Phonetics & Phonology Basic Definitions Lecture No : 02

Basic Definitions of Phonetics & Phonology

Phonetics & Phonology

Lecture No. 2

HEC based Syllabus

1. Vowels

2. Consonants

3.Diphthong

4. Monothong

5. Triphthong

Vowel

There are 44 phonemes, 20 vowels and 24 consonants in English language. Both vowels and consonants are sounds, not alphabets.

The speech sounds produce without any blockage/restriction /constriction of airflow from the vocal cords/organs are known as vowels sounds. For example, the sounds of English letters A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y is known as vowels sounds.

For the production of vowel sounds, human vocal cords like tongue, teeth, lips are left open and allow the air to pass through from the lungs to mouth freely with audible friction.

The speech sounds produce with the vibration of vocal cords and without audible friction from lungs to lips are termed as vowel sounds. For example,       

Long Vowel Sounds
/i:/ week /wi:k/	/ɑ:/ park /pa:k/
/ɔ:/  walk /wɔ:k/	/ɜ:/ word /wɜ:d/
/u:/ group /gru:p/,

ort Vowel Sounds
/ɪ/    fit /fiːt/,	/e/ pet /pet/,
/æ/ pat /pæt/,	/ʌ/ cut /kʌt/
/ʊ/   book /bʊk/,	/ɒ/ dog /dɒg/,
/ə/ about  /əˈbaʊt/

Consonants

Consonant sound is produced with the construction/restriction/stoppage of the flow of air in the vocal tract.

Consonant sounds  are articulated by temporary obstruction/stoppage of the airstream in the vocal cords are known as consonants.

There are 21 letters of English alphabets conveying 24 consonants sounds. For example, /p/,/b/,/t/, /d/,/k/,/g/

Consonants are classified based on three dimensions; 

1.     1. Place of articulation

2.     2. Manner of articulation

3.     3. Voicing

Monophthong / Pure Vowel

A vowel  remaining constant and does not change position or glide is called pure vowel. In Monothong, the quality of vowel remains unchanged, e.g. red /red/, car / kɑːr/ /kɑː/, sit/ sɪt/, /seat / siːt/.

Diphthong/Gliding Vowel

Sounds movement or glide of vowel from one to another is termed as diphthong. Gliding vowel is change in the sound quality of vowel. If two vowel produce single sound by moving from one vowel to another diphthong is produced, e.g. say /sei/, light /laɪt /, go/ ɡəʊ/.

There are 8 diphthong in English language.

 /aɪ/, Eye /aɪ/, Light /laɪt /, kite /kaɪt/,  

/əʊ/,   Boat /bəʊt/, Loan /ləʊn/, Though / /ðəʊ/

/eɪ/, Great/ɡreɪt/, Create /kriˈeɪt/, straight /streɪt/

/aʊ/, Town /taʊn/, Crown/ kraʊn/, Down /daʊn/, Vowel / vaʊəl/

/ɪə/, Ear /ɪə(r)/, Clear /klɪə(r)/, Fear /fɪə(r)

/eə/, Tear /teə(r)/, Pair /peə(r)/,Hair /heə(r)/

/ɔɪ/, Boy /bɔɪ/, Toy /tɔɪ/, Coy /kɔɪ/

/ʊə/, Sure /ʃʊə(r)/, Poor /pʊə(r)/

The first sound is constant/pure vowel in diphthong is the longer and stronger, in contrast, the second vowel is the shorter and quieter.

Triphthong

Triphthong is the glide/movement of a pure vowel to another vowel and then to the next one rapidly and uninterruptedly.

Triphthongs are formed by adding central glide and a combination of three consecutive pure vowel sounds.

There are 5 triphthongs in English language ending with /ə/

eɪ + ə  = eɪə    Player     /peɪə/

aɪ + ə  = aɪə   Fire         /faɪə/

ɔɪ + ə = ɔɪə     Royal     /rɔɪəl/  

əʊ+ ə = əuə     Mower   /məuə/         

aʊ + ə = auə   Hour      /hauə/, Vowel /vaʊəl/

Summary

• A vowel sound is produced without stoppage of the airstream in the vocal cords.
• A consonant sound is articulated with constriction of flow of the air for the short period of time and then release from the lungs to lips.
• Monothong is pure/single vowel sounds.
• Diphthong is the combination of two vowel sounds that glide from one to another, e.g, town /taʊn/.
• Triphthong is the combination of three pure vowel sounds, where a single sound moves towards the second vowel and then end at the third vowel sound, e.g, the word vowel /vaʊəl/

Questions

1.    1.  How many phonemes are in the English language?

2.     2. Define vowels & consonants.

3.     3. Differentiate between vowel and consonants.

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