1. Introduction to Phonetics

2. Phonetics—basics • Definition: the study of human speech sounds • In phonetics we refer to individual sounds as phones or sounds; Never letters • All phonetic transcription is done within phonetic brackets: [si]

3. Fields of Phonetics • Articulatory phonetics • How sounds are produced • Acoustic phonetics • Physical properties of sounds • Auditory phonetics • How sounds are perceived

4. Transcription Vs. Spelling • We want, as much as possible, to create a system of one-to-one sound-symbol correspondence. • This is not necessarily the case with spelling. • Examples: ice vs.police; tine vs. machine. • Also: catch, cough, phlegm, bought, trick, knight, leisure, queen, this, threw, Xerox, psychology, design.

5. International Phonetic Alphabet • All the world’s languages can be transcribed using the IPA • In this class, we’ll be using a simplified, US English version of the IPA (many of the IPA sounds are not used in English, e.g. Retroflex Chinese, and Welsh ‘ll’) • In IPA transcription, one phone (IPA symbol) usually equals one sound

6. Benefits of Phonetic Transcription • We can use IPA transcription across languages, there is one symbol for EVERY possible human sound • There is a 1-1 correspondence of sound to symbol • Brackets show the pronunciation of the word, which may change from time to time, even if it’s the same word

7. How Are Sounds Produced? • Most sounds are produced by an air stream from lungs through one or more speech organs. • Where and how obstructions are in the air stream determine the identity of the sound produced.

8. Speech Production Mechanism VOCAL TRACT • Nasal cavity • Oral cavity • Pharynx • Vocal folds • Glottis • Energy source (shapes sounds) LARYNX (voicing) LUNGS (see figure 10.1, Clark p.120)

9. Transcription Practice • Transcribe: • Your name • Linguistics, hiccup, teeth, teethe, delay, should, sign, sane, phonetics, yellow

10. For Wednesday: • Read file 3.2 • Consonants • Pinker, p.165-168