BLOQUE I Flashcards
What do phonetics and phonology study?
Phonetics studies the physical sounds of language, how they are produced, transmitted, and perceived. Phonology studies how sounds function and interact in a language’s sound system.
Why is phonetics important for Spanish learners of English?
Spanish speakers understand English sounds, improving pronunciation, listening comprehension, and communication skills.
How many sounds (phonemes) are in the English language?
The English language has 44 phonemes.
What is a phoneme?
A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word, like /p/ and /b/ in “pin” and “bin.”
What are minimal pairs?
Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one sound, such as “pin” and “bin.”
What is an allophone?
An allophone is a different way of pronouncing the same phoneme. For example, the /t/ sound in “tea” (aspirated) and “eat” (unaspirated) are allophones of the same phoneme.
What are the six basic factors that describe speech sounds?
The six factors are:
1. Air stream
2. Vocal folds (voiced or voiceless)
3. Soft palate (nasal or oral sound)
4. Place of articulation
5. Manner of articulation
6. Lips (rounded, spread, closed, or open).
What is the function of the soft palate (velum) in speech?
The soft palate controls whether air passes through the nose or the mouth. It is also used to make velar consonants like /k/ and /g/ when the tongue touches it.
What is the difference between bilabial and labiodental sounds?
Bilabial sounds are made when the lips touch each other, like /p/ and /b/. Labiodental sounds are made when the lips touch the teeth, like /f/ and /v/.
What are the four criteria used to describe vowels?
Vowels are described by:
1. The part of the tongue raised (front, middle, back).
2. The height of the tongue (high, mid, low).
3. The position of the lips (rounded, spread, neutral).
4. The position of the soft palate (raised for oral vowels, lowered for nasalized vowels).
How many vowel phonemes are there in English and Spanish?
English has twelve vowel phonemes, while Spanish has five.
What is a diphthong?
A diphthong is a sound where the tongue moves, or glides, from one vowel to another, like /ai/ in the word “eye.”
What is a triphthong?
A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and then to a third vowel, like in the word “fire” (from /aɪə/).
What are semi-vowels in English?
Semi-vowels are sounds like /w/ in “west” and /j/ in “yes.” They sound like vowels but are used like consonants, always before vowel sounds.
What is word stress in English?
Word stress is the emphasis or strength given to one syllable in a word. For example, in “pronunciation”, the primary stress is on the syllable -eɪ- (/prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃn/).
