ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

ASSIGNMENT NO. 1
ON
PHONETICS & PHONOLOGY
(9056)

SUMITTED TO:
SIR SHAKIR ULLAH SB

SUBMITTED BY:
NAME : RABIA BIBI
ROLL NO : 0000849631
SUBJECT : PHONETICS & PHONOLOGY
BS PROGRAM : ENGLISH

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

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 QUESTION NO . 01
Q.1 Define phonetics as a field of study and explain how it is concerned with the production,
physical nature, and perception of speech sounds. Explain experimental phonetics,
articulatory phonetics, acoustic phonetics and auditory phonetics as the core branches
of phonetics.

ANSWER:

Phonetics :-
Phonetics is a subfield of linguistics that deals with the study of speech sounds in terms of
their production, physical properties, and how they are perceived by humans. It is the study
of the sounds that humans produce when they speak, and how these sounds are
transmitted and received. Phonetics is fundamental to understanding spoken language, and
it can be divided into three primary concerns:

1. Production of speech sounds: How speech sounds are made by the vocal apparatus
(including the lungs, vocal cords, tongue, lips, and other parts).
2. Physical nature of speech sounds: The acoustic properties of the sounds, such as
frequency (pitch), amplitude (loudness), and duration (length of the sound).
3. Perception of speech sounds: How these sounds are heard, processed, and
understood by the human auditory system and brain.

Phonetics thus integrates the physical and perceptual aspects of speech sounds, helping us to
understand not only how speech sounds are generated but also how they are interpreted by
listeners.

Core Branches of Phonetics

Phonetics is typically divided into four main subfields or branches: Experimental Phonetics,
Articulatory Phonetics, Acoustic Phonetics, and Auditory Phonetics. These branches
examine different aspects of speech sounds, from their production to their perception.

1. Experimental Phonetics

Experimental phonetics is a branch that uses controlled scientific methods and tools to
study speech sounds. The primary aim of experimental phonetics is to measure and analyze
the various physical and acoustic properties of speech sounds. This branch typically involves
the use of specialized instruments like spectrograms, oscilloscopes, and
electroglottographs to capture and analyze speech data in real time.

• Instrumentation: Experimental phonetics relies heavily on technology to visualize

and quantify speech sounds. For example, a spectrogram is used to show the
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 frequency, amplitude, and duration of speech sounds visually, allowing researchers to
study the finer details of speech production.
• Controlled experiments: Researchers may manipulate specific variables in a
controlled environment to study how they affect speech sounds. For example,
experiments may involve changing a speaker's rate of speech or using different
linguistic contexts to see how this influences acoustic properties.

This branch provides empirical data that is critical for understanding the mechanics of speech
and supports studies in other areas, such as sociophonetics or language acquisition.

2. Articulatory Phonetics
Articulatory phonetics is the study of how speech sounds are physically produced by the
movement of the vocal organs (the articulators). The main focus of articulatory phonetics is
to describe the specific ways in which we produce sounds, and to classify those sounds
according to the type of articulation involved.

• Articulators: The articulators include the lips, teeth, tongue, palate, velum (soft part
of the roof of the mouth), and the vocal cords. Articulatory phonetics looks at how
these parts of the body move and work together to create different speech sounds.
• Places and manners of articulation: Sounds can be classified based on how and
where they are produced. For example:
o Stops (e.g., [p], [b], [t], [d]) are produced by completely blocking and then
releasing airflow.
o Fricatives (e.g., [f], [v], [s], [z]) involve a narrow constriction that creates
friction in the airflow.
o Vowels are produced by manipulating the shape of the oral cavity and the
position of the tongue, without significant obstruction of airflow.

Articulatory phonetics also uses a phonetic alphabet (such as the International Phonetic
Alphabet, IPA) to transcribe sounds consistently across languages. This branch focuses on
describing how sounds differ in their place of articulation (e.g., bilabial, alveolar), manner
(e.g., stop, fricative), and other features.

3. Acoustic Phonetics
Acoustic phonetics deals with the physical properties of speech sounds as they are
transmitted through the air as sound waves. This branch focuses on the measurement and
analysis of the sound waves produced when speech is produced, such as their frequency
(pitch), intensity (loudness), and duration (how long a sound lasts).

