Phonology I: Lab practice

Our lab is an audio-active-comparative language lab.

This means that it enables you to work at your own pace and
1- record your voice in the pause following a model while you read from the phonemic
transcription,
2- then listen to both yourself and the model and
3- re-record yourself as many times as you want until your version is identical to the
model.
4- get feedback from the teacher in charge once you feel you are ready.
This type of work develops your critical listening and fosters autonomy.
We cannot access the lab remotely, so we will need to emulate those functions.
The easiest option, for those who feel they are not technologically savvy, is to download
the mp3 files with the model, play them on a computer without headphones while
simultaneously recording yourself on your phone. As you are reproducing the model on the
speakers, both versions will be available on your phone recording, and you feel safe you
are not tampering with the model version. (which in the worst of cases you can always
download as many times as you want)
More sophisticated alternatives are downloading a free sound editor like Audacity
https://www.audacityteam.org/download/ or using podcast apps like Soundcloud, Podbean
or Anchor, for example.
Periodically you will have the chance to get feedback from the teacher by reading aloud
selections from your practice material in a synchronous meeting.
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 2

Minimal pairs
Minimal pairs are pairs of words or phrases in a particular language that differ in only one
phoneme and have distinct meanings.
Lab practice for Phonology I begins with minimal pairs which practise sounds that are
often confused so as to develop awareness of the differences and gain confidence
before you start reading full texts. They can also help you to become familiar with the IPA,
which is why you need to listen to the examples first while you read from the
phonemic transcription.
Because you will not have dealt with all the sounds in Phonology class yet, a full
description of each sound has been included before the transcriptions.
To begin with, look up any unfamiliar words in an ordinary dictionary (you will also
be expanding your vocabulary). Read the description of each sound and practise
articulating it. Sample recordings of individual sounds have been included in the
classroom for further guidance.
Work with one set (six pairs) at a time.
First, listen to the example and repeat. Then, record yourself after each pair (not after
each word) so that you can feel the differences clearly. Listen and compare both
renderings. You can record your voice as many times as you think necessary. After
that you are ready to move on to the following set.

You don’t get a mark for your performance at the Lab (not even when we
work physically at the lab): it is an opportunity to practise and learn more,
so don`t be afraid of making mistakes.
Check out the sites available in the classroom for further practice.
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 3

VOWELS

/iː/ /ɪ/
Tongue raising front of the tongue raised slightly below centre-front tongue raised just
and behind the front close position above half close-position

Lips spread loosely spread

Tongue position muscular tension of the tongue; side muscular tension of the
rims making firm contact with upper tongue; side rims making firm
molars and tip touching lower teeth contact with upper molars

Set 1
sheep - ship ʃi:p / ʃɪp
bean - bin bi:n / bɪn
i:t / ɪt
eat - it
si:t / sɪt
seat - sit
li:k / lɪk
leak - lick
tʃi:ks / tʃɪks
cheeks - chicks

/ɪ/ /e/
Tongue raising centre-front tongue raised just front of tongue raised between half-
above half close-position open and half close position
Lips loosely spread loosely spread, slightly more widely
than for /ɪ/
Tongue position muscular tension of the tongue; side rims making light contact with
side rims making firm contact upper molars and tip touching lower
with upper molars teeth

Set 2
pin – pen pin / pen
bin – Ben bɪn / ben
tin – ten tɪn / ten
pɪg / peg
pig – peg bɪl / bel
Bill – bell tʃɪks / tʃeks
chicks – cheques

/e/ /æ/
Tongue raising front of tongue raised between half- front of tongue raised between open
open and half close position and mid-open
Lips loosely spread, slightly more widely neutrally open
than for /ɪ/
Tongue position more tension than for /ɪ/; side rims side rims making very slight contact
making light contact with upper molars with back upper molars and tip
and tip touching lower teeth touching lower teeth
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 4

