Radboud University
An introduction
to English
Phonetics
Summary chapter 1 up and till 6
Engelman, M.A. (Maud)
28-10-2021
, Maud Engelman - 1083542
Content
1. Introduction to phonetics...................................................................................................................4
1.1 What is phonetics?.......................................................................................................................4
1.2 What this book covers..................................................................................................................5
1.3 Ways to talk about sounds...........................................................................................................5
1.3.1. The phoneme........................................................................................................................5
1.4 An overview of the book...............................................................................................................5
2. Overview of the human speech mechanism.......................................................................................6
2.1 The complexity of speech sounds.................................................................................................6
2.2 Breathing......................................................................................................................................6
2.2.1 In-breaths to project talk.......................................................................................................6
2.3 The larynx and voicing..................................................................................................................6
2.4 Airflow..........................................................................................................................................6
2.4.1 Central and lateral airflow.....................................................................................................6
2.4.2 Oral and nasal airflow............................................................................................................7
2.5 Place of articulation......................................................................................................................7
2.5.1 Bilabial...................................................................................................................................7
2.5.2 Labiodental............................................................................................................................7
2.5.3 Dental....................................................................................................................................7
2.5.4 Alveolar..................................................................................................................................7
2.5.5 Postalveolar...........................................................................................................................7
2.5.6 Retroflex................................................................................................................................8
2.5.7 ‘Coronal’................................................................................................................................8
2.5.8 Palatal....................................................................................................................................8
2.5.9 Velar......................................................................................................................................8
2.5.10 Uvular..................................................................................................................................8
2.5.11 Pharyngeal...........................................................................................................................8
2.5.12..............................................................................................................................................8
2.6 Manner of articulation..................................................................................................................8
2.6.1 Stop articulations...................................................................................................................8
2.6.2 Fricative articulations.............................................................................................................8
2.6.3 Resonant articulations...........................................................................................................8
Summary............................................................................................................................................9
3. Representing the sounds of speech....................................................................................................9
3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................9
1
, Maud Engelman - 1083542
3.2 Phonetic transcription..................................................................................................................9
3.2.1 The main tool of transcription: the IPA alphabet...................................................................9
3.2.2 The principles of the IPA........................................................................................................9
3.2.3 Types and levels of transcription.........................................................................................10
3.2.4 Systematic transcription of English consonants...................................................................10
3.2.5 Examples of transcription....................................................................................................10
3.2.6 ‘Correct’ transcriptions........................................................................................................10
3.3 Acoustic representations............................................................................................................11
3.3.1 Waveforms..........................................................................................................................11
3.3.2 Spectrograms.......................................................................................................................11
3.3.3 Three types of sound and their appearance........................................................................11
3.3.4 Periodic sounds....................................................................................................................11
3.3.5 Aperiodic, continuous sounds..............................................................................................11
3.4 Acoustic representations and segments.....................................................................................12
4. The larynx, voicing and voice quality................................................................................................12
4.1 Introduction: the production of voicing......................................................................................12
4.2 How the vocal folds vibrate........................................................................................................12
4.3 Fundamental frequency, pitch and intonation...........................................................................13
4.3.1 Changing the rate of vibration of the vocal folds.................................................................13
4.3.2 Pitch and fundamental frequency........................................................................................13
4.3.3 Parameters for describing f0................................................................................................13
4.4 Phrasing and intonation..............................................................................................................13
4.5 Voice quality...............................................................................................................................14
4.5.1 Breathy voice.......................................................................................................................14
4.5.2 Creak....................................................................................................................................14
4.5.3 Whisper...............................................................................................................................14
4.5.4 Falsetto................................................................................................................................14
4.5.5 Voice quality as a sociolinguistic marker: Glasgow..............................................................15
Summary..........................................................................................................................................15
5. Vowels..............................................................................................................................................15
5.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................15
5.2 Reference points for vowels: cardinal vowels.............................................................................15
5.2.1 Cardinal vowel 1, [i].............................................................................................................15
5.2.2 Cardinal vowel 8, [u]............................................................................................................15
5.2.3 Cardinal vowel 5, [ɑ]............................................................................................................15
5.2.4 Dimensions of vowel description.........................................................................................15
2
An introduction
