The sounds of language

PhoneticsChapter 4

Phonetics- Basics

Definition: the study of human speech sounds

Know what an individual sound is.

Cat consists of [k] represented by the letter c, the vowel [æ] represented by a and the final [t]

The sound-spelling relationship

Did he believe that Caesar could see the people seize the seas?

To too two through threw clue shoe tough “uff“

cough “off“ bough “aw“ though “oh“ through “ooh“ borough “uh“hiccough “up“

The sound-spelling relationship

Spelling is not a reliable guide to pronouncing a word in English

A system is needed where one sound corresponds to one symbol and one symbol corresponds to one sound.

Phonetic Alphabet- one symbol for each sound.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to symbolize all sounds of all languages

Fields of Phonetics Articulatory phonetics

How sounds are produced Acoustic phonetics

Physical properties of sounds Auditory phonetics

How sounds are perceived

This class: Articulatory phonetics

Articulatory phonetics

Questions: How can we describe speech sounds in

terms of how they are produced in the vocal tract?

How can we transcribe these sounds?Goal: A systematic method of how to describe

and transcribe the sounds occurring in human languages.

How Are Sounds Produced? Most sounds are produced by an air

stream coming from the lungs passing through one or more speech organs.

Where and how the air stream is obstructed determine the identity of the sound produced.

When the shape of the vocal tract

changes, different sounds are produced.

Speech Production Mechanism

Nasal cavity Oral cavity Pharynx

Vocal folds Glottis

Energy sourceLUNGS

LARYNX

VOCAL TRACT (shapes

sounds)

(voicing)

Vocal Organs- articulators

Consonants & Vowels Sounds

Sounds

Consonants Vowels

Obstruction of airflow Free flow of air

Consonants

Consonants are classified according to three parameters.

Voicing Place of articulation Manner of articulation

Voicing

Voicing occurs in the larynx where the vocal folds are. When the vocal folds are held together,

they start to vibrate when air passes through them → a voiced sound.

E.g. zzzzzzzzzzz vvvvvvvvvvvvv When they are held apart, they cannot

vibrate; air passes freely through them → a voiceless sound.

E.g. ssssssssssssss ffffffffffffff

Places of articulation- English

Where in the vocal tract the airflow is restricted. Bilabial- two lips [b, p, m] Labiodental- upper teeth & lower lip [f, v] Dental- between the teeth [θ, ð ] Alveolar- front part of the tongue on

alveolar ridge [s, z, n, t, d, l] Palatal- front part of the tongue on the hard

palate [ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ, j] Velar- the back of the tongue on the velum

[k, g, ŋ] Glottal- through open glottis [h]

Places of articulation

Bilabials

Places of articulation

Place of articulation

Labiodentals

Place of articulation

Places of articulation

Places of articulation

Places of articulation

Glottal stop and flap Glottal stop [ʔ] occurs when the space

between the vocal cords (the glottis) is closed completely. American pronunciation of Oh oh bottle batman

Flap [ɾ] produced by the tongue tip tapping the alveolar ridge briefly. American pronunciation of Latter writer metal

Manner of articulation

[b] and [m] → voiced bilabials [d] and [z] → voiced alveolar [t] and [s] → voiceless alveolar

How are they different? In the way the air is restricted in the

vocal tract → manner of articulation

Manners of articulation Stops → complete blockage [p, t, k, b,

d, g] (also plosives) Fricatives → partial blockage [f, v, s,

z…] Affricates → stop + fricative [tʃ, dʒ] Nasal → through nasal cavity [m, n, ŋ] glides [j, w] → take the shape of the

vowel (also semi-vowels, approximants) Liquids → lowering both sides of the

tongue [l , r]

Manner of articulation

Consonants

Consonants

Consonants Can be described by using three

parameters: voicing, place of articulation and manner of articulation

Examples:[p] voiceless bilabial stop[n] voiced alveolar nasal[d][ŋ]

What is a vowel?

A sound produced without major constriction in the vocal tract No articulators touching or even coming

close

Since the sound is not produced by constriction, the energy comes primarily from the vocal cords Vowels are all voiced

Vowels Vowels can be classified by

answering three questions

• How high is the tongue?• High- mid - low

• What part of the tongue is involved?• Front- central- back

• What is the position of the lips?• Rounded or unrounded

Tongue positions

Tongue height High [i, u] Mid [ε, o] Low [æ]

Say seat, set, sat transcribed [i], [ε], [æ]

Tongue position

Tongue backness Front [i], [æ] Central [ə] Back [u], [o], [a]

Say he and who

Front and back vowels Who [hu] He

[hi]

Preview of vocal tract shaping

Say “heave” and “have”Say “who” and “ha”

What do you notice going on in your mouth?

Classification: Tongue Height

High: Heave Who

Low: Have Ha

Lip rounding

Rounded [u], [o] [u] noon

[o] boat Unrounded

[i] heat[I] hit

Vowel Chart

Diphthongs

A combination of two sounds vowel + glide

[aw] cow, loud [ɔj] boy, void, noise [aj] buy, eye, my

Vowels description

Can be classified according to three parameters: height, backness, and lip rounding

Examples:[i] high front unrounded vowel[u] high back rounded vowel

Phonetic Transcription

The best-known system: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

IPA has been developing since 1888. The system represents each sound of

human speech with a single symbol. The symbol is enclosed in brackets [ ].

Benefits of Phonetic Transcription

We can use IPA transcription across languages, there is one symbol for EVERY possible human sound

There is a 1-1 correspondence of sound to symbol

• Cat [kæt] • Cell [sel]

Consonant chart

Activity: identifying diphthongs call top Fright joy top Haste Avoid Proud Hide

Transcription Practice

Transcribe the following words• Kick• Boot• She• The• Thin

Important terms Articulatory phonetics articulators Consonants and vowels Places of articulation Manner of articulation Voicing Parameters for describing vowels Phonetic transcription