Staff Site Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta

Introduction to Linguistics
Week 5

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

1

Phonetics
Description of Sounds

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Definition and scope
 Phonetics

is the study of the production and
perception of speech sounds.

 It

is concerned with the sounds of language, how
these sounds are articulated and how the hearer
perceives them.

 Phonetics

is related to the science of acoustics
in that it uses much the same techniques in the
analysis of sound that acoustics does

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Fields


articulatory phonetics
→ deals with the configurations of the vocal tract used to
produce speech sounds; studies the physiological
mechanisms of speech production



acoustic phonetics
→ studies speech sounds in terms how we hear them
→ measuring and analyzing the physical properties of
sound waves we produce when we speak



Auditory Phonetics
→ the study of the perception of speech sounds.

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Units of Representation
 Feature:

subunit of segment, reflects individual
aspect of articulatory control produced by
articulation

 Segment:

individual speech sound

 Syllable:

a segment of speech that consists of a
vowel, with or without one or more
accompanying consonant sounds immediately
preceding or following

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Phonetic Transcription
 IPA

(International Phonetic Alphabet)
→ represents each sound of human speech
with a single symbol
e.g. [ə] ; [θ]

Why do we need the IPA?

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We need a system for recording speech sounds
accurately. English spelling is very inconsistent.
 Same

sound [i], different letters
e.g. see, sea, scene, receive, thief, amoeba,
machine
 Same letters, different sounds
e.g. sign [s], pleasure [ʒ], resign [z]
 One sound, multiple letters
e.g. lock [k], that [ð], book [ʊ ], boast [o], shop [ʃ]
 One letter, multiple sounds
e.g. exit [gz], use [ju]

 Silent letters
e.g. know, doubt, though, island
September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Sound Classes
Based on the phonetic properties shared:
 Vowels
 Consonants
 Glides

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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English Consonants
closure

larynx

place
Bilabial

Stop

voiceless
voiced
nasal

Fricative

voiceless
voiced

Affricate

voiceless
voiced

Approximant

voiceless
voiced

September 5, 2017

Labiodental

Interdental

p
b
m

Alveolar

Lateral

Palatal

t
d
n

f
v

θ
ð

Velar

Glottal

k

g
ŋ
ʃ
ʒ

s
z

č
ǰ

ʍ
w

h
r

intro to ling/ssn/2007

l

j

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English Vowels
height

tongue
root

Front

place

Central

Back

Unrounded Unrounded Unrounded Rounded

lips

High

tense
lax

i
ɪ

u
ʊ

Mid

tense
lax

e
ɛ

o
ɔ

Low

lax

æ

September 5, 2017

ʌ
ɑ

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Figure out the differences between consonants
and vowels in the following words.
 take

– above
 cart – at
 think – ugly
 bell – open
 feel – eel

September 5, 2017

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Major Differences
Vowels
 are

Consonants

produced with
relatively little
obstruction in the
vocal tract (obstruent)
 are more sonorous
(+sonorant)
September 5, 2017

 are

produced with a
narrow or complete
closure in the vocal
tract (+obstruent)

 are

less sonorous
(-sonorant)

intro to ling/ssn/2007

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Glides
 Shows

properties of both consonants and

vowels
→ rapidly articulated vowels
→ vowel-like in articulation
→ pattern/function as consonants
 Sometimes

are called semivowel and
semiconsonant
e.g. yet; wet

September 5, 2017

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