Chapter 2 Phonetics

Question 1

Phonetics

Answer 1

The study of the minimal units of language (e.g., the sounds of spoken language)

Question 2

Articulatory phonetics

Answer 2

Subfield of phonetics concerned with the production of speech sounds

Question 3

Acoustic phonetics

Answer 3

Subfield of phonetics that is concerned with the physical characteristics of the sounds of speech

Question 4

Auditory phonetics

Answer 4

Subfield of phonetics concerned with the perception of speech sounds

Question 5

Co-articulation

Answer 5

The adjustment of articulation of a segment due to the influence of a neighboring sound(s)

Question 6

Running speech

Answer 6

The usual form of spoken language, with all the words and phrases run together, without pauses in between them. Sometimes called continuous speech

Question 7

Articulatory gesture

Answer 7

A movement of a speech organ in the production of speech, for example, the movement of the velum for the production of a nasal consonant

Question 8

Segmental feature

Answer 8

A phonetic characteristic of speech sounds, such as voicing, place of articulation, rounding, etc.

Question 9

3 basic components of the human anatomy involved in the production of speech

Answer 9

1. Larynx
2. Vocal tract
3. Subglottal system

Question 10

Pulmonic egressive airstream mechanism

Answer 10

Airstream mechanism that produces speech sounds by modifying the stream of air forced out of the lungs and passed through the oral and/or nasal cavities

Question 11

Trachea

Answer 11

The windpipe; the tube between the larynx and the lungs through which air travels

Question 12

Vocal folds

Answer 12

Folds of muscle in the larynx responsible for creating voiced sounds when they vibrate

Question 13

Glottis

Answer 13

The space between the vocal folds

Question 14

Voicing

Answer 14

Vibration of the approximated vocal folds caused by air passing through them. When the vocal folds vibrate, a voiced sound is produced; when the vocal folds do not vibrate, a voiceless sound is produced

Question 15

Bilabial

Answer 15

Sound produced by bringing both lips together

Question 16

Labiodental

Answer 16

Sound produced by making contact between the lower lip and the upper teeth

Question 17

Interdental

Answer 17

Sound produced by positioning the tip of the tongue between the upper and lower teeth

Question 18

Alveolar

Answer 18

Sound produced by raising the front of the tongue toward the front of the upper alveolar ridge (a bony ridge of the upper or lower jaw that contains the sockets for the teeth. In phonetics, usually refers specifically to the upper alveolar ridge)

Question 19

Post-alveolar

Answer 19

Sound produced by raising the tongue toward the front part of the hard palate, just behind the alveolar ridge

Question 20

Palatal

Answer 20

Sound made by raising the body of the tongue toward the hard part of the roof of the mouth

Question 21

Velar

Answer 21

Sound produced by raising the back of the tongue toward the velum (soft part of the roof of the mouth behind the hard palate, also known as the soft palate)

Question 22

Glottal

Answer 22

Sounds produced at the larynx

Question 23

Stop

Answer 23

Sound produced by completely obstructing the airstream in the oral cavity and then quickly releasing the constriction to allow the air to escape (also called an oral stop when made with the velum raised so that no air escapes through the nose)

Question 24

Fricative

Answer 24

Sound made by forming a nearly complete obstruction of the airsteam so that when air passes through the small passage, turbulent airflow (frication) is produced

Question 25

Affricate

Answer 25

Sound produced by complete obstruction of the airflow followed by a slight release of the obstruction, allowing frication (can be thought of as a combination of a stop and a fricative)

Question 26

Nasal

Answer 26

Sound produced by making a complete obstruction of the airflow in the oral cavity and lowering the velum to allow air to pass through the nasal cavity, unlike oral stops

Question 27

Approximant

Answer 27

Consonant sound produced by constriction of the vocal tract that is not narrow enough to block the vocal tract or cause turbulence (can be subdivided into liquids and glides)

Question 28

Liquid

Answer 28

Sound produced with slightly more constriction than a glide, and in which the quality changes (is “liquid”) depending on where it occurs in a word

Question 29

Retroflex

Answer 29

Sound produced by curling the tip of the tongue back behind the alveolar ridge, usually to the top of the mouth

Question 30

Syllabic consonant

Answer 30

A consonant that is the nucleus of a syllable and takes on the function of the vowel in that syllable

Question 31

Glide

Answer 31

Sound produced with only a slight closure of the articulators and that requires some movement (“gliding”) of the articulators during production

Question 32

Flap

Answer 32

A sound produced by bringing two articulators together very quickly

Question 33

Nasalized vowel

Answer 33

Vowel produced while lowering the velum to allow air to pass through the nasal cavity

Question 34

Pharynx

Answer 34

The part of the oral tract above the larynx but behind the uvula (commonly referred to as the throat)

Question 35

Uvula

Answer 35

The small fleshy mass that hangs down at the back of the throat; used to produce uvular consonants