Phonetics and phonology Flashcards
phonology definition
- branch of linguistics
- studies the sound system human can produce
- speech within a language
phonetics definition
- branch of linguistics
- studies speech sounds independent of a language
phonetics characteristics
- sounds as such
- language use (parole)
- not language specific
- phones
- physical characteristics of speech sounds
phonology
- sounds as part of sound system/language (langue)
- language specific
- function (meaning differentiation)
- phonemes
- study of the sound patterns in 1 language
phonemes definition
= smallest meaning-distinguishing unit of a language
- abstractions (langue)
phone definition
= the concrete realization of a phoneme
minimal pair test
- words have distinct meanings
IF they consist of the same amount of phonetic segments and IF these segments are the same EXCEPT FOR 1 in the SAME position
-> we can do a minimal pair test
2 steps:
1. substitute 1 sound sequence by another (SOUND NOT LETTER)
2. decide if this change results in a change of meaning
-> if yes, minimal pair has been found! - 2 phonemes have been identified
BED X BET, BUD X BUT
how to establish the phoneme inventory of a language?
- by conducting a minimal pair test
phoneme characteristics
- relevant in phonology
- langue
-abstract entity
phone characteristics
- relevant in phonetics
- parole
- concrete realization
phonemes as a bundle of features
phonetics: every feature is relevant
phonology: only the distinctive in a specifit language are relevant
phonology branches
segmental
suprasegmental
segmental phonology
- examines function of individual sounds in a language - the segments
phoneme (langue level) = the smallest meaning-distinguishing unit in a language -> realised as a(n allo) phone
phonotactics
sonority hierarchy
suprasegmental phonology
- examines features of pronunciation over more than 1 segment - more individual sounds
word stress: unpredictable in English
rhythm: distribution od stressed syllables in a sentence
tone: pitch movement withing words (not in ENG.)
intonation: rises and falls in pitch at sentence levels
phonotactics (segmental phonology)
= restrictions to possible combinations of phonemes in a specific language
sonority hierarchy (segmental phonology)
= loudness
- rules influencing possible sound combinations
- many consonant combinations aren’t even possible
vowels
glides
liquids
nasals
fricatives voiced
fricatives voiceless
plosives voiced
plosives voiceless
phonological processes in speech
- in connected speech, may change according to sound environment
assimilation
elision
epenthesis
metathesis
intrusion
reduction
assimilation (phonological processes in speech)
= sounds influenced in quality by neighbouring sounds
regressive assimilation
influenced sound + influencing sound
progressive assimilation
influencing sound+ influenced sound
reciprocal assimilation
two adjacent sounds unite into one
elision (phonological processes in speech)
= omission od 1 or more sounds
- word can loose a syllable
epenthesis (phonological processes in speech)
= insertion of a sound into a word
- a voiceless plosive can gain sound;
metathesis (phonological processes in speech)
= transposition of sounds in a word
-nonstandard English aesk->aeks
intrusion (phonological processes in speech)
= transition between sounds or words carrying over a word-final consonant to a word beginning with a vowel
not at all -> notatall
special:
linking r, intrusive r
reduction (phonological processes in speech)
= reduction in vowel length, change in its quality
weak and strong forms
British vs American English
fear, hair, tour
= difference in diphthongs
- triphthongs r-colored
