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Inobel Universitas Negeri Malang (UM)
Phonetics
In this chapter, you will explore the characteristics of speech sounds (phonetics). You will also study (how speech sounds are made or articulated). In addition, you will look at the physical properties of speech as sound waves in the air, and auditory phonetics.
Phonetics
In this chapter, you will explore the characteristics of speech sounds (phonetics). You will also study (how speech sounds are made or articulated). In addition, you will look at the physical properties of speech as sound waves in the air, and auditory phonetics.
1. Defining phonetics
1.1. International Phonetic Alphabets
The first thing that you will notice when speaking a language is the sound, that’s why the first branch of linguistics that we will focus on deals with speech sound. The linguistic study that mainly covers speech sounds is phonetics (Yule, 2017).
There are three types of phonetics that we need to know: 1) articulatory phonetics; 2) acoustic phonetics; 3) auditory phonetics (or perceptual phonetics) (Yule, 2017).
In articulatory phonetics, we specifically look at how sounds in language are articulated/ pronounced.
In acoustic phonetics, we study the physical properties of speech, such as looking at sound waves that are produced when we speak.
In auditory/perceptual phonetics, we study how humans perceive sounds as they hear them.
(Yule, 2017; Akmajian et al., 2001).
The focus of phonetic analysis in this chapter is the first type, articulatory phonetics. When studying articulatory phonetics, you will look at different segments in a language, and learn how to articulate or pronounce them.
There are three types of phonetics that we need to know: 1) articulatory phonetics; 2) acoustic phonetics; 3) auditory phonetics (or perceptual phonetics) (Yule, 2017).
In articulatory phonetics, we specifically look at how sounds in language are articulated/ pronounced.
In acoustic phonetics, we study the physical properties of speech, such as looking at sound waves that are produced when we speak.
In auditory/perceptual phonetics, we study how humans perceive sounds as they hear them.
(Yule, 2017; Akmajian et al., 2001).
The focus of phonetic analysis in this chapter is the first type, articulatory phonetics. When studying articulatory phonetics, you will look at different segments in a language, and learn how to articulate or pronounce them.
Before we start, it is important that you learn a framework that has been designed by linguists over a century to map all segments or types of sounds in every human language. The framework is in the form of a chart, famously called the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
The full IPA chart can be found online at internationalphoneticalphabet.org.
When you open the website, you can find a chart with sounds. Every symbol in the IPA chart represents one distinctive sound. Click on each symbol, listen to the sounds carefully, and try to imitate the sounds to get a better understanding.
The full IPA chart can be found online at internationalphoneticalphabet.org.
When you open the website, you can find a chart with sounds. Every symbol in the IPA chart represents one distinctive sound. Click on each symbol, listen to the sounds carefully, and try to imitate the sounds to get a better understanding.
1. Defining phonetics
1.1. International Phonetic Alphabets
The first thing that you will notice when speaking a language is the sound, that’s why the first branch of linguistics that we will focus on deals with speech sound. The linguistic study that mainly covers speech sounds is phonetics (Yule, 2017).
There are three types of phonetics that we need to know: 1) articulatory phonetics; 2) acoustic phonetics; 3) auditory phonetics (or perceptual phonetics) (Yule, 2017).
In articulatory phonetics, we specifically look at how sounds in language are articulated/ pronounced.
In acoustic phonetics, we study the physical properties of speech, such as looking at sound waves that are produced when we speak.
In auditory/perceptual phonetics, we study how humans perceive sounds as they hear them.
(Yule, 2017; Akmajian et al., 2001).
The focus of phonetic analysis in this chapter is the first type, articulatory phonetics. When studying articulatory phonetics, you will look at different segments in a language, and learn how to articulate or pronounce them.
There are three types of phonetics that we need to know: 1) articulatory phonetics; 2) acoustic phonetics; 3) auditory phonetics (or perceptual phonetics) (Yule, 2017).
In articulatory phonetics, we specifically look at how sounds in language are articulated/ pronounced.
In acoustic phonetics, we study the physical properties of speech, such as looking at sound waves that are produced when we speak.
In auditory/perceptual phonetics, we study how humans perceive sounds as they hear them.
(Yule, 2017; Akmajian et al., 2001).
The focus of phonetic analysis in this chapter is the first type, articulatory phonetics. When studying articulatory phonetics, you will look at different segments in a language, and learn how to articulate or pronounce them.
Before we start, it is important that you learn a framework that has been designed by linguists over a century to map all segments or types of sounds in every human language. The framework is in the form of a chart, famously called the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
The full IPA chart can be found online at internationalphoneticalphabet.org.
When you open the website, you can find a chart with sounds. Every symbol in the IPA chart represents one distinctive sound. Click on each symbol, listen to the sounds carefully, and try to imitate the sounds to get a better understanding.
The full IPA chart can be found online at internationalphoneticalphabet.org.
When you open the website, you can find a chart with sounds. Every symbol in the IPA chart represents one distinctive sound. Click on each symbol, listen to the sounds carefully, and try to imitate the sounds to get a better understanding.
2. Speech segments
The place of articulation for consonants
In every human language, the speech segments can be divided into two parts: consonants and vowels.
Consonants are the segments that involve the stopping or constriction of sounds in the vocal tract, while vowels are those types of segments that are produced without restrictions, imagine producing a sound that just glides through your mouth without any obstruction (Akmajian et al., 2001).
Consonants are the segments that involve the stopping or constriction of sounds in the vocal tract, while vowels are those types of segments that are produced without restrictions, imagine producing a sound that just glides through your mouth without any obstruction (Akmajian et al., 2001).
2.1. Consonants
Three features of consonants:
1. The voiced/voiceless distinction
2. The place of articulation, and
3. The manner of articulation.
1. The voiced/voiceless distinction
2. The place of articulation, and
3. The manner of articulation.
(taken from Yule, 2017, p.102)
The voiced/voiceless distinction
Voiceless sounds take place when air from our lungs passes between the vocal folds when they are in a spread apart position. On the contrary, voiced sounds happen when air from our lungs pushes vocal folds that are closed. The pushing movement of the air creates a vibration effect. (Yule, 2017)