• Sound wave analysis: Acoustic phonetics often uses tools like spectrograms to
visually represent how the sound waves behave over time. These graphs allow
researchers to analyze the frequency spectrum of speech sounds and determine
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 characteristics like vowel formants (resonant frequencies) and consonant bursts (rapid
changes in airflow).
• Frequency and pitch: For example, speech sounds can be analyzed in terms of their
fundamental frequency (the lowest frequency of vibration of the vocal cords) which
correlates with the pitch of the voice. Higher frequencies typically correspond to
higher pitches, and lower frequencies correspond to lower pitches.
• Amplitude and loudness: This refers to the strength or volume of the sound wave.
Amplitude is often measured in decibels (dB), which gives a quantitative measure of
the loudness of speech sounds.
• Duration and timing: Acoustic phonetics also studies the duration of sounds, which
is crucial for distinguishing between sounds in speech. For example, the vowel length
in languages like Japanese or Finnish can change the meaning of a word.

In short, acoustic phonetics bridges the gap between the physical characteristics of sound and
how these sounds are perceived and understood by listeners.

4. Auditory Phonetics
Auditory phonetics is concerned with how speech sounds are received and perceived by the
human auditory system. This branch of phonetics examines how speech signals are processed
by the ear, auditory nerve, and brain. The focus is on understanding the cognitive and
physiological processes involved in recognizing and interpreting speech sounds.

• Auditory perception: Auditory phonetics explores how the ear distinguishes between
different sounds, even when they are similar. For example, how do we differentiate
between a [p] and a [b] sound, or between a [s] and a [ʃ] sound (the "sh" sound)?
• Speech recognition: The brain has the ability to recognize and categorize sounds,
even when they are distorted by background noise or produced in different accents.
Auditory phonetics studies the mechanisms involved in this recognition process.
• Psychophysical factors: This branch also studies how the perception of speech
sounds is influenced by various factors, such as the listener's age, hearing ability, and
even their linguistic background. For example, individuals who speak different
languages may perceive the same speech sound in different ways, depending on their
phonetic inventory.
• Phonetic cues: Researchers in auditory phonetics identify which acoustic cues are
most important for speech perception. For instance, vowel sounds may be recognized
primarily through their formants, while consonant sounds are often distinguished by
their place of articulation or voicing.

Auditory phonetics helps us understand how the brain decodes the complex patterns of
speech sounds and converts them into meaningful linguistic information.

_______________________________________________

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 QUESTION NO . 02
Q.2 How are ‘monophthongs’ and ‘diphthongs’ different? Provide examples
differentiating these vowel sounds from each other. Are American vowels
different from British ones? Explain your point of view with appropriate
examples.

ANSWER:-

Monophthongs vs. Diphthongs :-

The primary difference between monophthongs and diphthongs lies in the nature of their
sound structure. Both terms refer to vowel sounds, but they describe how the sounds are
articulated and how they change over time during pronunciation.

1. Monophthongs
A monophthong is a simple, single vowel sound that has a constant quality throughout its
duration. It does not change or glide during articulation. Essentially, when you pronounce a
monophthong, the tongue position, lip shape, and mouth opening remain the same from the
beginning to the end of the vowel sound.

• Example of monophthongs:
o /iː/ as in "see" or "beet"
o /ɛ/ as in "bed"
o /ɪ/ as in "bit"
o /ɒ/ as in "pot" (in British English)

2. Diphthongs
A diphthong, on the other hand, is a complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel sound
and glides into another within the same syllable. The tongue or mouth position shifts during
the articulation of the sound. As a result, diphthongs have a dynamic quality as the sound
changes during pronunciation.

• Example of diphthongs:
o /aɪ/ as in "my" or "ride"
o /aʊ/ as in "how" or "out"
o /ɔɪ/ as in "boy" or "toy"

Key Differences Between Monophthongs and Diphthongs:

• Monophthongs are stable vowel sounds that do not change in quality during
pronunciation.

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 • Diphthongs involve a glide or change in quality, where one vowel sound transitions
into another within the same syllable.

Examples to Differentiate:

• Monophthongs:
o /iː/ in "see" (the tongue remains in the same position throughout the sound)
o /æ/ in "cat" (the tongue remains in the same position throughout the sound)
• Diphthongs:
o /aɪ/ in "my" (the tongue starts in a lower position and glides upward and
inward)
o /əʊ/ in "go" (the tongue starts at a mid-to-low position and glides upwards to
a near-close position)

Differences Between American and

British Vowel Sounds
Yes, American English vowels differ from British English vowels in several important ways.
The most notable differences are found in the pronunciation of certain monophthongs,
diphthongs, and in the rhoticity of the accent.

