Phonetics
What is Phonetics?
DEFINITION
• The study of how speech sounds are made, and which sounds are used in a given language.
COMPONENTS OF PHONETICS
• Identifying the place of articulation in the vocal tract, mouth and nose.
• Identifying the manner of articulation, including how air is channeled and/or stopped during speech sounds.
• Identifying which speech sounds are used in any given language, and which are not.
How are they made?
Speech Sounds
How are they classified?
Consonants are formed by the slowing or stopping air somewhere in the vocal tract
Consonants
Types of Speech Sounds
Vowels Vowels are formed by changes in the shape of the vocal tract as air passes unimpeded
The Phonetics of Consonants
means where the vocal tract is shut off or narrowed
Place of articulation
Voicing
Manner of Articulationmeans how the vocal tract is shut off or narrowed
means whether air is forced through the larynx or not
The Anatomy of the Vocal Tract Your
homework is to go online and find out what the following articulatory places are and where they are located:
Glottis
Uvula
Consonant Place of Articulation 1: Bilabials
Bilabials are accomplished by narrowing the vocal tract using both lips
pin map boy
Consonant Place of Articulation 2: Labiodentals
Labiodentals are accomplished by narrowing the vocal tract using both the lips and the teeth
fan van
Consonant Place of Articulation 3: Apicodental
(Interdentals)
Apicodentals, also called interdentals are accomplished by narrowing the vocal tract
using the tip (apex) of the tongue between the teeth to narrow the vocal tract
there thing
Consonant Place of Articulation 4:
Apicoalveolar (Alveolar)
Apicoalveolar, also called alveolars are accomplished by narrowing the vocal tract
using the tip (apex) of the tongue against the alveolar ridge behind the teeth
dip tip
Consonant Place of Articulation 5: Alveolarpalatal
Alveolarpalatal are accomplished by narrowing the vocal tract using the tip (apex) of the tongue behind the alveolar ridge at the
front edge of the palate
shout judge child
Consonant Place of Articulation 6: Velums
Velums are accomplished by completely closing the vocal tract at the velum
get cat
Manner of Articulation
means how the shutting off or narrowing of the vocal tract is
done
Consonant Manner of Articulation 1: Stops
Stops are accomplished by completely obstructing the airstream
pick get dig
Consonant Manner of Articulation 2: Fricatives
Fricatives are accomplished by almost completely obstructing the airstream
causing friction
fish kiss shell
Consonant Manner of Articulation 3: Affricatives
Affricatives are accomplished by stopping the air flow and then releasing air to cause
friction
child gym judge
Consonant Manner of Articulation 4: Nasals
Nasals are accomplished by closing the vocal tract at the velum and forcing air
through the nasal passages
nickel man ring
Consonant Manner of Articulation 5: Liquids
Liquids are accomplished by restricting but not closing off air flow
leave ring
Consonant Manner of Articulation 6: Glides
Glides are accomplished by restricting but not closing off air flow followed by a slight
opening of the vocal tract
yet wash whistle
Consonant Manner of Articulation 7: Taps
Taps are accomplished by quickly tapping the tongue against another part of the vocal tract and is frequently found in the middle
of a word
letter ladder
Consonant Manner of Articulation 8: Trills
Trills are accomplished by forcing the tongue, uvula or lips to vibrate
In Spanish perro barrio
Two Types of Voicing
sounds are made by narrowing the vocal cords and forcing air between them
got bit
sounds are made by opening the vocal cords and allowing air to flow past them
caught pit
Voiced
Unvoiced
Classification of Vowels
Four Criteria for Classifying Vowels:
Tongue Height
Tongue Location (toward back or front)
Mouth & Lip Tension
Lip Rounding Vs stretching
Tongue Height
Three Positions:
High: bit straight pool cook
Mid Mouth: get wait spot rope
Low: bat got
Tongue Location
Three Positions:
Back: pool cook rope got
Center: but around
Front: hit heat pet wait bat
Mouth &Lip Tension
Two States:
Tense Relaxed
heat hit
soon soot
wait wet
Lip Rounding Two States:
Rounded Not Rounded
pool hit
look heat
wrote pat
caught pet
wait