phonology
Phonology is that branch of linguistics which studies the sound
system of languages. The sound system involves
- the actual pronunciation of words, which can be broken up into the smallest units of pronunciation, known as a segment or a phoneme. ( The words pat, chat and fat have different phonemes at the beginning, and so phonemes contrast with each other to produce different words.)
- prosody – pitch, loudness, tempo and rhythm – the ‘music’ of speech. (Other terms used are non-segmental phonology or supra-segmental phonology.)
The IPA
Phonologists and phoneticians generally have to use special symbols – usually the IPA, or International Phonetics Alphabet
Phonologists and phoneticians generally have to use special symbols – usually the IPA, or International Phonetics Alphabet
First of all, the letters b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, z are
given their conventional values as in normal English spelling.
Here are some other symbols for consonants with examples of the sounds
(italicised) from English words. The alternative symbols have been included for
information and will not be used in this module.
|
IPA Symbol
|
Word
|
Alternative Symbols
|
|
IPA
Symbol
|
Word
|
Alternative Symbols
|
|
G
|
get
|
|
|
x
|
loch (Scottish)
|
|
|
Z
|
pleasure
|
(American)
|
|
dZ
|
jam
|
(American)
|
|
S
|
ship
|
(American)
|
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tS
|
chin
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(American)
|
|
N
|
sing
|
|
|
?
|
settle (Cockney)
|
|
|
T
|
thin
|
|
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j
|
yes
|
y (American)
|
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D
|
this
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here are some vowel symbols. Vowels are different from consonants (here I
am talking about sounds, not spelling) in that there is
relatively little obstruction to the air passage. The kind of vowel sound that
you produce will therefore depend on how you adjust some of the movable organs
that affect the sound produced – especially your tongue position and
whether you round (pucker) or spread
your lips.
If you took an x-ray picture of your oral cavity whilst saying particular
vowel sounds, you will notice that the tongue can be raised more or less (be in
a close/high or open/low position), and whether the raising is towards
the front (towards the lips) or the back (towards the throat).
The words given as examples of the sounds are based on southern British
pronunciation or RP (see below for a discussion of RP).
|
Pure Vowels
|
|
Non-pure Vowels
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||||
|
IPA Symbol
|
Key Word (Wells)
|
Alternative Symbols
|
|
IPA
Symbol
|
Key Word (Wells)
|
Alternative Symbols
|
|
A;
|
start,
palm
|
|
|
aI
|
price
|
AI, VI
|
|
&
|
trap
|
a
|
|
OI
|
choice
|
|
|
O;
|
thought
|
|
|
eI
|
face
|
|
|
Q
|
lot
|
|
|
oU
|
goat
|
@U
|
|
u;
|
goose
|
|
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aU
|
mouth
|
AU
|
|
U
|
foot
|
|
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I@
|
near
|
|
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V
|
strut
|
|
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U@
|
cure
|
|
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i;
|
fleece
|
|
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aI@
|
diary
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VI@
|
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I
|
kit
|
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aU@
|
hour
|
|
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E;
|
square
|
E@, e@
|
|
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E
|
dress
|
e
|
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3;
|
nurse
|
|
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@
|
comma
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Reference:
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