1. Monophthongs:
• /æ/:
o British English (RP): The vowel sound in words like "cat" is pronounced as a
near-front open vowel [æ].
o American English: The same vowel tends to be pronounced as a more open,
lower sound [æ] in some accents (e.g., in General American), but it’s often a
slightly more central sound.
• /ɒ/:
o British English (RP): In words like "pot" and "dog," the vowel is pronounced
as a rounded back open vowel [ɒ].
o American English: The same words typically feature a vowel pronounced as
[ɑ] (a more open back low sound), e.g., "pot" in General American sounds
like [pɑt].
• /uː/:
o British English: In words like "goose" and "food," the vowel is pronounced as
[uː] (a high back rounded vowel).
o American English: The same vowel sound may be pronounced with slight lip
rounding as in [ʊ] or [u] (sometimes described as a "flatter" version).

2. Diphthongs:
• /aɪ/:

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 o British English (RP): In words like "my", this diphthong has a more
centralized glide towards [ɪ]. It begins as an open front vowel and glides
towards a more closed [ɪ] sound.
o American English: In General American, the diphthong may have a slight
glide towards [ə], especially in more casual speech, making it sound like
[maɪə].
• /əʊ/:
o British English (RP): The diphthong in "go" is pronounced as [əʊ], starting
from a mid-central vowel and gliding towards a rounded back vowel.
o American English: This same diphthong is pronounced as [oʊ], which is a
more rounded, monophthong-like sound starting from a mid-back position
and gliding to a higher position.
• /aʊ/:
o British English: In words like "how," the diphthong is pronounced as [aʊ],
where the tongue starts low and moves upward and outward.
o American English: The same diphthong may be pronounced in a slightly
different manner, with a more central starting point, as [ɑʊ], especially in
certain regional American accents.

3. Rhoticity:
• Rhotic accents (American English): In American English, the /r/ sound is typically
pronounced in every position where it appears, including at the end of syllables and
words (e.g., "car" [kɑr], "far" [fɑr]).
• Non-rhotic accents (British RP): In RP (Received Pronunciation), the /r/ is often not
pronounced at the end of words or syllables, so "car" is pronounced [kɑː], and "far"
is pronounced [fɑː].

_____________________________________

QUESTION NO . 03

Q. 3. A vowel is classified in terms of (1) the position of tongue, (2) the part of tongue and
(3) lip-rounding (and sometimes, also by its length). Describe English vowels focusing
on their distinctive dimensions.

ANSWER:-

Vowels in English, like in all languages, are classified according to several distinctive
features. These include the position of the tongue, the part of the tongue involved in
articulation, lip-rounding, and sometimes length. Understanding these characteristics helps
to describe how different vowels are produced and how they differ from each other. Below is
a detailed explanation of each of these dimensions and how they apply to English vowels.

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1. Position of the Tongue (Height and Backness)
The position of the tongue in the mouth is one of the primary ways vowels are classified. It is
described by two key dimensions: height (how high or low the tongue is) and backness (how
far forward or backward the tongue is in the mouth).

(a) Tongue Height:

Vowel sounds are categorized based on how high or low the tongue is within the mouth. This
is referred to as the height of the tongue:

• High vowels: The tongue is positioned high in the mouth, close to the roof of the
mouth. These vowels are produced with relatively small space in the oral cavity.
o Examples:
▪ /iː/ as in "see", /ɪ/ as in "sit"
▪ /uː/ as in "goose", /ʊ/ as in "book"
• Mid vowels: The tongue is positioned midway between high and low. These vowels
have a moderate amount of space in the oral cavity.
o Examples:
▪ /e/ as in "bed", /ɛ/ as in "bet"
▪ /ə/ as in "sofa", /ɔː/ as in "thought"
▪ /oʊ/ as in "go", /əʊ/ as in "no"
• Low vowels: The tongue is positioned low in the mouth, creating a relatively large
space in the oral cavity.
o Examples:
▪ /æ/ as in "cat"
▪ /ɑː/ as in "father", /ɒ/ as in "pot" (British English)

(b) Tongue Backness:

In addition to height, vowels are also categorized based on how far forward or backward the
tongue is placed in the mouth. This is known as the backness of the vowel.

