Phonetics Flashcards
Where is the information stored?
The grammar
What is linguistics?
Scientific study of language
Linguistic Competence
What we know about the language and how to use it
Prescriptive Grammar
Rules about “proper” language use
Descriptive Grammar
Information about how the language is actually used
Ungrammatical
No meaning or lacks the intended meaning and is not understand
What is Phonetics?
Subdiscipline of linguistics that investigates speech sounds (phones)
Articulatory Phonetics
The physiological mechanics of producing speech sounds
Acoustic Phonetics
The physical properties of the sounds waves associated with speech sounds
Segment
Individual speech sound
Gestures
Features
How do we know segments are real?
2 answers
- Errors
2. (Relative) Invariance
Vocal Tract
A number of passages where speech sounds are produced by pushing air through
The Lungs
Vocal Tract
Air source
Vocal Folds, located inside the larynx
Vocal Tract
The sound source
Three “filters” that shape the sound produced:
Vocal Tract
- The pharyngeal cavity
- The oral cavity
- The nasal cavity
Voicing
Controlled by glottal state, the position of the vocal folds in the larynx
Voiceless Sounds
Vocal folds are spread apart, air passes through freely
Voiced Sounds
Vocal folds are close together, but not pressed tightly the air passes through producing vibrations
Three Major Sound Classes
- Consonants
- Vowels
- Glides
Consonants
Produced by creating either an obstruction or a constriction in the vocal tract
Non-Syllabic
Found at the edges of syllables
Consonants / Glides
What is the durations of:
Consonants?
Vowel?
Glides?
Consonants / Glides: Short in duration
Vowels: Long in duration
Vowels
Produced with a relatively open vocal tract
Syllabic
Found at the central points of syllables
Vowels
Glides
Sound Class
Hybrid category - Characteristics of consonants and vowels
Place of Articulation
The point of obstruction or constriction in the vocal tract
Where it’s made
Manner of Articulation
The air’s ability to flow through the vocal tract
How it’s made
Labial
Using the lips
Bilabial
Both lips are used
Pay - [p]
Bay - [b]
May - [m]
Dental Sounds
Using the tip or blade of the tongue against or near the teeth
Labiodental
Using bottom lip and upper teeth
Fast - [f]
Vast - [v]
Interdental
The tongue blade is placed between the upper and lower teeth
THin / weaTHer - [θ]
Alveolar Sounds
Using the tip or blade of the tongue against or near alveolar ridge Tip - [t] Dip - [d] Sip - [s] Zip - [z]
Alveopalatal Sound
Placing the tongue blade near the area just behind the alveolar ridge (the alveopalatal area) fiSSion - [ʃ] viSion - [ʒ] CHoke - [tʃ] Joke - [dʒ]
Palatal Sounds
Placing the tongue body against or near the hard palate
Yes - [j]
Velar Sounds
Placing tongue dorsum against or near the velum (soft palate)
Cart - [k]
Guard - [g]
Uvular Sounds
Placing the tongue dorsum against or near the uvula
Pharyngeal Sounds
Retract the tongue root, or by constricting the pharynx
Glottal Sounds
Sounds made at the glottis; the opening between the vocal fold in larynx
h in English - [h]
glottal stop - [ʔ]