THE SOUNDS OF LANGUAGE

SOUND vs Letter
Sound is a natural means of communication-
No consistent correspondence between sound-
and spelling
How do we then go about describing the sounds
? of human language
BUT what do we mean by the ‘sounds of human
? ’language
 SOUNDS OF HUMAN LANGUAGE
Not any sound would be considered a human-
speech sound
:A human sound is-
Meaningful
Functional
 SOUND REPRESENTATION
Letters -> SPELLING
Sounds-> The Phonetic Alphabet
A set of symbols, each one representing a(
)distinct sound segment
 PHONETICS
The study of the characteristics of human
.speech sounds
:Sounds have life
?GENERATION:How are speech sound produced
ARTICULATORY PHONETICS
TRANSMISSION:What are the physical properties
?of sounds ( waves)
ACOUSTIC PHONETICS
 PHONETICS
PERCEPTION:How are the speech sounds
?perceived by the ear / brain
AUDITORY PHONETICS
 AIRSTREAM
.’Speech production needs ‘air
AIRSTREAM MECHANISM: system by which a
.flow of air is generated
:Types of airstream mechanism
EGRESSIVE ( out ) vs INGRESSIVE ( in)-> direction
of flow
..PULMONIC ; GLOTTALIC ; VELARIC
Most languages: Egressive and pulmonic
SPEECH ARTICULATION:ORGANS OF
SPEECH/PLACE OF ARTICULATION
SOUNDS CLASSIFICATION
CONSONANTS
VOWELS
NEITHER TYPICAL VOWEL NOR COSONANTS
COMBINATION OF WOWELS->DIPHTHONGS

PLACE OF ATICULATION -> where

MANNER OF ARTICULATION -> how
 CONSONANTS
CONTACT OF ORGANS OF SPEECH
PLACE OF ARTICULATION
Bilabials: are sounds formed using both upper
and lower lips. The lower lip articulates
. against the upper lip. [p] , [b], [m] and [w]
Labiodentals: are sounds formed with the upper
teeth and the lower lip. The lower lip
.articulates against the upper teeth. [f] and [v]
 CONSONANTS
Dentals: are sounds formed with the tongue tip
behind the upper front teeth (also referred to as
interdentals). The tongue tip articulates against the
. upper teeth. [θ] and [ð]
Alveolars: are sounds formed with the front part of
the tongue on the alveolar ridge, which is the rough,
bony ridge immediately behind and above the upper
teeth. The tongue tip and/or blade articulates
against the teeth ridge. [t] ,[s] ,[d], [z] [n] , [l] and
.[r]