• Front vowels: The tongue is positioned towards the front of the mouth.
o Examples:
▪ /iː/ as in "see"
▪ /e/ as in "bed"
▪ /æ/ as in "cat"
• Central vowels: The tongue is positioned roughly in the middle of the mouth. Central
vowels are less common in English but appear in words like "sofa" and "bird".
o Examples:
▪ /ə/ as in "sofa"
▪ /ɜː/ as in "bird" (in British English)
• Back vowels: The tongue is positioned towards the back of the mouth.
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 o Examples:
▪ /uː/ as in "goose"
▪ /oʊ/ as in "go"
▪ /ɑː/ as in "father" (in British English)
▪ /ɒ/ as in "pot" (British English)

2. Part of the Tongue Involved (Articulatory

Classification)
The part of the tongue that is involved in articulating a vowel sound is another important
classification dimension. This classification looks at which area of the tongue is most active
in producing the sound.

• High Front Vowels: These vowels are articulated with the tongue at the front and
high in the mouth.
o /iː/ as in "see" (high, front)
o /ɪ/ as in "sit" (high, front)
• Mid Front Vowels: These vowels are produced with the tongue at the front but
slightly lower than high vowels.
o /e/ as in "bed"
• Low Front Vowel: The tongue is in a low position in the front of the mouth.
o /æ/ as in "cat"
• High Back Vowels: These vowels are produced with the tongue at the back and high
in the mouth.
o /uː/ as in "goose" (high, back)
o /ʊ/ as in "book" (high, back)
• Mid Back Vowels: These vowels are produced with the tongue positioned at the back
of the mouth but slightly lower than high vowels.
o /oʊ/ as in "go"
o /ɔː/ as in "thought" (British English)
• Low Back Vowels: The tongue is low in the mouth, and the sound is produced
towards the back.
o /ɑː/ as in "father"

3. Lip-Rounding
Another key feature that differentiates English vowels is lip-rounding. Some vowels are
articulated with the lips rounded, while others are not. This characteristic can impact the
acoustic quality of the vowel sound.

• Rounded vowels: These are produced with the lips rounded, which can add a fuller
or deeper resonance to the sound. Rounded vowels are typically back vowels in
English.
o Examples:
▪ /uː/ as in "goose" (high, back, rounded)
▪ /oʊ/ as in "go" (mid, back, rounded)

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 ▪ /ɔː/ as in "thought" (British English, mid, back, rounded)
• Unrounded vowels: These are produced without rounding the lips, which gives them
a more open or spread sound. Most front vowels are unrounded in English.
o Examples:
▪ /iː/ as in "see" (high, front, unrounded)
▪ /æ/ as in "cat" (low, front, unrounded)
▪ /ɛ/ as in "bed" (mid, front, unrounded)

4. Length of Vowels (Duration)

While length is not always a distinctive feature in English, vowel length can play a role in
differentiating certain vowel sounds, especially in accents that have a long and short vowel
distinction.

• Long vowels: These vowels are held longer in duration compared to short vowels.
o Examples:
▪ /iː/ as in "see" (long)
▪ /uː/ as in "goose" (long)
• Short vowels: These vowels are pronounced for a shorter duration.
o Examples:
▪ /ɪ/ as in "sit" (short)
▪ /ɛ/ as in "bed" (short)

In some accents (such as Received Pronunciation or other varieties of British English), there
is a clear distinction between long and short vowels. However, in many American English
varieties, this distinction is less prominent, and vowel length often does not differentiate
meaning. Instead, the quality of the vowel is more important.

Summary of English Vowel Dimensions

• Position of the tongue:
o Height: High, mid, low
o Backness: Front, central, back
• Part of the tongue involved: High front, low front, high back, low back
• Lip-rounding: Rounded or unrounded
• Length: Long vowels (more duration), short vowels (less duration)

Examples of Vowels in English (with detailed classifications):

• /iː/ (as in "see")

o Height: High
o Backness: Front
o Part of the tongue: Front
o Lip-rounding: Unrounded

