200 likes | 325 Views
Linguistics week 4. Phonetics 2. Phones: sound segments. When we know a language, we can segment an utterance into phones We can do this even though there is no break between phones Cat has 3 phones But we don’t say k—a—t If we don’t know the language, we can’t do this segmentation
E N D
Linguistics week 4 Phonetics 2
Phones: sound segments • When we know a language, we can segment an utterance into phones • We can do this even though there is no break between phones • Cat has 3 phones • But we don’t say k—a—t • If we don’t know the language, we can’t do this segmentation • It just sounds like one continuous stream of sound • Actually all language is one continuous stream of sound • The tongue (and other moving parts) move gradually • They don’t jump between positions
How many phones? Say them to your neighbor. • Dog? • Rabbit? • Phone • Knot • Comb • China
Two kinds of segment: consonants and vowels • Consonants: air flow from lungs is obstructed in some way (p242) • Vowels: the air flows freely • This is why doctors ask for “aaaahhh” • Vowels are often represented in English spelling by a e i o u • But spelling pronunciation (p236) • Chinese: • The consonants are ㄅㄆㄇㄈ… • The vowels are ㄚㄛㄜㄝ… (but not always)
Problems with consonant-vowel distinction • Glides (or semivowels) /j/ and /w/ don’t seem to involve much obstruction • but most linguists think of them as consonants (check page 250, Glides) • ㄦ causes an obstruction, and is thought of as a consonant by linguists • Some of the ㄅㄆㄇ symbols often represent two phones, one consonant and one vowel • Can you say which?
How many vowels? How many consonants? • dog? • rabbit? • phone • knot • comb • China • I • π • pine • long • 餓 • 他 • 龍 • 他們
How many words, morphemes, syllables, consonants and vowels in the following? Count semivowels as consonants. • Greenhouse • Red houses • Women • 我們 • Those sheep • 老鼠 • 老太太 • 玻璃 • John drinks coffee • 他不喝咖啡
Reading for next week • Pages 231-240; and • Compare KK 音標 • http://www.ysjh.cy.edu.tw/nineone/eng/phonics/vowel.htm • with the US system used in our book • (table 6.1 on page 239) • write the differences you find in pencil in your book, if you want to
Three transcription systems! • KK • Only really useful for American English • IPA (A=association OR alphabet • Capable of representing sounds of all known languages • An international standard • US system • same as IPA, but simplifies some symbols representing English phonemes • used in our book!
Articulatory phonetics • What does that mean? • What are the other two phases of signal transmission, please? • Classification of sounds in articulatory phonetics • First, we’ll look at consonants
Describing (characterizing) consonants • First, airstream: • For all sounds in English and Mandarin, this is pulmonic egressive • Second, place of articulation • Listed in Table 6.2 • How would you describe the difference between [f], [θ] and [s]? • How about [p], [t] and [k]? (groups?)
Third, voicing • Voiced and voiceless consonants • [f] and [v] are both bilabial • So what’s the difference? • [v] is voiced • The vocal folds open and close rapidly • (They vibrate) • [f] is voiceless • No vibration
Voiced vs voiceless • Of course [v] does not exist in Mandarin • It does in Shanghai (因為 pronounced yinvei!) • Say both, and put your fingers on your larynx • [b] and [p] are voiced and voiceless respectively • [b] doesn’t exist in Mandarin either • In fact, there are very few voiced consonants in Mandarin • Are you sure, Simon? Then what is the difference between ㄅ and ㄆ?? • Well… can we talk about that in the Phonology lesson? • ㄅ and the /b/ of English are not the same thing.
Aspiration • Aspirated and unaspirated consonants • ㄅ is unaspirated [p] • ㄆ is aspirated [ph] (puff of air) • English: spit vs pit (aspiration difference) • Compare pit vs bit • That is a voicing difference • Aspiration is much less important in English than in Chinese • Can you explain why?
Manner of articulation • Now, consider the difference between • [t] and [s] (these exist in Mandarin) • [d] and [z] (these don’t) • How about [p] and [m] • or [d] and [n]?
Parameters for describing consonants • So far (this is not complete yet) we have • Airstream (usually the same for all consonants) • Place of articulation • Voicing • Manner of articulation • So, [p] is … • egressive pulmonic • bilabial • voiceless • plosive
Homework: consonants • For all the plosives, nasals and fricatives that exist in English • Learn the IPA and Fromkin phonetic symbols • Learn how to describe each one in terms of the four parameters, like we just did for [p]
Mandarin sounds (not yet) • http://www.wfu.edu/~moran/Cathay_Cafe/IPA_NPA_4.htm