Ling 290 Midterm 1 Flashcards
Acoustic phonetics
Physical properties of speech sound waves generated by larynx and vocal tract
Articulatory phonetics
How speech sounds are produced in the vocal tract
Phonetics
Study of articulatory/acoustic properties of sound
Phonology
Abstract principles that govern the form and distribution of sounds in a language
Sound waves produced by complex interaction of:
Outward flow of air from lungs, modifications of airflow at the larynx, additional modifications of airflow by position and movement of tongue and other structures in vocal tract
Difference of air flow during breathing and speech?
3-4 times as much air exhaled during speech
Difference in breathing rhythm when speaking?
Inhalation more rapid and exhalation drawn out
Diaphragm’s function during speech?
Contracts to expand lungs (diaphragm lowers and flattens out to make space for lungs in chest cavity)
Larynx
Muscle + cartilage located on top of trachea, contains vocal folds
Vocal folds
Muscular bands of tissue that stretch front to back in larynx, controls resistance of air and pitch
Difference in vocal fold position during quiet breathing, swallowing and speech?
Quiet breathing: cords relaxed and spread apart to allow free flow of air
Swallowing: cords closed tight as not to allow anything in
Speech: vibrating with rapid airflow and proper spacing
Voicing
Rapid vibration of vocal folds
What determines pitch?
Frequency of vibration of vocal folds
Voiced vs voiceless?
Voiceless sounds= vocal folds more spread apart and tense so less vibration
Glottis
Space between vocal folds
Glottal sounds
Involve constriction or closure of glottis
The vocal tract
Region above vocal cords including oral pharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity; where human speech sounds produced
What’s the problem with using orthography to represent speech sounds?
1 letter of alphabet=more than 1 sound, vice versa
Consonants
Speech sound produced by stopping it severely constructing airflow in vocal tract
How to describe consonant sounds?
Place and manner of articulation
What are stops?
Airflow completely obstructed during speech
What are fricatives?
Sound produced when air forced through a narrow opening in vocal tract thus sound created by friction
What are affricates?
Starts as a stop but releases into a fricative (constricted vocal folds causing friction)
What are nasals?
Voiced oral stops but airflow and sound energy channeled into nasal cavity (due to lowering of velum)
What are liquids?
Smooth and flows easily; share properties of both consonants and vowels
Tongue blade raised towards alveolar ridge (consonant)
Air passes without friction (vowel)
Only sound in English is /l/
What are glides?
Vowel-like articulations that come after or before vowels
Smooth and continuous
Three types of vowels?
Lax (short), tense (long), reduced
Diphthongs
Single vowel sounds that begin in one vowel position and glide into another vowel position
What is the IPA?
International Phonetic Alphabet; set of symbols to represent speech sounds of languages of the world
Earliest attempt at phonetic symbols?
Alexander Melville Bell (father of Alex graham bell); famous teacher and writer, writing system called visual speech for the deaf, used symbols that represent vocal organ position and movement
Who created the organic alphabet and broad romic and what are they?
Henry sweet. Organic alphabet comes from visual speech and broad romic that resembled the Roman alphabet and symbols made from Isaac pitman and Henry Ellis
Who produced the IPA?
IPAssociation and Paul passy
Does English have non pulmonic speech sounds?
No: only tsk tsk or tut tut
Is a voiced glottal stop possible? Why or why not?
No because vocal cords cannot come together for the glottal stop and vibrate for voiced at the same time