Ch 3 - Phonetics

Question 1

Why are the spelling/sound discrepancies?

Answer 1

1. Diverse origins
2. Old spelling system still being used for changing language.
3. English is spoken differently around the world.
4. A given word part may be pronounced differently depending on what is stressed.
5. Spoken forms differ across social situations

Question 2

Articulatory phonetics

Answer 2

focuses on the human vocal apparatus and describes sounds in terms of their articulation in the vocal tract; it has been central to the discipline of linguistics

Question 3

Acoustic Phonetics

Answer 3

uses the tools of physics to study the nature of sound waves produced in hhuman language; it is increasingly importnat in linguistics with attempts to use machines for interpreting speech patterns in voice identification and voice-initiated mechanical operations

Question 4

Consonant

Answer 4

is a speech sound produced by a partial or complete closure of part of the vocal tract, thus obstructing the airflow and creating audible friciton

Question 5

Voicing

Answer 5

whether the vocal cords are vibrating or not

Question 6

Place of articulation

Answer 6

where the airstream is most obstructed

Question 7

Manner of articulation

Answer 7

the particular way the airstream is obstructed

Question 8

Voicing

Answer 8

it is the result of air being forced through a narrow apeture (the glottis)

Question 9

Stops

Answer 9

formed when air is built up at a point in the vocal tract and released

Question 10

Affricate

Answer 10

a sound consisting of a stop and a fricative articulated at the same point

Question 11

Alveo-palatal consonant

Answer 11

a consonant whose place of articulation is between the aveolar ridge and the palate

Question 12

Approximant

Answer 12

a sound produced when articulators are close, but not close enough to create the consonant friction

Question 13

Back Vowel

Answer 13

a vowel pronounced with the tounge toward the back of the mouth

Question 14

Bilabial Consonant

Answer 14

a consonant whose place of articulation involves both lips

Question 15

Final Position

Answer 15

the enviornment at the end of a word, phrase, clause, or sentence

Question 16

Fricative

Answer 16

a consonant sond made by passing a continous stream of air through a narrowed passage in the vocal tract,

thereby causing turbulence, such as that created between the lower lip and the upper teeth in the production of [f] and [v]

Question 17

Front Vowel

Answer 17

a vowel pronounced with the tounge towards the front of the mouth

Question 18

Glottal stop

Answer 18

a voiceless consonant produced by complete closure of the glottis

Question 19

High vowel

Answer 19

a vowel pronounced with the tounge in a relatively high position in the mouth

Question 20

Initial Position

Answer 20

the enviornment at the beginning of a word, phrase, clause, or sentence

Question 21

Interdental consonant

Answer 21

a consonant whose place of articulation is between the upper and lower teeth

Question 22

Intervocalic Position

Answer 22

the enviornment between two vowels

Question 23

Labial

Answer 23

a sound whose place of articulation involves the lips

Question 24

Labialized consonant

Answer 24

a consonant that has been modified by added lip rounding

Question 25

Labiodental Consonant

Answer 25

a consonant whose articulation involves the lips and teetch

Question 26

Lax vowel

Answer 26

a vowel pronounces with relatively weak muscular tension

Question 27

Liquid

Answer 27

the name given to [r] and [l] oin order to distinguish them from other approcimants

Question 28

Nasals

Answer 28

a class of sounds (including the consonants [m] and [n]) produced by lowering the velum and allowing air to pass out of the vocal tract through the nasal cavity

Question 29

Obstruent

Answer 29

a cover term for stops, fricatives, and affricates, threee classes of consonant sounds that impede or obstruct the airflow by constricting the vocal passage

Question 30

Orthography

Answer 30

A system of spelling used to achieve a match between the sound system of a language and the alphabet representing it

Question 31

Palatal Consonant

Answer 31

a consonant whose place of articulation is the palate

Question 32

Pharyngeal consonant

Answer 32

a consonant which is articulated with the root of the tongue against the pharynx

Question 33

Stop

Answer 33

a speech sound created when air is built up at a place of articulation in the vocal tract and suddenly released through the mouth; called oral stops when nasals are excluded

Question 34

Stress

Answer 34

the relative emphasis given to a particular syllable in a word

Question 35

Tense vowel

Answer 35

a vowel pronounced with relatively strong muscular tension

Question 36

Uvular Consonant

Answer 36

a consonant pronounced with the aid of the uvula

Question 37

Velar Consonant

Answer 37

a consonant whose place of articulation is the velum, that is, a consonant produced by the tounge approaching or touching the roof of the mouth at the velum

Question 38

Voicing

Answer 38

the involvement of the vocal cords in the production of a sound

Question 39

Vowel

Answer 39

vowels are articulated without complete closure in the oral cavity and without sufficient narrowing to create the friction characteristic of consonants

Question 40

Vowel Length

Answer 40

the amount of time it takes to pronounce a vowel