to English
Phonetics
Summary chapter 1 up and till 6
Engelman, M.A. (Maud)
28-10-2021
, Maud Engelman - 1083542
Content
1. Introduction to phonetics...................................................................................................................4
1.1 What is phonetics?.......................................................................................................................4
1.2 What this book covers..................................................................................................................5
1.3 Ways to talk about sounds...........................................................................................................5
1.3.1. The phoneme........................................................................................................................5
1.4 An overview of the book...............................................................................................................5
2. Overview of the human speech mechanism.......................................................................................6
2.1 The complexity of speech sounds.................................................................................................6
2.2 Breathing......................................................................................................................................6
2.2.1 In-breaths to project talk.......................................................................................................6
2.3 The larynx and voicing..................................................................................................................6
2.4 Airflow..........................................................................................................................................6
2.4.1 Central and lateral airflow.....................................................................................................6
2.4.2 Oral and nasal airflow............................................................................................................7
2.5 Place of articulation......................................................................................................................7
2.5.1 Bilabial...................................................................................................................................7
2.5.2 Labiodental............................................................................................................................7
2.5.3 Dental....................................................................................................................................7
2.5.4 Alveolar..................................................................................................................................7
2.5.5 Postalveolar...........................................................................................................................7
2.5.6 Retroflex................................................................................................................................8
2.5.7 ‘Coronal’................................................................................................................................8
2.5.8 Palatal....................................................................................................................................8
2.5.9 Velar......................................................................................................................................8
2.5.10 Uvular..................................................................................................................................8
2.5.11 Pharyngeal...........................................................................................................................8
2.5.12..............................................................................................................................................8
2.6 Manner of articulation..................................................................................................................8
2.6.1 Stop articulations...................................................................................................................8
2.6.2 Fricative articulations.............................................................................................................8
2.6.3 Resonant articulations...........................................................................................................8
Summary............................................................................................................................................9
3. Representing the sounds of speech....................................................................................................9
3.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................9
1
, Maud Engelman - 1083542
3.2 Phonetic transcription..................................................................................................................9
3.2.1 The main tool of transcription: the IPA alphabet...................................................................9
3.2.2 The principles of the IPA........................................................................................................9
3.2.3 Types and levels of transcription.........................................................................................10
3.2.4 Systematic transcription of English consonants...................................................................10
3.2.5 Examples of transcription....................................................................................................10
3.2.6 ‘Correct’ transcriptions........................................................................................................10
3.3 Acoustic representations............................................................................................................11
3.3.1 Waveforms..........................................................................................................................11
3.3.2 Spectrograms.......................................................................................................................11
3.3.3 Three types of sound and their appearance........................................................................11
3.3.4 Periodic sounds....................................................................................................................11
3.3.5 Aperiodic, continuous sounds..............................................................................................11
3.4 Acoustic representations and segments.....................................................................................12
4. The larynx, voicing and voice quality................................................................................................12
4.1 Introduction: the production of voicing......................................................................................12
4.2 How the vocal folds vibrate........................................................................................................12
4.3 Fundamental frequency, pitch and intonation...........................................................................13
4.3.1 Changing the rate of vibration of the vocal folds.................................................................13
4.3.2 Pitch and fundamental frequency........................................................................................13
4.3.3 Parameters for describing f0................................................................................................13
4.4 Phrasing and intonation..............................................................................................................13
4.5 Voice quality...............................................................................................................................14
4.5.1 Breathy voice.......................................................................................................................14
4.5.2 Creak....................................................................................................................................14
4.5.3 Whisper...............................................................................................................................14
4.5.4 Falsetto................................................................................................................................14
4.5.5 Voice quality as a sociolinguistic marker: Glasgow..............................................................15
Summary..........................................................................................................................................15
5. Vowels..............................................................................................................................................15
5.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................15
5.2 Reference points for vowels: cardinal vowels.............................................................................15
5.2.1 Cardinal vowel 1, [i].............................................................................................................15
5.2.2 Cardinal vowel 8, [u]............................................................................................................15
5.2.3 Cardinal vowel 5, [ɑ]............................................................................................................15
5.2.4 Dimensions of vowel description.........................................................................................15
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