LIN 3201 Sounds of Human Language

Sayers -- Week 1 – August 29 & 31

What is Phonetics?What is Phonetics?

Study of human speech sounds:

Describing and classifying human sounds Understanding production of sounds Comparing and contrasting sounds across

languages Discovering constraints and limitations of

possible human speech

Purposes of Phonetic Purposes of Phonetic InvestigationInvestigationModifying or correcting pronunciation

of second language students or actors

Understanding dialectal differences and historical changes in pronunciation

Assisting those with speech disorders

Forensic analysis of speech in law

Discovering the phonemic system of a language – the way native speakers organize and perceive sound

3 Fields of Phonetics3 Fields of Phonetics

1. Articulatory Phonetics Physical properties of sound – how sounds

are produced in the vocal tract

2. Acoustic Phonetics Sound as a wave – air compression and

disturbance as sounds are released

3. Auditory Phonetics Interpretation and reception of speech

sounds

(Forensic Phonetics) Application of all fields to analyze legal

data

Phonetics and LIN 3201

4 Goals:1. Understanding of the possible

modifications of sound as it travels through vocal tract What does our body do to produce a given sound?

2. Representation of sounds by a phonetic alphabet Recognizing IPA symbols Understanding the physical properties each

represents

3. Production of sounds Your actual practice in physical production

4. Perception of sounds Your practice in observation and perception A thoroughthorough understanding of phonemes and

sound system organization

A few caveats about sound…

Or, Why Phonetics is so hard…

Adapted from Hardman 1996

Sound and Perceptions – Sound and Perceptions – Some BasicsSome Basics

Sound is a wave – a fluid flow of “chaos”

We attempt, as humans, to organize, shape and

structure these waves into meaningful units

<<<BUT>>>

Sound, as a physical event, does not repeat itself

This means that…

You individually organize sounds based on the structures of your native language(s) & the languages you have studied

Native language(s) act as filter; don’t “hear” phonetic distinctions; don’t hear phonetics directly

SO Phonetics is hard because… You are attempting to

“observe” what your brain has worked against “observing”

In theoretical terms…In theoretical terms…

Humans perceive through repetition

Any actual repetition is a function of your human capacity, not of “sound” itself

Therefore…

Keep in mind that your phonetic transcriptions are not “absolute reality”

At best, transcriptions are approximations

The IPA

International Phonetic Alphabet One symbol represents individual elements

of speech sound Serves as shorthand device for unique set

of characteristics in vocal tract

Consonants

Columns front of mouth back of mouth

Rows Greatest stricture least stricture

Vowels

Columns front of mouth back of mouth

Rows Least open most open

Articulatory Phonetics

How sounds are produced by modifying air through vocal tract

4 Processes in producing sounds4 Processes in producing sounds

1. Airstream mechanism

2. State of Glottis

3. Manner of Articulation

4. Place of Articulation (Consonants) OR

Tongue & Lip Position (Vowels)

Active articulators

AnatomyAnatomy

Active articulators – speech organs, generally at the top of the mouth, that move toward the upper mouth to modify air

Organs & Adjectives

Lower lip - labial Tongue - lingual

Tip - apical Blade - laminal Back - dorsal Root - radical

Epiglottis - epiglottal

Passive articulators – speech organs, generally at the bottom of the mouth, that generally remain inactive during speech

Organs & Adjectives Upper lip - labial Upper Teeth - dental Alveolar Ridge – alveolar Hard Palate – palatal Soft Palate (velum) – velar Uvula (uvular flap) - uvular

General Diagram of Vocal Tract

Other Speech Organs Organs & Adjectives Pharynx – pharyngeal Glottis – glottal Larynx – laryngeal

Vocal Folds/Cords Oral Cavity Nasal Cavity Lungs