Phonetics: Introduction

IDB164 – Week 3

Reading, Davenport & Hannahs

 Which of the following branches of phonetics is
more closely related to Linguistics?

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics

Articulatory Phonetics Speech sounds are created by

deals with the ways in modifying the volume and
which speech sounds are
produced
direction of a flow of air using
various parts of the human
respiratory system.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics

Speech sounds are

created by modifying the
volume and direction of a
flow of air using various
parts of the human
respiratory system.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.1. Airstream mechanism

airflow
It is initiated and travels
towards a direction
in the course of production of
speech sounds

the major initiator of the airflow is lungs

then it goes through the trachea (windpipe)
through the larynx
and vocal tract (mouth and nose)

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.1. Airstream mechanism

airflow
It is initiated and travels
towards a direction
in themost human
course languages of
of production
speechinvolve
soundsthis type of
airstream mechanism
and we call it
pulmonic
the major of the airflow is lungs
initiator egressive
then it goes(from the the
through lungs
trachea (windpipe)
outwards)
through the larynx
and vocal tract (mouth and nose)

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.1. Airstream mechanism

However, a number of
languages also employ other
possibilities:
the air moves inwards
ingressive airstream mechanism

egressive ingressive
air moves outwards air moves inwards

the flow itself may begin at velum velaric

the flow may begin at glottis glottalic

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.1. Airstream mechanism

pulmonic egressive – used in most human languages

pulmonic ingressive – none
velaric egressive – none
velaric ingressive – e.g. Zulu, Xhosa, etc.
glottalic egressive – e.g. Navajo, Georgian, etc.
glottalic ingressive – e.g. Sindhi, Hausa, etc.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.2. The vocal cords (folds)

As air is pushed from the

lungs, it moves up to the
trachea into the larynx.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.2. The vocal cords (folds)

When the vocal folds are brought together by muscular

contractions, then the air is forced and the air pressure causes the
vocal folds to vibrate.
‘bad’ - [bæd]
voiced sounds

When the vocal folds are open (or apart), the air passes through it.

‘pass’ - [pɑːs]
voiceless sounds

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.2. The vocal cords (folds)

These two positions - open and closed

- are the most common in the languages
of the world. But vocal folds may take on
a number of other configurations.

The sounds that are produced by completely

closing the vocal folds are called glottal stops.
(e.g. Some accents of British English:
Cockney, Glasgow, Manchester, etc.)
e.g.‘what’

Also, vocal folds may be open at one end and

closed at the other end.
This gives rise to creaky voice.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.3. The velum

The velum, or soft palate, is

a muscular flap at the back of
the roof of the mouth.

It may be raised or lowered while

speaking.

When the velum is lowered, the air

passes through the nose.

When it is raised, it cuts off the nasal

tract (velic closure).

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.3. The velum

When the velum is lowered, the air the first and the last sounds
nasal sounds of the word ‘man’
passes through the nose.

When it is raised, all the sounds in the

oral sounds
it cuts off the nasal tract (velic closure). word ‘frog’

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.4. The oral tract

So far;
The state of vocal folds decides on: voiced and voiceless sounds
The state of velum decides on: nasal and oral sounds

oral sounds
In terms of oral tract, we deal with
passive (upper surface of the oral tract) and
active (lower lip and tongue) articulators.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.4. The oral tract

passive active
articulators articulators
remain static move relative to
in the production of passive articulators
the sounds

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.4. The oral tract

In phonetics,
sounds are
classified in terms
of the position
and movement of
active and passive
articulators.

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.4. The oral tract

Relative positions of active and

passive articulators:

place of articulation manner of articulation

horizontal relationship vertical relationship between
between active and passive active and passive articulators
articulators
the place where we block the the behaviour of the airstream in
airstream the restriction point

IDB164 – Week 3
 Place of
Active Articulator Passive Articulator Example
Articulation
bilabial lower lip upper lip bat
labiodental lower lip upper teeth fish
dental tongue tip or blade upper teeth moth
alveolar tongue tip or blade alveolar ridge dog
area immediately Malayalam e.g.,
retroflex curled tongue tip
behind alveolar ridge [kuɽɽi] ‘child’
palato-alveolar (or area immediately
tongue blade shark
alveo-palatal) behind alveolar ridge
palatal tongue front hard palate yak
velar tongue back velum goat
French, e.g.,
uvular tongue back uvula
rat ‘rat’
Arabic, e.g.,
pharyngeal tongue root pharynx wall
[ʕamm] ‘uncle’
glottal vocal folds vocal folds hare

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.5. Description of consonants

• airstream mechanism
• state of the vocal folds
• position of the velum
• place of articulation
• manner of articulation

IDB164 – Week 3
 Example (the initial
Classification Method Descriptive Tools sound of the word
‘pig’)
ingressive vs. egressive
Airstream mechanism pulmonic egressive
(pulmonic, glottalic, velaric)
State of the vocal folds voiced vs. voiceless voiceless

Position of the velum oral vs. nasal oral

bilabial, labiodental, dental,

alveolar, retroflex, palato-
Place of articulation bilabial
alveolar, palatal, velar, uvular,
pharyngeal, glottal
stop, fricative, affricate, nasal,
Manner of articulation approximant (liquid and stop
glide)

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.6. Description of vowels

• Vowels are described by following:

• Height: Height of the tongue
• Backness: Advancement of the tongue
• Roundness: Form of the lips

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.7. Consonant vs. vowel

obstruction
i.e., degree of stricture
vowels = no obstruction (constriction / hindrance)
consonants = obstruction

evidence from production (i.e., phonetics)

IDB164 – Week 3
 1 Articulatory Phonetics
1.7. Consonant vs. vowel

syllable structure
Turkish: C V C C
vowels are found in the center of syllables, and compulsory
consonants are optional in the syllables

evidence from underlying sound system (i.e., phonology)

IDB164 – Week 3