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 Acoustic 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