ELS04

ENGLISH
PHONOLOGY AND
MORPHOLOGY

Module 1
The International
Phonetic Alphabet (IPA),
Parts and Functions of
the Organs of Speech and
the Speech Production

Duration: 1 Week

Prepared by:
Maria Teresa S. Bonggot
Instructor

No part of this module may be

reproduced in any form without prior
permission in writing from the
Instructor/Author.
 SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
Gen. Luna St. Guitnang Bayan I, San Mateo, Rizal
Tel No. (02) 997-9070
www.smmc.edu.ph

Module 1
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), Parts and Functions of the Organs of Speech
and the Speech Production

Learning Objectives

At the end of the module, the students are expected to:

➢ explain what phonology is;

➢ tell what IPA is;
➢ identify the parts and functions of the organs of speech; and
➢ tell the importance of learning the correct English sound and pronunciation.

Input Information

Introduction to English Phonology: Sounds and Phonemes

Phonology is the study of the sounds used in a language and how they function within that language. In English, there
are approximately 44 distinct sounds, known as phonemes, which are used to form words and convey meaning.

English phonology includes both vowel and consonant sounds. Vowels are produced with an open vocal tract and
include sounds like /i/, /e/, /a/, /o/, and /u/. Consonants, on the other hand, are produced with some sort of obstruction
or constriction in the vocal tract and include sounds like /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, /s/, /z/, /f/, /v/, /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /h/,
/m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/, and /r/.

English phonemes can be further categorized into different classes based on their manner of articulation and place of
articulation. Manner of articulation refers to how the airflow is obstructed or modified to produce a sound, while place
of articulation refers to where in the vocal tract the obstruction or modification occurs.

For example, the consonant /p/ is a voiceless bilabial stop, meaning that it is produced by closing the lips together and
then releasing the air abruptly. The vowel /i/ is a high front vowel, meaning that it is produced with the tongue raised
high in the front of the mouth.

Understanding phonemes and their characteristics is crucial for native and non-native speakers alike. It helps us
recognize and produce the correct sounds in English, which in turn allows for effective communication.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), an alphabet developed in the 19th century to accurately represent the
pronunciation of languages. One aim of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) was to provide a unique symbol for
each distinctive sound in a language—that is, every sound, or phoneme, that serves to distinguish one word from
another. It is the most common example of phonetic transcription.

The concept of the IPA was first broached by Otto Jespersen in a letter to Paul Passy of the International Phonetic
Association and was developed by A.J. Ellis, Henry Sweet, Daniel Jones, and Passy in the late 19th century. Its creators’
intent was to standardize the representation of spoken language, thereby sidestepping the confusion caused by the
inconsistent conventional spellings used in every language. The IPA was also intended to supersede the existing

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College of Arts and Sciences Prepared by: Maria Teresa S. Bonggot
multitude of individual transcription systems. It was first published in 1888 and was revised several times in the 20th and
21st centuries. The International Phonetic Association is responsible for the alphabet and publishes a chart summarizing
it.

The IPA primarily uses Roman characters. Other letters are borrowed from different scripts (e.g., Greek) and are
modified to conform to Roman style. Diacritics are used for fine distinctions in sounds and to show nasalization
of vowels, length, stress, and tones.

Speech production

In humans, the natural phenomenon of speech production takes place through vocal cords in the glottis. The primary
factor that produces speech is “vibration of the vocal cords.” The major components in speech production include lungs,
windpipe or trachea, larynx, pharyngeal cavity, oral cavity, and nasal cavity. The vocal cords are contained within the
larynx, which is also known as the glottis.

The pharyngeal cavity comprises the throat, which in combination with the oral cavity, containing the mouth, forms the
vocal tract. The nasal cavity is used for the
production of nasal sounds. The nasal cavity is
combined acoustically with the vocal tract when the
velum is lowered. The figure below depicts the
sagittal view of the human speech production
system.

The picture described organs are used for the

production of sound through vocal cords; that is,
they convert air into sound. The organs like lips,
tongue, jaw, and teeth are used to give shape to
the sound produced or the correct word or
phoneme produced by the human. These organs
are called articulatory organs or articulators.
There are two types of articulators, namely,
active articulators and passive articulators. The
active articulators move, but the passive
articulators do not. The former includes lips and
tongue, and the latter comprise upper teeth and
upper jaw. Depending upon the position of these
articulators, different sounds are produced.

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College of Arts and Sciences Prepared by: Maria Teresa S. Bonggot
 Organs Of Speech: Meaning, Parts of Organs of
Speech, Functions

Organs of Speech are simply the organs in the body that

produce sounds or sounds of speech.

Meaning Of Organs of Speech

Organs of speech can be defined as any part of the body,

as the tongue, velum, diaphragm, or lungs, that
participates, actively or passively, voluntarily or
involuntarily, in the production of the sounds of speech.

They are the organs of our mouth which are being used to
produce sounds. They are also called speech organs.

Organs of speech can also be referred to as 'The

Articulators'

Parts of the Organs of Speech

The organs of speech are made up of:

• Lips
• Tongue
• Alveolar ridge
• Teeth
• Hard palate
• Velum
• Uvula
• Glottis

Functions of the Organs of Speech

Each part of the organs of speech serves a particular function that is relevant to producing sounds. The study of these
parts of organs of speech provides a fundamental idea about speech and sounds.

Thus, in furtherance of the aforementioned parts of the organs of speech, the following provides as short description on
each organ and their functions.

• Lips. The lips as organ of speech create two different sounds which are mainly the labial, bilabial and
labio-dental consonant sounds. Thus, both the upper lips and the lower lips are considered important apparatus
in producing a speech sound.
• Teeth. Just like the lips, the teeth as one of the organs of speech are important. Both the upper teeth
and lower teeth are used in producing sounds like dental and labio-dental consonant sounds.

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College of Arts and Sciences Prepared by: Maria Teresa S. Bonggot
 • Tongue. The tongue is considered the most important apparatus out of the organs of speech. The
tongue is divided into five parts. They are:

1. Tip
2. Blade
3. Front
4. Back
5. Root

The tongue is effective in moving in different directions or shapes in order to make speech sounds.

• Alveolar Ridge. This is the between the upper front teeth and hard palate. Thus, to produce speech
sounds, the alveolar ridge and the blade of the tongue are used.

• Hard Palate. This is a plate located at the roof of the mouth. The interaction between the hard palate
and the tongue is necessary for the production of certain sounds. They are, d, t and j.

• Pharynx. This helps manipulate the vocal structure.

• Uvula. This helps preventing air from escaping through the nose while producing sounds.

Learning Activities
Access the given link and do the activities provided from the online resources.
https://www.speechactive.com/english-consonants-ipa-international-phonetic-
alphabet/#:~:text=The%20IPA%20is%20set%20of,the%20next%20syllable%20is%20stressed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg9RkazFZLk
https://pronunciationstudio.com/chapter-0/
https://pronunciationstudio.com/ipa-chart-tsoe/
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/

Assessment/Evaluation

Answer the given questions orally:

1. What is IPA?
2. Which speech organs are involved in sound production? How do they work?
3. Why is it important to learn the correct English sound and pronunciation?

Assignment

Write all the sounds/symbols in the IPA Chart and give at least 3 examples of each.

Learning Resources

https://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/phonemic-chart.php
https://www.britannica.com/topic/International-Phonetic-Alphabet
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/speech-production-system
https://www.pawnerspaper.com/2022/05/organs-of-speech-meaning-parts-of.html

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College of Arts and Sciences Prepared by: Maria Teresa S. Bonggot