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 o Length: Long
• /æ/ (as in "cat")
o Height: Low
o Backness: Front
o Part of the tongue: Front
o Lip-rounding: Unrounded
o Length: Short
• /ɑː/ (as in "father" in British English)
o Height: Low
o Backness: Back
o Part of the tongue: Back
o Lip-rounding: Unrounded
o Length: Long
• /uː/ (as in "goose")
o Height: High
o Backness: Back
o Part of the tongue: Back
o Lip-rounding: Rounded
o Length: Long
• /ɛ/ (as in "bed")
o Height: Mid
o Backness: Front
o Part of the tongue: Front
o Lip-rounding: Unrounded
o Length: Short

By understanding these dimensions (height, backness, part of the tongue, lip-rounding, and
sometimes length), linguists can classify and distinguish the various vowel sounds in English.
These classifications also help in understanding the phonetic differences between accents and
dialects, as vowels can vary greatly in terms of these features.

_____________________________________________________

QUESTION NO . 04
Q. 4. Describe English consonants in terms of their place of articulation and manner
of articulation. Substantiate your answer with the help of chart explaining both.

ANSWER:-

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English consonants can be classified based on two key articulatory features: place of
articulation and manner of articulation. These two categories explain where in the vocal
tract the sound is produced (place) and how the airflow is constricted or modified (manner).

1. Place of Articulation
The place of articulation refers to the point in the vocal tract where the constriction or
closure occurs during the production of a consonant sound. Different places of articulation
involve different parts of the mouth and throat.

Here are the main places of articulation in English:

• Bilabial: Both lips are used to produce the sound.

o Example: /p/ as in "pat", /b/ as in "bat", /m/ as in "mat"
• Labiodental: The lower lip contacts the upper teeth.
o Example: /f/ as in "fan", /v/ as in "van"
• Dental: The tip of the tongue touches the upper teeth.
o Example: /θ/ as in "think", /ð/ as in "this"
• Alveolar: The tongue makes contact with the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper
front teeth).
o Example: /t/ as in "tap", /d/ as in "dog", /n/ as in "nap", /s/ as in "sip", /z/ as
in "zip", /l/ as in "lip"
• Postalveolar: The tongue is placed just behind the alveolar ridge.
o Example: /ʃ/ as in "ship", /ʒ/ as in "measure"
• Palatal: The body of the tongue is raised to the hard palate.
o Example: /j/ as in "yes"
• Velar: The back of the tongue contacts the soft part of the roof of the mouth, the
velum.
o Example: /k/ as in "cat", /g/ as in "go", /ŋ/ as in "sing"
• Glottal: The sound is produced in the glottis (the space between the vocal cords).
o Example: /h/ as in "hat", glottal stop [ʔ] as in the sound between the
syllables in "uh-oh"

2. Manner of Articulation
The manner of articulation refers to how the airflow is manipulated or constricted during
the production of a consonant sound. Consonants are produced in different ways, based on
the degree of constriction and whether or not the airflow is fully blocked.

Here are the main manners of articulation in English:

• Stop (or Plosive): The airflow is completely blocked at some point in the vocal tract,
and then released suddenly.
o Examples: /p/ as in "pat", /b/ as in "bat", /t/ as in "top", /d/ as in "dog", /k/
as in "cat", /g/ as in "go"

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 • Fricative: The airflow is partially obstructed, creating a turbulent sound as air forces
its way through a narrow constriction.
o Examples: /f/ as in "fan", /v/ as in "van", /s/ as in "sip", /z/ as in "zip", /ʃ/ as
in "ship", /ʒ/ as in "measure"
• Affricate: A combination of a stop and a fricative. The airflow is initially stopped,
and then released with a narrow constriction, creating both a plosive and a fricative
sound in one gesture.
o Examples: /tʃ/ as in "church", /dʒ/ as in "judge"
• Nasal: The airflow is directed through the nose rather than the mouth, with the oral
cavity blocked.
o Examples: /m/ as in "mat", /n/ as in "nap", /ŋ/ as in "sing"
• Liquid: The airflow is relatively unobstructed, but the tongue may be in a slightly
constricted position, allowing air to flow around the sides of the tongue.
o Examples: /l/ as in "lip", /r/ as in "rat"
• Glide (or Approximant): These sounds involve a constriction in the vocal tract, but it
is not as narrow as for fricatives. The articulators move towards a more open position
during the sound, often described as "semi-vowels."
o Examples: /j/ as in "yes", /w/ as in "wet"

Combining Place and Manner of Articulation

Now, let’s combine the two categories to describe English consonants. Here is a chart
summarizing English consonants based on place and manner of articulation:

