University of Eloued

Faculty of Arts and Languages

Department of Arts and English Language

First Year Level

Syllabus of Phonetics

Organized by Dr. Mohammed NAOUA

Introduction to phonetics

Definition of Phonetics

1. Types of Phonetics
1.1. Articulatory phonetics
1.2. Acoustic Phonetics
1.3. Auditory Phonetics
2. Identification of English sounds
2.1. Speech Organs
2.2. The Alveolar Ridge
2.3. The Hard Palate
2.4. The Velum
2.5. The Uvula
2.6. The Vocal Tract
2.7. The Epiglottis
2.8. The Glottis
2.9. The Larynx
2.10. The Vocal Folds (cords)
2.11. Active and Passive Articulators
3. Parts of the Tongue
3.1. The Tip
3.2. The Blade
3.3. The Front of the Tongue
3.4. The Back of the Tongue
4. The Resonating Cavities
4.1. The Pharynx, the pharyngeal cavity
4.2. The Oral Cavity
4.3. The Trachea
5. How Sounds are produced .
6. Description and Classification of Consonant Sound
6.1. Definition of Consonants
6.2. Place of Articulation
6.3. Manner of Articulation
6.4. Voicing
6.5. Force of Articulation
7. Describing the Place of Articulation of Consonant Sound
7.1. Bilabials
7.2. Labio-dentals
7.3. Dentals
7.4. Alveolar Sounds
7.5. Post-alveolar Sounds
7.6. Palato-alveolar Sounds
7.7. Palatal Sounds
7.8. Velar Sounds
7.9. Glottal Sounds
8. Describing the Manner of Articulation of Consonant Sound
8.1. Plosives
8.2. Fricatives
8.3. Affricates
8.4. Nasals
8.5. Lateral Sounds
8.6. Approximants
9. The State of the Glottis: Voicing (Voiced/Voiceless/ Devoiced
Sounds)
9.1. Exercises
10.The Vowel Sound
10.1. Definition
10.2. Classification of Vowels
10.3. The main features for describing Vowels
10.3.1. Classification of Vowels according to the distance between
the part of the tongue and the roof of the mouth
10.3.2. Classification of vowels according to the part of the tongue
involved in the articulation
10.3.3. Classification of vowels according to the duration taken in
the production of the sound
10.4. Additional Features for describing Vowels .
10.4.1. The Shape of the Lips
10.4.2. The Muscular Effort exerted on Articulators
10.5. Examples of Vowel Sound
10.6. Practice
10.7. Primary Cardinal
11.Diphthongs
11.1. Definition
11.2. English Diphthongs
11.3. Closing Diphthongs
11.3.1. Practice: Examples of Closing Diphthongs
11.4. Centering Diphthongs
11.4.1. Examples of Centering Diphthongs
11.5. Transcription Activities.
12.English Triphthongs
12.1. Definition
12.2. Transcription Activitties