Phoneme:

The smallest sound unit in

any language that can be

differentiated from other

sounds, such as

the /s/ of sing and

the /r/ of ring.

Phonetics

The scientific study of

Phonemes or speech

sounds.

Phonology

The study of phonemes of a

particular language.

International Phonetic Alphabet

(IPA)

There are 44 IPA symbols.

These symbols represent the 44

sounds used in English RP (an

educated accent associated with

south-east England).

There are 24 Consonants and 20

vowels sounds symbols.

International Phonetic Alphabet

(IPA) Chart

DIFERRENCE b/w CONSONANT &

VOWEL SOUNDS

CONSONANT & VOWEL SOUNDS

CONSONANTS: (24)

A consonant is a speech

sound that is articulated with

complete or partial closure of

the vocal tract.

VOWELS: (20)

A vowel is a sound is pronounced

with an open vocal tract so that there

is no obstruction or build-up of air

pressure at any point above

the glottis.

Consonant

(A). Plosives or Stops:

Plosive sounds are

speech sounds produced by

complete closure of the oral

passage and subsequent release

accompanied by a burst of air.

For example, the sound /p/ in ‘pit’

or /d/ in ‘dog’.

In English there are 6 plosives:

3 voiceless and 3 voiced.

1. CONSONANT /p/,/b/ (BILABIAL)

In a bilabial consonant, the lower

and upper lips touch each other.

Sounds /p/ and /b/ .

2. CONSONANT /t/ & /d/ (Alveolar)

In an alveolar consonant, the

tongue tip touches the alveolar

ridge, the ridge immediately

behind the upper teeth. /t/ and /d/

3. CONSONANT /k/ & /g/(Velar) In a velar consonant, the back of

the tongue touches the soft palate,

or velum. English /k/ & /ɡ/

Consonant

(B). FRICATIVES

Fricative sounds are produced

when the articulators are brought

so closely together that the sounds

are accompanied by audible

friction.

All fricatives, except /h/, come in

pairs.

In English there are 9

Fricatives.

1. CONSONANT /f/ and /v/

(Labiodental)

In a labiodental consonant, the

lower lip touches the upper teeth.

English /f/ and /v/.

2. CONSONANT /θ/ and /ð/

(Dental)

In a dental consonant, the tip

or blade of the tongue touches

the upper teeth. English /θ/ &

/ð/

3. CONSONANT /s/ & /z/

(Alveolar):

The fricatives /s/ and /z/ are also

produced at the place of

articulation of plosive /t/ or /d/.

4. CONSONANT /ʃ/ and /ʒ/

(Postalveolar)

In a postalveolar consonant, the

constriction is made immediately

behind the alveolar ridge.

5. CONSONANT /h/ (Glottal):

Sound production involving only

the glottis is called glottal.

English has a voiceless glottal

sound "h".

/h/ (the phoneme in hot) is a

voiceless fricative, produced at

various points depending upon the

vowels in the vicinity. For example,

in ‘hot’, /h/ is velar, whereas in

‘heat’, /h/ is alveopalatal.

Consonants

(C). AFFRICATES /tʃ/ & /dʒ/

Combination of a stop and a

fricative - Affricates are

consonants that begin as stops

(most often an alveolar, such as /t/

or /d/) but release as a fricative

(such as /s/ or /z/.

The English has two affricates

/tʃ/ and /dʒ/ in IPA.

For example, Cheeze /tʃi:z/,

Jump /dʒʌmp/

Consonants

(D). Nasal Sounds /m/, /n/, /ŋ/:

These sounds are produced

when air passes through the nose

due to the complete closure in the

mouth at some points.

We have 3 Nasal consonants.

Bilabial /m/ Map /mæp/

Alveolar /n/ Nap / næp/

Velar /ŋ/ Finger /fiŋə/

Consonants

(E). Semi-Vowel /j/and /w/:

In their production, there is lack

of friction and the sounds are

vowel-like in their voicing but they

function as consonants.

Consonant /j/ (palatal)

Yes /jes/

Year /jɪə/

2. Consonant /w/ (bilabial)

We regard Consonant /w/ as

bilabial for place of articulation

because the two lips are rounded

during its production.

It only occur before vowel. Like

other consonants, Definite article

“a” is used with a word beginning

with /w/.

For example, Well /wel/.

(F) CONSONANT /r/ and /l/:

CONSONANT /r/

In RP (Received Pronunciation), /r/

is only pronounced clearly when it

is followed by a vowel sound. For

example, ‘arrive’ /əraɪv/.

/r/ is not pronounced when it is

followed by a consonant or it is in

the final position.

For example, ‘Bird’ /bɜːd/,

Teacher /ti:tʃə/

CONSONANT /l/ (Lateral)

The way of air through the

mouth does not go in the usual way

along the centre of the tongue. The

air escapes along the sides of the

tongue.

Dark /l/: the realization of /l/

found before vowels.

E.g. ‘Light’ /lait/

Clear /l/: /l/ sound found in other

context. E.g. ‘eel’ /i:l/

VOWELS

PURE VOWELS

(a). Long vowel sounds.

i: u: ɜ: ɑ: ɔ:

(b). Short Vowel sounds:

ɪ e ɒ ʌ æ ə ʊ

PURE VOWELS

Vowels

Front Central Back

Long short Long short long short

Close

iː

sheep

ɪ

ship

uː

pool

ʊ

Pull

Mid

e

Bed

ɜː

Bird

ə

America

ɔː

Call

Open

æ

Cat

ʌ

Cup

ɑː

Father

ɒ

Not, Hot

Diphthongs

eɪ aɪ ɔɪ aʊ əʊ ɪə eə ʊə

Day My Boy Now Go Here air Tour

MINIMAL PAIR: 1

A pair of words that differ

only by a single sound in the

same position.

/I/ /i:/

Sit seat

Hit heat

Will wheel

Mill meal

Bin been

MINIMAL PAIRs 2 (VOWELS)

Did dead

Fill Fell

Will well

Sit Set

Bill bell

Mint meant

Hill Hell

MINIMAL PAIRs 3 (VOWELS)

Back bark

Had hard

Ban barn

Am Arm

Hat heart

Pat part

MINIMAL PAIRs 4 (VOWELS)

Cot caught

Not nought

Pot port

Shot short

Spot sport

Don dawn

MINIMAL PAIRs 5 (VOWELS)

Part Pot

Sharp shop

Heart Hot

Shark shock

Dark dock

MINIMAL PAIRs 6 (VOWELS)

Pull pool

Should shoed

Full fool

Soot suit

Look Luke

SCHWA: /ə/ (VOWELS)

Schwa is the most common vowel

sound in English, represented as /ə/

in the IPA.

It is a weak, unstressed sound.

Any vowel letter can be pronounced

as schwa. stressed or not.

Man /mæn/ postman /pəʊmən/

The schwa represents a mid-central

vowel.

VOWELS

DIPHTHONGS

Diphthongs are types of vowels

where two vowel sounds are

connected in a continuous, gliding

motion.

They are often referred to as

gliding vowels.

English has 8 Diphthongs.

eɪ aɪ ɔɪ aʊ əʊ ɪə eə ʊə

VOWELS

DIPHTHONGS

VOWELS

DIPHTHONGS

/aɪ/ five, eye, my /aʊ/ now, cow,

out

/eɪ/ say, eight, day /əʊ/ go, home

/ɔɪ/ boy, join /eə/ where, air,

bear

/ɪə/ near, here, beer /ʊə/ pure, tourist