PHONETICS 20/21

ANSWER-2
The articulators are the parts of the vocal tract that move and shape speech sounds as air is
pushed from the lungs. Here’s a broad description of the main articulators and their functions:

1. Lips: The lips are used to produce sounds like /p/, /b/, and /m/. They can be brought
together (as in "pop") or shaped for different vowel sounds (e.g., /u/ in "boot").

2. Teeth: The upper teeth help in the production of certain consonants, such as the dental
sounds /θ/ (as in "think") and /ð/ (as in "this"), where the tongue touches or comes near the
teeth.

3. Alveolar Ridge: This is the bony ridge just behind the upper teeth. It's crucial for producing
sounds like /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /n/, and /l/, where the tongue touches or comes close to the
ridge.

4. Hard Palate: Located towards the roof of the mouth, the hard palate helps in producing
sounds like /ʃ/ (as in "ship") and /ʒ/ (as in "measure"), where the tongue makes contact with
or comes close to the palate.

5. Soft Palate (Velum): The soft palate is the back part of the roof of the mouth, and it plays a
key role in controlling airflow for nasal sounds like /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/ (as in "sing"). It can raise
to block airflow to the nose or lower to allow it.

6. Tongue: The tongue is incredibly versatile, moving to different parts of the mouth to produce
a wide variety of sounds. For example, the tip of the tongue is involved in sounds like /t/, /d/,
and /l/, while the back of the tongue is used for sounds like /k/ and /g/.

7. Glottis: The glottis is the space between the vocal cords. It is essential for producing glottal
sounds like /h/ (as in "hat") and for controlling vocal cord vibration for pitch and volume.

These articulators work together to modify airflow and produce the range of sounds we use in
speech.

ANSWER-3
Consonant sounds are speech sounds produced when airflow is obstructed or restricted in some
way by the articulators (lips, teeth, tongue, etc.). This obstruction creates a variety of distinct
sounds that we use to form words in language.

Classification of consonant sounds by manner of articulation refers to how the airflow is

restricted or modified during the production of the sound. Broadly, there are several types:

1. Stops (Plosives): These are produced by completely blocking the airflow and then releasing
it suddenly, creating a burst of sound. Examples include /p/ as in "pat" and /t/ as in "tap."

2. Fricatives: These occur when the airflow is narrowed but not completely stopped, causing
friction. Sounds like /f/ in "fun" and /s/ in "sip" are fricatives.
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3. Affricates: These are a combination of a stop and a fricative. The airflow is first blocked,
and then released with friction. Examples include /ʧ/ in "chat" and /ʤ/ in "judge."

4. Nasals: Nasal consonants are produced by lowering the soft palate, allowing air to flow
through the nose. Examples include /m/ in "man" and /n/ in "net."

5. Liquids: These sounds involve a partial obstruction of airflow, with the tongue creating a
smooth, flowing sound. Examples are /l/ in "lip" and /r/ in "run."

6. Glides (Semivowels): These are produced with a relatively open vocal tract, but the tongue
moves to a specific position to shape the sound. Examples include /w/ in "wet" and /j/ in
"yes."

Each manner of articulation influences how we perceive and produce consonant sounds, helping
create the variety of sounds found in different languages.

ANSWER-4
In English, there are generally five types of syllables based on how they are structured. Here's a
broad description of each:

1. Closed Syllable: This type of syllable ends in a consonant, which "closes" the syllable. The
vowel is usually short.

o Example: cat, dog, jump.

2. Open Syllable: An open syllable ends in a vowel, and the vowel is usually long.

o Example: go, me, hi.

3. Vowel-Consonant-e (VCe): This syllable has a vowel, followed by a consonant, and then an
"e" at the end. The "e" is silent, and the vowel is usually long.

o Example: cake, bike, rope.

4. Vowel Team (Diphthong): This syllable has two vowels together that work as a single sound
(a vowel team). The vowel sound can be long or a diphthong (a blend of two vowel sounds).

o Example: team, rain, coin.

5. Consonant-le (C-le): This type of syllable has a consonant followed by "le" at the end,
where the "e" is silent. The syllable usually comes at the end of the word.

o Example: table, bottle, candle.

These five syllable types help structure words and contribute to pronunciation patterns in English.
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ANSWER-5
Phonology is the branch of linguistics that studies the sound systems of languages. It focuses on
how speech sounds function and pattern within a particular language or across languages.
Phonology is concerned with the abstract, cognitive aspects of sounds, unlike phonetics, which
deals with the physical properties of sounds.

Two key branches of study within phonology are:

1. Segmental Phonology: This branch studies individual speech sounds (phonemes) and
their combinations in a language. It looks at how consonants and vowels interact and how
different phonemes change in different contexts. For example, it would examine why the
sound /k/ in "cat" is pronounced differently in "kit" (a phenomenon known as allophones).

2. Suprasegmental Phonology: This branch focuses on features of speech that go beyond

individual sounds, such as stress, intonation, and pitch. It looks at how these features
affect meaning or structure in speech. For example, in English, the word record is stressed
differently when used as a noun ("REcord") and as a verb ("reCORD").

Together, these two branches help explain how sounds are organized and used in language to
convey meaning.

ANSWER-6
Stress in language refers to the emphasis placed on certain syllables within a word or on certain
words within a sentence. Stressed syllables are pronounced with more force, making them stand
out compared to unstressed syllables. In English, stress can affect the meaning of a word or
sentence, and it follows certain patterns or rules.

