Introduction to Theory of Phonetics Aspects of study

Introduction to Theory of Phonetics Aspects of study: production (articulation and phonation) acoustics perception function Purposes of study: descriptive / prescriptive; theoretical / practical Phonetics and Phonology

articulatory characteristics acoustic properties Auditory (perceptible) qualities melody linguistic phenomena vibration of the vocal cords fundamental frequency different positions and movements of speech organs formant frequency quality (timbre) phoneme the amplitude of vibrations intensity loudness stress the quantity of time during which the sound is pronounced duration length tempo, rhythm, pauses pitch

Connections to other branches of linguistics Orthography - the rules of reading are based on the relation of sounds to orthography. E. g. vowel sounds are pronounced not only as we name the letter i as /ai/, the letter y as /wai/, u as /(j)u: /, o as /ou/. But a can be pronounced as : /æ/ - can, /a: / - car, /eƏ/ - care; e can be pronounced as : /e/ - them, /Ə: / - fern, /iƏ/ here, etc.

Connections to other branches of linguistics Grammar - system of rules of reading: singular and plural forms of nouns, the past tense forms and past participles of English regular verbs, e. g. /d/ is pronounced after voiced consonants (beg-begged) and /t/ - after voiceless consonants (wish-wished), /id/ -after /t/ (want -wanted); - sound interchange: the interchange of /f-v/, /s-z/ helps to differentiate singular and plural forms of such nouns as : calf-calves, house-houses; - vowel interchange is connected with the tense form of irregular verbs: sing-sang-sung; write-wrote-written

Connections to other branches of linguistics Lexicology - The presence of stress or accent distinguishes nouns from verbs (formed by conversion), e. g : ‘abstract – to ab’stract / ‘object - to ob’ject - Homographs can be differentiated only due to pronunciation, because they are identical in spelling, e. g. : bow /bou/ - bow /bau/ || lead / lid/ - lead /led/ row /rou/ -row /rau/ - Due to the position of word accent we can distinguish between homonymous words and word groups, e. g. : ‘blackbird - ‘black ‘bird

Outline of the study course 1) Speech production mechanisms 2) System of vowels /system of consonants 3) Functional aspect of phonetics: phonemes and allophones 4) Modifications of sounds in connected speech 5) Syllables and rules of syllabification 6) Suprasegmental features: stress and intonation, accentual patterns 7) Varieties and styles of pronunciation 8) Comparison of Russian and English phonetics

Power mechanism of speech production

Speech production

Articulation of sounds Presence/absence of obstruction Concentrated or diffused muscular tension Force of exhalation Consonants Vowels Sonorants

Place of articulation: passive and active articulators

Place of articulation chart

Bilabial: voiceless stop [p], voiced stop [b], and (voiced) nasal [m]. Labio-dental: voiceless fricative [f] and voiced fricative [v]. Dental: voiceless fricative [θ] and voiced [ð]. Alveolar: stop [t], voiced alveolar stop [d], voiceless and voiced alveolar fricatives [s] and [z], voiced nasal [n], a voiced lateral approximant [l], voiced central approximant [r]. Post-alveolar: voiceless fricative [∫], voiced fricative [ʒ], voiceless affricate [t∫], voiced affricate [dʒ]. Retroflex: approximant [r]. Palatal: approximant [j]. Velar: voiceless stop [k], a voiced stop [g], and nasal [ŋ], approximant [w]. Uvular: further back than velar (nonexistent in English). Pharyngeal: made by moving the tongue body down and back into the pharynx. Such sounds do not occur in English. Glottal: voiceless glottal fricative [h]

Manner of Articulation STOP: pin || bin tin || din kilt || gilt [ p b t d k g ] - plosives [m, n] – nasals FRICATIVE: [f v Ө ð s z ∫ʒ] (spirants - s z ∫ʒ) fan || van thin || then sink || zinc shrill || genre AFFRICATE: chain || Jane [t∫] [dʒ ] APPROXIMANT: [r l w j ] as in read lead weed and yield (Liquids - the sound [l] is grouped with “r” sounds and [j], [w] are called glides) NASAL: [m n ŋ] LATERAL: [l] peddle || paddle || huddle || kettle || battle || cattle TRILL: an articulator is made to vibrate TAPS and FLAPS: lighter || rider

Summary: consonants a) THE AIRSTREAM MECHANISM the way in which the moving body of air that provides the power for speech production is generated and the direction in which it moves. (b) THE STATE OF THE GLOTTI S Voiceless sounds are produced when there is a wide open glottis, with a big space between the vocal cords; Voiced sounds are produced when the vocal cords are close together so that the air has to force its way through them, making them vibrate in the process. (c) THE PLACE OF ARTICULATION place in the vocal tract where the airstream is obstructed in the production of a consonant. (d) THE MANNER OF ARTICULATION the way in which the airstream is interfered with in producing a consonant.

Vowels Three basic modifications to the shape of the vocal tract: height, rounding and backness. 1) Height: Say the words in below carefully. Observe the position of the highest point of your tongue and your lower jaw. HIGH (close) LOW (open) MID [i] seek [u: ] pool [æ] sat [e] set [ι] sick [ ]ט pull [ ᾳ] part [ ]ס pot 2) Rounding of the lips: rounded /spread 3) Backness front / central / back

Systematic correlation

Cardinal Vowels

Vowels Stability of articulation: monophthongs || diphthongs Classification of diphthongs on the closing and the centring Type Constituent vowels Closing eɪ, ɔʊ, ɑɪ, ɑʊ, ɔɪ Centring ɪə, ɛə, ɔə, ʊə

Vowel classification for ESL purposes 1) stability of articulation; 2) tongue position: close a) narrow: [i: ] [u: ]; b) broad: [i], [u], [i(ə)], [u(ə)]; mid a) narrow: [e], [з: ], [ə], [e(i)], [з(u)]; b) broad: [ə], [٨]; open a) narrow: [ε(ə)], [ɔ: ], [ɒ (i)]; b) broad: [æ], [a(i, u)], [ɒ], [a: ] 3) lip position; 4) character of the vowel end (checked || unchecked); 5) length: 1. its own length; 2. the accent of the syllable in which it occurs; 3. phonetic context; 4. the position in a rhythmic structure; 5. the position in a tone group; 6. the position in an utterance; 7. the tempo of the whole utterance; 8. the type of pronunciation. 6) tenseness (tense || lax)