Q1. What are the origins of the language?

1. The divine source.

2. The natural sound sources.
3. The social interaction sources.
4. The physical adaptation sources.
Teeth, lips, mouth, larynx and pharynx.
5. The tool-making source.
6. The genetic source.

Q2. What are the properties of human language?

1. Displacement.
The ability to talk about the past and future time. It allows us to talk about things we
are not sure of (superhumans and alien).
2. Arbitrariness.
There is no natural connection between a linguistic form and its meaning. (Dog)
3. Productivity.
The ability to create/invent new words. (Google it & watch out)
4. Cultural transmission.
The process where language is passed from one generation to the next.
5. Duality.
Human language is organized in two level.
1st level where we have distinctive sounds e.g., /O/, /B/, /K/, /I/.
have proper meaning.
But at 2nd level we combine these sounds to make meaningful words e.g., nip & book
At 1st level we have distinctive sounds and at 2nd
level we have distinctive words.

Q3. What is the difference between phonetics and

phonology?
Phonetics: is the study of speech sounds.
Phonology: is the study of sound patterns and
systems. (Basically, it is the rules that every
speaker of a language knows about the
patterns of that language unconsciously.)
Q4. Voiced and voiceless sounds?
When the vocal folds are spread apart, the air from the
lungs passes between them UNIMPEDED. Sounds like
these are called Voiceless
When the vocal folds are drawn together, the air from the
lungs repeatedly pushes them apart as it passes through,
creating vibrations effects. Sounds like these are called
Voiced
Note that all vowels are voiced.

Q5. Place of articulation?

1. Bilabials.
These are sounds formed using the upper and lower lip. [p], [b] and [m]
2. Labiodental.
These are sounds formed using the lower lip and the upper teeth. [f] and [v]
3. Dentals.
These sounds are formed the tongue tip behind the upper front teeth. You
can find this sound in the final sound of Bath, and you can find it in the first
and last sound in three & teeth it is usually referred to as
4. Alveolars.
These sounds are formed with the front part of the tongue on the alveolar
ridge. [t], [d], [s], [z] and [n]
Q6. Manner of articulation?
How the sounds are articulated.
1. Stops.
A consonant produced by stopping the airflow, then letting it go. [p]-
[k]-[g]-[t]-[b]
2. Fricatives.
A consonant produced by almost blocking the airflow. [z]-[s]-[f]-[v]
3. Nasals.
A sound produced through the nose. [m]-[n]-[ng]
1. Vowels.
Sounds produced with relatively free flow of air.
2. Diphthongs
Sounds consists of a combination of two vowel sounds.

1. Phoneme.
The smallest unit of sound within a spoken word.
2. Minimal pairs.
two words that are identical in form except for one phoneme in the
same position.
3. Syllables.
A single unit of speech, in English usually containing a vowel.
4. Consonant clusters.
Two or more consonant in a sequence.