Rules of Stress Placement in English Words:

1. Two-Syllable Nouns and Adjectives: In most two-syllable nouns and adjectives, the stress
tends to fall on the first syllable.

o Example: TAble, PICture, CLEver.

2. Two-Syllable Verbs and Prepositions: For two-syllable verbs and prepositions, the stress
usually falls on the second syllable.

o Example: reLAX, beTWEEN, aRRIVE.

3. Compound Words: In compound nouns (two words combined to form one), the stress
generally falls on the first part of the compound.

o Example: POSTman, FIREplace, AIRport. In compound adjectives and verbs, the

stress often falls on the second part.

o Example: old-FAshioned, tooth-PASTE.

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4. Suffixes and Stress Shifting: The presence of certain suffixes can influence where the
stress is placed. For example:

o Words ending in -er, -ly, or -ic often have stress on the first syllable.

▪ Example: TEAch-er, QUIet-ly, GRAPH-ic.

o Words ending in -ity, -ic, or -ian often have stress on the penultimate (second-to-
last) syllable.

▪ Example: auTHOr-ity, ecoNOmic, musiciAN.

5. Polysyllabic Words: Longer words tend to have stress on a syllable closer to the beginning,
but this can vary depending on the specific word and its origin. For instance:

o Words of Latin or Greek origin often have stress on the penultimate syllable.

o Example: phoTOgraphy, geoLOGy.

Stress placement in English can significantly change the meaning of words (e.g., record as a noun
with stress on the first syllable vs. record as a verb with stress on the second syllable).
Understanding stress is crucial for proper pronunciation and comprehension in English.

ANSWER-8
Here are the IPA transcriptions for the words you provided:

1. handsome: /ˈhænsəm/

2. rigor: /ˈrɪɡər/

3. it: /ɪt/

4. abjure: /æbˈdʒʊər/

5. curly: /ˈkɜːrli/

6. paradox: /ˈpærədɒks/

7. examination: /ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/

8. afraid: /əˈfreɪd/

9. budget: /ˈbʌdʒɪt/

10. zero: /ˈzɪəroʊ/

11. panic: /ˈpænɪk/

12. noisy: /ˈnɔɪzi/

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13. new: /njuː/

14. may: /meɪ/

15. open: /ˈoʊpən/

16. listen: /ˈlɪsən/

17. late: /leɪt/

18. lesson: /ˈlɛsən/

19. house: /haʊs/

20. july: /dʒʊˈlaɪ/

21. forest: /ˈfɒrɪst/

22. cool: /kuːl/

23. decide: /dɪˈsaɪd/

24. duty: /ˈdjuːti/ or /ˈduːti/ (depending on accent)

25. cat: /kæt/

26. book: /bʊk/

ANSWER-9
Here are short notes on the terms you mentioned:

1. Nasal Consonants: These are consonant sounds produced with airflow through the nose.
The airflow is directed through the nasal cavity when the soft palate (velum) is lowered,
allowing air to pass through the nose. Common nasal consonants in English include /m/ (as
in "man"), /n/ (as in "net"), and /ŋ/ (as in "sing").

2. Aspiration: Aspiration refers to the burst of air that is released when certain consonants are
pronounced. In English, aspiration typically occurs with plosive consonants, such as /p/, /t/,
and /k/, when they appear at the beginning of a stressed syllable. For example, the /p/
sound in "pat" is aspirated, producing a puff of air, while the /p/ in "spa" is not aspirated.

3. Cardinal Vowels: Cardinal vowels are a set of reference vowel sounds used to describe the
vowel systems of languages. They are based on extreme positions of the tongue in the
mouth and serve as a standard for comparing the vowels of different languages. There are
typically 8 primary cardinal vowels, such as /i/, /u/, and /ɑ/, which represent extreme tongue
positions (high, low, front, back).
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4. Place of Articulation: This refers to the location in the vocal tract where airflow is restricted
or modified to produce speech sounds. Common places of articulation include the lips
(bilabial), teeth (dental), alveolar ridge (alveolar), hard palate (palatal), and glottis (glottal),
among others. For example, /t/ is produced at the alveolar ridge, while /k/ is produced at the
velum.

5. Voiced Fricatives: These are fricative sounds produced with the vocal cords vibrating while
air is forced through a narrow constriction, creating friction. Voiced fricatives include
sounds like /v/ (as in "voice"), /z/ (as in "zoo"), and /ʒ/ (as in "measure"). The vocal cords
vibrate during the production of these sounds, unlike voiceless fricatives (e.g., /f/, /s/, /ʃ/),
where there is no vibration.

6. Assimilation: Assimilation is a phonological process in which one sound becomes more

like a neighboring sound. This can involve changes in place of articulation, manner of
articulation, or voicing. For example, in the phrase "in case," the /n/ sound may change to
/ŋ/ (as in "sing") because of the following /k/ sound, making the two sounds more similar.

7. Diphthongs: Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that involve a glide from one vowel
sound to another within the same syllable. They are characterized by a smooth transition
between two vowel qualities. Examples of diphthongs in English include /aɪ/ (as in "my"),
/aʊ/ (as in "how"), and /ɔɪ/ (as in "boy").

8. Intonation: Intonation refers to the variation in pitch when speaking, which can convey
meaning or emotion, indicate a question, or mark emphasis. It involves rising and falling
pitch patterns across sentences or phrases. For example, in English, a rising intonation at
the end of a sentence often signals a yes-no question (e.g., "Are you coming?"), while falling
intonation typically signals a statement (e.g., "I am coming.").