英美文学知识整理课件2.pptVIP

Lecture 2 Phonetics Language is primarily vocal. The primary medium of human language is sound. Linguists are not interested in all sounds, but in speech sounds----sounds that convey meaning in human communication. What is phonetics ? ----A branch of linguistics which studies the characteristics of speech sounds and provides methods for their description, classification and transcription, e.g. [p] bilabial, stop. Scope of phonetics Articulatory phonetics----from the speakers’ point of view, “how speakers produce speech sounds”. Auditory phonetics----from the hearers’ point of view, “how sounds are perceived”. Acoustic phonetics----from the physical way or means by which sounds are transmitted from one to another. Articulatory phonetics word |w?:d| |w?:rd| pass |pa:s| |p?s| box | b?ks | |baks| interesting |intristi?| |int?risti?| system |sistim| |sist?m| Speech organs The initiator of the airstream The vocal cords Larynx Three resonating cavities Three cavities The diagram of speech organs Lips Teeth Teeth ridge (alveolar) Hard palate Soft palate (velar) Uvula Tip of tongue Blade of tongue Back of tongue Vocal cords Pharyngeal cavity Nasal cavity More exactly Terms: places of articulation Bilabial; Labiodental; Dental or interdental; Alveolar; Palatoalveolar; Palatal; Velar; Uvular; Glottal. Some major articulatory variables ---- dimensions on which speech sounds may vary: Voicing---- voiced voiceless Nasality ---- nasal non-nasal Aspiration ----- aspirated unaspirated Classification of English speech sounds ---- English speech sounds are generally classified into two large categories: Vowels Consonants Note: The essential difference between these two classes is that in the production of the former the airstream meets with no obstruction of any kind in the throat, the nose or the mouth, while in that of the latter it is somehow obstructed. Classification of consonants ---- English consonants can be clas