Set 3
x - axe eks æks
pen - pan pen pæn
men - man men mæn
said - sad sed sæd
beg - bag beg bæg
bread - Brad bred bræd

/æ/ /ʌ/
Tongue raising front of tongue raised between centre of tongue raised just
open and mid-open above fully open position
Lips neutrally open neutrally open; considerable
separation of jaws
Tongue position side rims making very slight no contact between tongue and
contact with back upper molars upper molars; tip touching base
and tip touching lower teeth of lower teeth

Set 4
cap – cup kæp kʌp
hat – hut hæt hʌt
sack – suck sæk sʌk
ban – bun bæn bʌn
bag – bug bæg bʌg
hag – hug hæg hʌg

/æ/ /ɑː/
Tongue raising front of tongue raised between centre-back of tongue fully open
open and mid-open
Lips neutrally open neutrally open; considerable
separation of jaws
Tongue position side rims making very slight no contact between tongue and
contact with back upper molars upper molars
and tip touching lower teeth

Set 5
cap -carp kæp kɑ:p
hat - heart hæt hɑ:t
cat - cart kæt kɑ:t
ban - barn bæn bɑ:n
match - march mætʃ mɑ:tʃ
clack - clerk klæk klɑ:k
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 5

/ʌ/ /ɑː/
Tongue raising centre of tongue raised just centre-back of tongue fully open
above fully open position position
Lips neutrally open; considerable neutrally open; considerable
separation of jaws separation of jaws
Tongue position no contact between tongue and no contact between tongue and
upper molars; tip touching base upper molars
of lower teeth

Set 6
cup - carp kʌp kɑ:p
hut - heart hʌt hɑ:t
cut - cart kʌt kɑ:t
bun - barn bʌn bɑ:n
much - march mʌtʃ mɑ:tʃ
cluck - clerk klʌk klɑ:k

/ɒ/ /ɔː/
Tongue raising back of tongue almost fully open back of tongue raised between
position open-mid and close-mid
positions.
Lips slight, open lip-rounding and medium lip-rounding
wide open jaws
Tongue position tip of tongue retracted from lower tip of tongue retracted from lower
teeth; no contact between teeth; no contact between
tongue and upper molars tongue and upper molars

Set 7
Don - dawn dɒn dɔ:n
cod - cord kɒd kɔ:d
cot – caught kɒt kɔ:t
pot - port pɒt pɔ:t
fox - forks fɒks fɔ:ks
spot - sport spɒt spɔ:t

/ʊ/ / uː/
Tongue raising centre of tongue raised just tongue relaxed from closest
above half-close position position
Lips closely but loosely rounded closely rounded
Tongue position tongue laxly held, tip of tongue no firm contact between tongue
retracted from lower teeth; no and upper molars
firm contact between tongue and
upper molars
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 6

Set 8
look – Luke lʊk lu:k
pull – pool pʊl pu:l
full – fool fʊl fu:l
could – cooed kʊd ku: d
would – wooed wʊd wu: d

/ɔː/
Tongue raising back of tongue raised between
open-mid and close-mid
positions.
Lips medium lip-rounding
Tongue position tip of tongue retracted from lower
teeth; no contact between
tongue and upper molars
/ɜː/
centre of tongue raised between
close-mid and open –mid
position
lips spread as for /iː/, narrow
opening of jaws
no firm contact between tongue
and upper molars

Set 9
four - fur fɔ: fɜ:
torn - turn tɔ:n tɜ:n
warm – worm wɔ:m wɜ:m
ward - word wɔ:d wɜ:d
walker - worker wɔ:kə wɜ:kə

CONSONANTS

Stops or plosives
A complete closure at some point in the vocal tract, behind which the air pressure builds up and is
then released explosively.
Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples
The two lips (bilabial) see 10 b p bat/ pat

Tongue tip and tooth-ridge (alveolar) see 11 d t dug/ tug

Back of tongue and soft palate or velum (velar) see 12 g k pig/ pick
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 7

