(刘润清版) chapter 2 the sounds of language

Chapter 2the Sounds of Language

phonetics phonology

Phonetics1. What is phonetics 2. articulators and their functions 3. voiced and voiceless sounds 4. nasal and oral sounds 5. Classification of English speech sounds: consonants and vowels 6. variations of sounds

Definition of phonetics Phonetics: the study of linguistics speech sounds, how they are produced, how they are perceived, and their physical properties.

Definition of phonetics By definition, phonetics is the science which studies the characteristics of human sound-making, esp. those sounds used in speech (i.e. speech sounds), and provides methods for their description, classification and transcription.

phonetics is the science which studies the characteristics of human sound-making, esp. those sounds used in speech (i.e. speech sounds), and provides methods for their description, classification and transcription.

production

transmission

perception

Branches of phoneticsPhonetics looks at speech sounds from three distinct but related points of view:a. From the speaker’s point of view: how a speaker uses his speech organs to articulate the sounds, which results in articulatory phonetics. articulatory phonetics: studies speech organs and how speech sounds are made (articulated) by the vocal organs. [our major concern]

b. From the hearer’s point of view: how the sounds are perceived by the hearer, which results in auditory phonetics. auditory phonetics: studies the perception of speech sounds.

c. From the way sounds travel: how sounds travel by looking at the sound waves, the physical means by which sounds are transmitted through the air from one person to another, which results in acoustic phonetics. acoustic phonetics, which studies the physical properties of speech sounds.

The process of producing speech The air breathed in→ lungs → the air pressed out→ ↗oral cavity windpipe (trachea) → larynx → pharynx → ↘nasal cavity

articulators vocal organs Vocal tract: the air passage which is above the vocal cords, and ends at the mouth and nostrils.

Speech organs: three important areas

The oral cavity ---- the mouth; the throat Nasal cavity ---- the nose.

The diagram of speech organs1. Lips 2. Teeth 3. Teeth ridge (alveolar ridge) 4. Hard palate 5. Soft palate (velum) 6. Uvula 7. Tip of tongue 8. Blade of tongue 9. Back of tongue 10.Vocal cords 11.Pharynx 12.Nasal cavity

Voiced and voiceless sounds Vocal cords

voicing

cords closed

cords open

Voiced and voiceless sounds Voiced: vocal cords drawn together, vibration [b], [v]…

Voiceless: Vocal cords apart, no vibration [p],[f]…

Nasal and oral sounds Air through both mouth and nose [m], [n], [ ] Usually voiced

Classification of English speech sounds---- English speech sounds are generally classified into two large categories: Vowels ConsonantsNote: The essen

tial difference between these two classes is that in the production of the former the air-stream meets with no obstruction of any kind in the throat, the nose or the mouth, while in that of the latter it is somehow obstructed.

Classification of consonants---- English consonants may be classified according to two dimensions: The manner of articulation The place of articulation