Week 4, Phonetics Part 1

Question 1

Phonetic inventory

Answer 1

the set of sounds in a language

There are certain sounds we recognize and there are sounds we know are not part of American English

Question 2

Two components of the phonetic inventory

Answer 2

1. Consonants
2. Vowels

Question 3

Vocal Tract

Answer 3

structures that work together to produce speech sounds

Question 4

Parts of the vocal tract (6)

Answer 4

1. Alveolar ridge
2. Hard palate
3. Soft palate
4. Uvula
5. Pharynx
6. Glottis

Question 5

Why can’t we just rely on spelling?

Answer 5

English is full of inconsistencies

Question 6

*Why phonetics does not equal spelling (orthography)

Answer 6

Same symbol, different sounds
E.g. house vs hour (here h is silent)
E.g. clip vs ice (c pronunciation has different pronunciation)

Same sound, different symbols
E.g. he, believe, caesar, see, people, seize, seas (e used in different ways)
E.g. puff vs rough

Symbols that are not pronounced
E.g. S not pronounced in the world island
E.g. don’t pronounce the p in the word psychology
E.g. e is silent in the word make

Question 7

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

Answer 7

Symbols used to represent the sounds of the world’s languages

Question 8

Rules of IPA

Answer 8

-One symbol = one sound
-The IPA is universal: can be used to represent the sounds of any language
-IPA symbols are enclosed in square brackets

Question 9

Consonant

Answer 9

Produced with some closure in the vocal tract that impedes the flow of air

Question 10

Three features that distinguish consonants

Answer 10

1. Place of articulation
2. Manner of articulation
3. Voicing

Question 11

Place of articulation

Answer 11

where the consonant is produced

Question 12

Articulation

Answer 12

part of the mouth touches or interacts with another area of the vocal tract

Question 13

Eight places of articulation

Answer 13

1. Bilabial
2. Labiodental
3. Interdental
4. Alveolars
5. Palatals
6. Velars
7. Glottal
8. Labio-velar

Question 14

Bilabial

Answer 14

Sounds produced by touching the two lips together

[p], [b], [m] — e.g. pie, buy, my

Question 15

Labiodental

Answer 15

Produced by touching the bottom lip to the upper teeth

[f], [v] — e.g. five, van

Question 16

Interdental

Answer 16

Sounds produced by insertion the tip of the tongue between the upper teeth and lower teeth

e.g. “th” sound in thigh and thus

Question 17

Alveolars

Answer 17

Produced by raising the tip of the tongue to the alveolar ridge

[t], [d], [n], [s], [z], [l], [r] —e.g. Tip, dip, nip, sip, zip

Question 18

Palatals

Answer 18

Produced by raising the front part of the tongue to the hard palate

refer to image in notes for specifici IPA symbols

Question 19

Velars

Answer 19

Produced by raising the back of the tongue against the soft palate/velum

[k] [g] and ng sound – back, bag, and bang

Question 20

Glottals

Answer 20

produced with the flow of air through the open glottis

[h] sound in high, break sound in “uh oh”

Question 21

Glottal Stop

Answer 21

air is stopped completely at the glottis by tightly closed vocal chords

e.g. break in “uh oh”

Question 22

Labio-velar

Answer 22

labial AND velar: produced by a combination of pursed lips and raising the back of the tongue to the velum

[w] - e.g. which and witch

Question 23

Voiceless

Answer 23

vocal folds/cords are apart and air flows freely through the glottis

e.g. [s] in super

Question 24

Voiced

Answer 24

vocal folds/cords are together, air forces through, causing vibration

e.g. [z] sound in the word buzz, [b], [m]

Question 25

Manner of articulation

Answer 25

how the consonant is produced

Question 26

Stops

Answer 26

there is a complete obstruction of the airflow somewhere in the vocal tract

Question 27

Oral Stops

Answer 27

The velum is raised to block the nasal cavity so that when the stop is released, the air flows out through the mouth [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], and the break sound between uh-oh

Question 28

Nasal Stops

Answer 28

The velum is lowered to open the nasal cavity while there is blockage of air flow in the oral cavity ## Footnote [m], [n], ng sound

Question 29

Aspiration

Answer 29

a brief puff of air escapes after the stop is released, and before the vocal folds begin vibrating

Question 30

When are voiceless oral stops aspirated?

Answer 30

in word-intitial positions e.g. pool, tale, kale, spool ## Footnote These rules of aspiration can differ by dialects E.g. in indian english, word initial voiceless oral stops are not aspirated

Question 31

Fricatives

Answer 31

major but not complete obstruction of air flow in the vocal tract *The opening through which the air escapes is small so a turbulent noise is produced as a result (think of air escaping a punctured tire) ## Footnote refer to photo in notes

Question 32

Affricatives

Answer 32

made by briefly stopping airflow completely, then slightly releasing closure so that a fricative like noise is made ## Footnote e.g. ch sound in cheap, and j sound in Joe

Question 33

Liquids

Answer 33

minor obstruction of the vocal tract but air still passes through [l], [r] [l] is a lateral liquid Air passes along the sides of your tongue [r] is a retroflex liquid Tip of the tongue is curled back behind the alveolar ridge

Question 34

Glides

Answer 34

Very small obstruction of airflow; articulators move closer together but not by very much [j], You – [ju] [j] is a palatal glide [w] Labio-velar glide

Question 35

Trill

Answer 35

one articulation touches another in a very rapid fire, repeating motion ## Footnote Retroflex trilled [r] in Indian English

Question 36

Manner of articulation types

Answer 36

1. Stops 2. Frictaives 3. Affricatives 4. Liquids 5. Glides