Fricatives
Two organs approximate to such an extent that the air stream passes through them with friction.
Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples
Lip and teeth (labio-dental)
v f vat/ fat
see 15
Tongue-tip and teeth (dental) ð θ that/ think

Tongue and tooth-ridge (alveolar) z s peas/ peace

see 13
Tongue and hard palate (palatal) ʒ ʃ measure/ pressure

The glottis is partially constricted --- h hat

(glottal)

Affricates
A complete closure at some point in the vocal tract, behind which the air pressure builds up; there
is a slow separation of the organs so that friction is a characteristic second element of the sound.
Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples
Palate and tooth-ridge dʒ tʃ judge/ church
(palato-alveolar) see 14

Nasals
A complete closure at some point in the mouth but, the soft palate lowered, the air escapes
through the nose.
Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples
The two lips (bilabial) m - mine

Tongue tip and tooth ridge n - nine

(alveolar)
Tongue and soft palate (velar) ŋ - sing

Liquids
Manner of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples
Lateral: A partial but firm closure between
l - lot
the blade or tip of the tongue against the
alveolar ridge, the air stream being
allowed to escape on one or both sides of
the contact. (Point of articulation: tongue
tip and tooth ridge - alveolar)
Approximant/ Frictionless continuant:
r - rot
A narrowing is made in the mouth but it is
not quite sufficient to cause friction.
(Place of articulation: post-alveolar)
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 8

Semivowels:
A quick, smooth, non-friction glide towards a following vowel sound.
Place of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples
Labiovelar
w - win

Palatal j - you

Set 10- Bilabial plosives

pin - bin pɪn bɪn
pen - Ben pen ben
pear - bear peə beə
cap - cab kæp kæb
pup - pub pʌp pʌb
poppy - Bobby pɒpi bɒbi

Set 11- Alveolar plosives

tore – door tɔ: dɔ:
tarts – darts tɑ:ts dɑ:ts
cart – card kɑ:t kɑ:d
right – ride raɪt raɪd
train – drain treɪn dreɪn
trunk – drunk trʌŋk drʌŋk

Set 12- Velar plosives

cold - gold kəʊld gəʊld
coat - goat kəʊt gəʊt
curl - girl kɜ:l gɜ:l
class - glass klɑ:s glɑ:s
back - bag bæk bæg
clock - clog klɒk klɒg

Set 13- Alveolar fricatives

Sue – zoo su: zu:
said –z sed zed
sip – zip sɪp zɪp
bus – buzz bʌs bʌz
peace – peas pi:s pi:z
price – prize praɪs praɪz
 Traductorado – Phonology I: Lab – Mariel Amez 9

Set 14- Affricates

cheap – jeep tʃi:p dʒi:p
choke – joke tʃəʊk dʒəʊk
chin – gin tʃɪn dʒɪn
cherry – Jerry tʃeri dʒeri
larch – large lɑ:tʃ lɑ: dʒ
h – age eɪtʃ eɪ dʒ

Set 15- Labiodental fricatives

safe – save seɪf seɪvl
fine - vine faɪn vaɪn
fail - veil feɪl veɪl
few - view fju: vju:
fast – vast fɑ:st vɑ:st
leaf - leave li:f li:v
ferry - very ferɪ verɪ

Set 16- Bilabial plosive vs labiodental fricative

16) bet - vet bet vet
best - vest best vest
ban - van bæn væn
bolt - volt bəʊlt vəʊlt
boat - vote bəʊt vəʊt
berry – very berɪ verɪ

Now you are ready to deal with connected speech in the form of dialogues.
Follow the same procedure as for the minimal pairs. Remember to read
from the phonemic transcription while recording your version.
You can use these dialogues for transcription practice at home. You will find
the ordinary spelling versions in a separate file.
You will be assessed on those dialogues in the final oral exam, but you will
be reading from ordinary spelling.