic, hole, island, knot, knowledge, lamb, gnostic, hole, island, knot, knowledge, lamb, mnemonic, pneumonia, psychology, mnemonic, pneumonia, psychology, pterodacty, resign, sword, writepterodacty, resign, sword, write

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 224)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 224)

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SPELLING OF LONG VOWELSSPELLING OF LONG VOWELS

Short vowel sounds are easy to spell in English: Short vowel sounds are easy to spell in English: “bit,” “bet,” “bat,” “but,” “bot” (a horse fly)“bit,” “bet,” “bat,” “but,” “bot” (a horse fly)

But long vowels in English are chaotic in their But long vowels in English are chaotic in their spelling. We might add a “silent” e, or write more spelling. We might add a “silent” e, or write more than one vowel letter, etc.than one vowel letter, etc.

Furthermore, our sound system has changed Furthermore, our sound system has changed drastically, but our writing system has not, so on drastically, but our writing system has not, so on first blush, the English spelling system appears to first blush, the English spelling system appears to be chaotic. be chaotic.

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spelling inconsistenciesspelling inconsistencies

I take it you already I take it you already knowknow of of toughtough and and boughbough and and coughcough and and doughdough?? Some may stumble, but not Some may stumble, but not youyou,, On On hiccoughhiccough, , thoroughthorough, , sloughslough and and

throughthrough.. So now you are ready, perhaps,So now you are ready, perhaps, To learn of less familiar traps?To learn of less familiar traps?

(Bolinger 480)(Bolinger 480) (Fromkin Rodman Hyams 253)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 253)

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Beware of Beware of heardheard, a dreadful , a dreadful wordword That looks like That looks like beardbeard and sounds like and sounds like birdbird.. And And deaddead, it’s , it’s saidsaid like like bedbed, not , not beadbead;; For goodness’ sake, don’t call it For goodness’ sake, don’t call it deeddeed!! Watch out for Watch out for meatmeat and and greatgreat and and threatthreat.. (They rhyme with (They rhyme with suitesuite and and straightstraight and and debtdebt.).) A A mothmoth is not a moth in is not a moth in mothermother,, Nor Nor bothboth in in botherbother, , brothbroth in in brotherbrother..

(Bolinger 480)(Bolinger 480) (Fromkin Rodman Hyams 253)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 253)

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““THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER”THE WALRUS AND THE CARPENTER”by Lewis Carrollby Lewis Carroll

Write the following in phonetic script:Write the following in phonetic script:

The time has come the walrus said to talk of many The time has come the walrus said to talk of many things,things,

Of shoes and ships and seeling wax, of cabbages Of shoes and ships and seeling wax, of cabbages and kings,and kings,

and why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs and why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings.have wings.

(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 251)(Fromkin Rodman Hyams 251)

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SIMILARITY SIMILARITY THEORYTHEORY

In this series of jokes, the puns of the first In this series of jokes, the puns of the first joke represents total similarity (or joke represents total similarity (or

identity), and the puns in each joke from identity), and the puns in each joke from then on becomes less and less similar. In then on becomes less and less similar. In

the last joke, the punning words are so the last joke, the punning words are so dissimilar that it is a stretch to figure dissimilar that it is a stretch to figure

them out at all.them out at all.

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FORM-MEANING CORRESPONDENCESFORM-MEANING CORRESPONDENCES

Antonyms (woman-man), Heteronyms (bow-bow), Homographs (bank-bank [NOTE: These are also Homophones), Homonoids (sex and violins = saxon violence), Homonyms (to-too-two), Hyponyms (metaphor-metaphor), Metanalysis (un naperon => an apron), Polysemes (ring-ring), Synonyms (dog-hound)

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IDENTITYIDENTITY

Jorge Borges wrote a parody of Cervantes's Don Quixote. The parody used all of the same words, the same phrases and the same sentences as were in Cervantes’s original.

Borges claimed that his parody was much richer than the original because it contained all of the meaning of the original, plus it had all of the meaning of the parody.

In addition, the parody had the benefit of many years of literary criticism to add to its richness.

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POLYSEMY

POLYSEMY: When a single word has two different senses.

Q: What did one tonsil say to the other?

A: You'd better get dressed. The doctor's taking us out tonight.

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HOMOGRAPHY

HOMOGRAPHY: When two different words are pronounced and spelled the same.

Q: Why can't the leopard escape from the zoo?

A: Because he is always spotted.

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!HOMOPHONY

HOMOPHONY: When two different words are pronounced the same but are spelled differently:

Q: What's black and white and red/read all over?

A: A newspaper.

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!!HOMONOIDISM

HOMONOIDISM: When words are similar but not the same in sound and spelling:

1st: Knock Knock 2nd: Who's there? 1st: Eskimos, Christians, and Italians 2nd: Eskimos, Christians, and Italians who? 1st: Eskimos, Christians, and Italians no

lies.

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!!!METANALYSIS

METANALYSIS: An inaccurate understanding of where one word or phrase ends and the next one begins

Q: Why does a Frenchman have only one egg for breakfast?

A: Because one egg is an oeuf. (cf Fromkin Rodman Hyams 221)

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References:References:

Bolinger, Dwight. Bolinger, Dwight. Aspects of Language, Second EditionAspects of Language, Second Edition. New York, NY: Harcourt . New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975.Brace Jovanovich, 1975.

Callary, Edward. “Phonetics.” in Callary, Edward. “Phonetics.” in Language: Readings in Language and Culture, Language: Readings in Language and Culture, Sixth EditionSixth Edition. Eds. Virginia P. Clark, Paul A.Eschholz, and Alfred F. Rosa. . Eds. Virginia P. Clark, Paul A.Eschholz, and Alfred F. Rosa. Boston, MA: Bedford, St. Martins, 1998, 113-133.Boston, MA: Bedford, St. Martins, 1998, 113-133.

Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, and Nina Hyams. “Phonetics: The Sounds of Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, and Nina Hyams. “Phonetics: The Sounds of Language. Language. An Introduction to Language, 8th EditionAn Introduction to Language, 8th Edition. Boston, MA: Thomson . Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2007, 221-254.Wadsworth, 2007, 221-254.

Klima, Edward, and Ursula Belugi. Klima, Edward, and Ursula Belugi. Sign LanguageSign Language. Cambridge, MA: Harvard . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1979.University Press, 1979.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Don L. F. Nilsen. Encyclopedia of 20th Century American Humor. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2000.

Nilsen, Don L. F. “English Spelling as a Morphophonemic System: A Sociolinguistic Perspective.” Wisconsin English Journal 33.2 (1991): 25-37.

Nilsen, Don L. F., and Alleen Pace Nilsen. Pronunciation Contrasts in English. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press 1973 (Reissued 2002).