KISII UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

NAME: CHEPKIRUI MERCY RONO.

REG NO: EP13/03715/16.

CONTACT: 0708 327717.

PROGRAM: SSP.

YEAR OF STUDY: Y4S2.

COURSE CODE: ENGL 422

COURSE TITLE: ADVANCED PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY

LECTURER: DR. GEORGE ANYONA.

CONTACT: 0728403442.

TASK: TAKE AWAY ASSIGNMENT. (30 MKs)

1. Using appropriate examples, distinguish between phonetics and phonology (10 mks)
Phonetics- the study of classification of speech sounds. Phonetics studies how humans make
and perceive sounds.
For example: How the letter “b”in the word “bad” is pronounced. You start the lips together,
then air from your lungs is forced over the vocal chords which begin to vibrate and make
noise. The air then escapes through the lips as they part suddenly, which results in “b” sound.
Phonology- The study of sound pattern and their meanings, both within and across language.
For examples: the study of different sounds and the way they come together to form speech
and words such as the comparison of the sounds of the two “p” sounds in “pop-up”
The differences are:-
a. Abstract verses concrete.
Phonology studies abstract mental entities. For example, phoneme and morpheme are just
structures and processes that are mental. On the other hand, phonetics deals with the
actual production of speech sounds or signs especially their physiological production,
acoustic properties and auditory perceptions which are physical features which can be
heard or produced.
b. Audible sounds verses their meanings.
Phonetics is strictly concerned with audible sounds and the things that happen in our
mouth, throat, nasal and sinus cavities and the lungs to make these sounds. It has
absolutely nothing to do with meaning. As in the case of phonology, it is both physical
and meaningful. It explores the sounds in a language that change the meaning of an
utterance.
c. Square brackets verses slanted brackets
In phonetic transcription, square brackets are used to enclose transcribed symbols.
Phonetic transcription is visual representation of speech sounds by means of symbols.
Example: - the words abduct and admit are transcribed as follows:
abduct - //
admit -//
Phonetic transcription involves representing speech using a unique symbol but in this
case, brackets are used for this purpose.
d. Phone verses allophone
Phone is distinct speech sound or gesture regardless of whether the exact sound is critical
to the meaning of words.
 For example: in English words kid and kit. They end with two distinct phonemes /d/
and /t/ and swapping one for the other would change one word into a different word.
Phonetics is concerned with phones in general while phonology describes phones as
allophones of phonemes.
e. Parole verses langue
The linguistic term “parole” is the concern of phoneticians while “langue” is studied by
phonologists.
f. Major field verses sub-discipline
Linguists consider phonology as a major field of linguistics while on the other hand
phonetics is regarded as a subfield placed under phonology.
2. Describe any four phonatory settings (10 mks)
Phonation is the process by which the vocal folds procedure certain sounds through quasi-
periodic vibration.
i. Glottal stop phonation
In this setting, the vocal folds are held together without vibrating no air escapes from the
lungs, which produces a consonant sound used in many spoken languages.
It can be heard as the vibrant of the /t/ sound between vowels and the end of words such as:
metal, Latin, bought and cut.
ii. Voiceless vibratory setting
Voiceless vibratory setting is realized either by blocking the airflow from the lungs with fully
adducted vocal folds or with the vocal folds abducted and wide opening of the glottis, when
the airflow is laminar. Therefore, no sound is generated in both cases, since no acoustic
energy is injected into the vocal tract. This type of phonation is called breath.
Example: In the pronunciation of the word like German, [h] is pronounced at the beginning.
iii. Whisper phonation
In this type of phonation, the glottis opens in a triangular manner. Whisper sound quality is
produced through turbulences generated by friction of the air in and above the larynx with
vocal folds not vibrating.
iv. Creaky phonation
This is a special kind of phonation in which the arytenoids cartilages in the larynx are drawn
together; as a result the vocal folds are compressed rather tightly, becoming relatively slack
and compact. Although creaky voice may occur with very low pitch, as at the end of long
intonation unit, it can also occur with a higher pitch.
3. Explain how any one classical and one modern phonological theories are applicable
in handling language data (10mks)
Theory- a theory is a set of ideas that is aimed at explaining why something happens or exits.
Based on the time the theories evolved, they are categorized as classical and modern theories.
The two theories are:-
a. Metrical phonology theory (modern)
b. Distinctive feature theory (classical)
How metrical phonology theory is applicable in handling language data.
1. Language is a system that involves knowledge of multiple linguistic systems such as
morphology, phonology and syntax. This is to mean that, in handling language data, there
is need to discover the underlying components of each language so as to generate the
observable data. This involves description of knowledge to be acquired in identifying
what one must know in order to communicate effectively.
2. The acquisition of complex linguistic system of metrical phonology, using a model that
learns from child-directed speech input, captures salient aspects of acquisition. The
results that come from manipulation of this model informs about the nature of acquisition
in children. In handling language data, this is to clearly show that some manipulation that
are easy to do in a model are difficult to do with children which tells that not all
manipulation are applicable.
3. There is often a non-transparent relationship between the observable data and the
underlying system in acquiring complex linguistic system this tells that children must
effectively reverse engineering the data, inferring the pieces of the underlying system that
combine to create them. As an example, if we consider the metrical phonology system
which determines the stress contour associated with a word. This includes which
syllables are stressed, as well as how much stress syllable receives relative to each other.
We will consider only the basic division into stressed and unstressed. This is critical in
handling language data.
How Distinctive features theory is applicable in handling language data.
1. If children can be taught to differentiate between the presence and absence of
differentiating distinctive features the aberrant sound productions should be early
remediated. This will make language data easy to impact on children.
2. The hypothesis that children acquire features rather than sounds facilitate the
development process. If children acquire features rather than sounds, a certain
generalization will occur. This will therefore impact handling language data in the sense
that part of speech planning will be in terms of the given classes.
3. Distinctive feature systems offers an advantage of classifying errors according to
substitution, deletions and distortions meaning that errors will be based on unlearned
features rather than sounds and if truly the features were the basic units, then children
will learn them and not the morphemes.
4. If we look at the features rather than the phonemes, errors that look unique at the
phoneme level may have common basis leading to therapeutic implications.
 REFERENCES
Akimajian, A, et. Al, (1979), linguistics: An Introduction to language and communication. The
MIT press: Cambridge Massachusets.
Chomsky, N Halie, M (1968). The sound patterns of English. New York; Harper and Row
O’conor (1980). Better pronunciation of English. Cambridge, Cup
Roach, P. (1983) English phonetics and phonology. A practical course. Cabridge: cup