Phonology Flashcards
What is Phonology?
The study of sound system in the language and the effects of its particular features.
What is accent?
Language pronunciation variations.
What is dialect?
Grammatical and lexical variations (the words you use).
What is idiolect?
An individual’s way of speaking/using language.
What is sociolect?
Language associated with a social group which might be said to have their own distinctive styles of language.
What can form a sociolect?
- status
- education
- age
- occupation
- hobby
- gender
What factors influence accent/dialect?
- gender - stylistic (identity)
- regional - ethnic
- social class - age
- occupation - sexuality
What is standard English?
Accepted as the ‘correct’ form of English. It is local to nowhere and is used as a world language.
When is SE used?
Standard English is used in formal speaking or writing and is used by most official organisations for communication.
What is received pronunciation?
A prestige form of English pronunciation seen as the correct way of speaking. It is regionally non-specific.
What is Overt prestige?
Related to standard and ‘formal’ language features, and express power and status.
What is Covert prestige?
Related to more vernacular and non-standard forms and expresses solidarity, community and group identity.
What is prescriptivism?
An attitude to language that suggests some forms of language are more valuable than other. SE is the only correct way to use language.
What is descriptivism?
An attitude to language that describes what is there without judgement.
What is a sociolect?
A variety of language that is characteristic of the social background or status of the user.
What factors influence sociolect?
- Age
- Gender
- Occupation
What is a phoneme?
Smallest unit of sound in a language (the 26 letters of the alphabet). When a phoneme is joined with another phoneme, a new sound is created e.g. th, ing, ph
What does monosyllabic mean?
A word consisting of one syllable e.g. trick
What does polysyllabic mean?
A word consisting of more than one syllable e.g. trickery
What is phonetic spelling?
A system of spelling where each letter represents the same spoken sound, e.g c-a-t, b-a-t, p-i-g
When is phonetic spelling often used?
- in advertising phonetic spelling can be creative e.g. kwik fit
- in texting e.g. u, r, tho
What is prosody?
Non-word aspects of speech, e.g. tone, intonation and stress are known as prosodic/suprasegmental features
What is onomatopoeia?
When the sound of a word echoes its meaning e.g. splash
What is alliteration?
When two or more words begin with the same sound e.g. crisp, crunchy cornflakes
