Phonetics

What is Phonetics?

• The study of the characteristics of speech sounds• Other terminology:• Articulatory phonetics: How speech sounds are

made• Acoustic phonetics: physical properties of speech

as sound waves in the air• Auditory phonetics: the perception of sound via

the ear

Place of articulation

• Bilabials:• P, b, m, and w• Labiodentals: f and v• Dentals: θ, ð• Alveolars: t,d,s,z,n,r,l• Palatals: ʃ, ʒ, dʒ, j, tʃ• Velars: k,g, ŋ• Glottals: h

Manner of articulation

• Stops: p,b,t,d,k,g• Fricatives: dʒ, tʃ• Nasals: m,n, ŋ• Liquids: l,r• Glides: w,j,h• Glottal stop: ʔ• Flap: ɾ or D

Vowels

• Chart of English Vowels •  

• Diphthongs

Minimal pairs

• minimal pairs are pairs of words or phrases in a particular language, which differ in only one phonological element

• As an example for English vowels, the pair "let" + "lit" can be used to demonstrate that the phones [ɛ] (in let) and [ɪ] (in lit) do in fact represent distinct phonemes /ɛ/ and /ɪ/. An example for English consonants is the minimal pair of "pat" + "bat".

Challenges for non-native speakers

• What are the differences between Arabic and English that sometimes make it difficult for the Arab non-native speakers to produce the sounds of English properly? Can dialectical differences in Arabic render in different accents in pronouncing the same sound?

• Do other nationalities have similar problems?

Assignment

• pliz, du ðə stədi gajd kwɛstʃənz ænd pripɛr jʊrsɛlvz fɔr ðə ɪntərm.θæŋk ju.