Graphic Representation. English Segmental Phonemes in Writing. Mukhametsina

Graphic Representation. English Segmental Phonemes in Writing. Mukhametsina Albina, 972(1E)

What for do we need the graphic representation of sounds? Language performs its function as an important medium of human inter-communication not only in oral, but also in written form. It’s important to establish the relationships between sounds and letters which represent them. A letter or letter-combination representing a phoneme or a sequence of phonemes is called a grapheme.

One of the aims of phonetics is to study the connection between the oral speech and its graphical representation. The main principals of graphical representation: 1.Phonemic principle The main principle. Represents phonemes, but not its allophones. (In some languages allophones of the same phoneme are presented by different letters – Ы-И). The main unit of this principle – a grapheme. It has the same functions as the phoneme: Constitutive: written form of every word consists of graphemes. Distinctive: written form of every word may be distinguished from that of an other by different graphemes directly (opposed sounds are represented by different graphemes) and indirectly (graphemes differ from each other to homophones) 2. Differentiating principle great number of homophonous words sent-scent-cent 3. Historicaltraditionalconservative principle consist of preservation of such spelling that existed in early periods of language and no longer reflects the real pronunciation of words. Some letters seized to represent any phonemes because these phonemes a) seized to exist b) had dropped out from the particular ws c) letters began to represent newly developed or different phonemes graphemes either lost or changed their phonemic reference. Brought-taught-thought gh denoted the phoneme [h] in MidE, spelling survived even after [h] disappeared. Still it has a differentiating function – right-rite

Graphemes perform their functions in such a way: 1) dubbling of consonants noted - knotted; planed – planned; arrival – a rival; occure – a cure 2) The use of a mute “e” pet – Pete rat - rate born – borne step - steppe

Graphemes in English seldom have reference to single phonemes. One-to-one correspondance is ideal but it hardly exist. There are very few consonants which have one-to-one graphemic reference and they called single-valued phonemes: bay; way; may