INTRODUCTION

TO

PHONETICS &

PHONOLOGY
Study of the sounds of Speech
 Articulatory

 Acoustic

 Experimental

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The study of the sound patterns in languages
 Phonemes (vowels and consonants)

 Prosody (stress, rhythm and intonation)

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 Phonetics is just one of several aspects of
language. It is related to other aspects such
as phonetics, morphology, syntax and
pragmatics
 Here is an illustration that shows the place
of phonology in an interacting hierarchy of
level in linguistics.
the study of how sounds are
organized and used in natural
languages.

a branch
of linguistics concerned with
the systematic organization of
sounds in languages.
phonetics:
that comprises the study of
the sounds of human speech, or
in the case of sign the equivalent
aspects of sign.
phonemics:
is the study of the distribution
of sound systems in human
languages.
Segmental:
 It is analyses speech into
discrete segments, such as
phonemes.
Supra-segmental:
 It analysis those feature which
extend over more then one
segment such as intonation.
 Standard English

English
Pure Vowels 12
Diphthongs 8
Consonants 24
Definition:-
A vowel is a speech
sound made by the
vocal cords. It is also a
type of letter in the
alphabet.
Long vowels:
 If a word with a certain vowel in it
says the name of the vowel, then that
vowel is making a “long” sound. This
is known as a long vowel sound.
Example:
 the word “you” is a long
vowel word, because there is long U
sound.
short vowels:-
 A short vowel sound is a vowel sound
that does not follow this rule. When
reading a word that uses a short vowel
sound, will say the sound that the letter
can make that is not its actual name.
Example:-
 the word “bug” is a short vowel word,
because there is no long U sound.
Definition:-
 A consonants is a speech sound that is
not a vowel. It also refers to letters of
the alphabet that represent those
sounds: Z, B, T, G, and H are all
consonants.
 a basic speech sound in which the
breath is at least partly obstructed and
which can be combined with a vowel
to form a syllable.
Pitch:-
The pitch of a sound is determined by the
rate of vibration, or frequency, of
the sound wave.
Stress:-
stress is the degree of emphasis given a sound
or syllable in speech. Also called lexical stress or
word stress.
Juncture:-
is the manner of moving (transition) or mode of
relationship between two consecutive sounds. It is
the relationship between two
successive syllables in speech.
Phonetics
exercises
 tube that starts above the larynx and ends
behind the root of the tongue.

Top end of tube

The opening of
Back of the oral
the way through
cavity
nasal cavity

 Can be seen when the mouth is opened

 Soft part of the mouth (can feel it if lift the
tongue backwards and upwards)

May be raised
• To block the passage of the nasal cavity
• The airstream can only escape through
the oral cavity
• Oral sound = /s/ and /t/

Can be lowered
• To block the oral cavity
• Air can only escape through nasal
cavity
• Nasal consonants = /m/ /n/ and
/𝔶/
 ‘Roof of the mouth’
 Can feel its smooth curved with the tongue
 Palatal /j/ is produced.
 Located directly behind the top front teeth.
 Its surface is covered with little ridges.
 Alveolar sounds = /t/ and /d/
 Very important and flexible articulator

Tip

Root Blade
Tongue

Back Front
 Lined round the upper and lower sides of the
mouth(back almost to the soft palate)

 are produced when the tongue in the contact

with the upper teeth

 Dental sound = /𝜽/ and /ð/

• The lips can be pressed together and released suddenly
 /p/ and /b/

• or rounded
 Vowel /u:/
Labial

Using the lips

Bilabial (if both
lips are
SOUND involved)

Lips contact
Labiodentals
with teeth (/f/)
 Known as Adam’s apple or voice box

 Located in the larynx are the vocal cords

(control the passage of air to and from lung)

 The vibration of the larynx when to produce

voiced sound /z/
 The movement of the jaws (the lower one)
helps a lot in speaking

 Are not articulators as the same way as others

(cannot make contact with other articulators)
 Important part of vocal apparatus of making
sound (nasal consonants /m/,/n/)

 Are not moveable so cannot be considered as

articulators.
Place of Labio- Dental Alveola Palato- Palatal Velar
articulati Bilabial dental alveola Glottal
on r
r

Plosive
p, b t, d k, g
Fricative
f, v θ, ð s, z ʃ, h
Affricate
t,
d

Nasal
m n 
Lateral
l
Glide
w r j
PRACTICE TIME!
 PRACTICE MORE!