Place of Articulation Manner of Articulation Example Sounds

Bilabial Stop (Plosive) /p/ as in "pat", /b/ as in "bat"
Nasal /m/ as in "mat"
Labiodental Fricative /f/ as in "fan", /v/ as in "van"
Dental Fricative /θ/ as in "think", /ð/ as in "this"
Alveolar Stop (Plosive) /t/ as in "top", /d/ as in "dog"
Nasal /n/ as in "nap"
Fricative /s/ as in "sip", /z/ as in "zip"
Liquid (Lateral) /l/ as in "lip"
Postalveolar Fricative /ʃ/ as in "ship", /ʒ/ as in "measure"
Affricate /tʃ/ as in "church", /dʒ/ as in "judge"
Palatal Glide (Approximant) /j/ as in "yes"
Velar Stop (Plosive) /k/ as in "cat", /g/ as in "go"
Nasal /ŋ/ as in "sing"
Glottal Fricative /h/ as in "hat"
Stop (Glottal Stop) [ʔ] as in "uh-oh"

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 Summary of Consonant Articulation in English:
• Place of Articulation refers to the location where airflow is constricted or blocked in
the vocal tract, such as bilabial (both lips), alveolar (ridge behind the teeth), velar
(soft palate), etc.
• Manner of Articulation refers to how the airflow is manipulated, whether it's fully
stopped (plosives), partially constricted (fricatives), or modified by tongue
positioning and airflow (nasals, liquids, glides).

The combination of both place and manner of articulation helps us classify all the consonant
sounds in English and understand their acoustic and articulatory properties.

__________________________________________________

QUESTION NO . 05
Q. 5 Transcribe the following words into phonetic symbols:
a. enjoy g. motion
b. inhale h. ink
c. vision i. birth
d. rather k. throng
e. twin l. Speech
f. anger m. Paths
n. either o. Singing
p. Ethnicity

ANSWER:-

A detailed transcription of the provided words into phonetic symbols, with explanations of
the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbols used for each word. The transcriptions
will also reflect some regional variations, as English accents, particularly British and
American, can differ in pronunciation.

A. ENJOY
• Phonetic transcription: /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/

Explanation:

• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".

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 • /n/: A voiced alveolar nasal, as in "net".
• /dʒ/: A voiced postalveolar affricate, as in "judge".
• /ɔɪ/: A diphthong (combination of two vowel sounds) starting with a mid-back
rounded vowel /ɔ/ and gliding to a high front unrounded vowel /ɪ/, as in "boy".

B. INHALE
• Phonetic transcription: /ɪnˈheɪl/

Explanation:

• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".

• /n/: A voiced alveolar nasal, as in "net".
• /h/: A voiceless glottal fricative, as in "hat".
• /eɪ/: A diphthong starting with a mid-front unrounded vowel /e/ and gliding to a
high front unrounded vowel /ɪ/, as in "face".
• /l/: A voiced alveolar lateral approximant, as in "lip".

C. VISION
• Phonetic transcription: /ˈvɪʒən/

Explanation:

• /v/: A voiced labiodental fricative, as in "vase".

• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".
• /ʒ/: A voiced postalveolar fricative, as in "measure".
• /ən/: A schwa /ə/ (a mid-central vowel, often found in unstressed syllables) followed
by the alveolar nasal /n/, as in "sofa". This is a reduced pronunciation in the
unstressed syllable.

D. RATHER
• Phonetic transcription (British English): /ˈrɑːðər/
• Phonetic transcription (American English): /ˈræðər/

Explanation:

• /r/: A voiced alveolar approximant, as in "red".

• /ɑː/: A long open back unrounded vowel, as in "father" (British English).
• /æ/: A near-front open vowel, as in "cat" (American English).
• /ð/: A voiced dental fricative, as in "this".
• /ər/: The schwa /ə/ followed by an alveolar approximant /r/ (rhotic) in American
English, while British English often drops the /r/ sound (non-rhotic accent).

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 E. TWIN
• Phonetic transcription: /twɪn/

Explanation:

• /t/: A voiceless alveolar stop, as in "top".

• /w/: A voiced labio-velar approximant, as in "wet".
• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".
• /n/: A voiced alveolar nasal, as in "net".

F. ANGER
• Phonetic transcription: /ˈæŋɡər/

Explanation:

• /æ/: A near-front open vowel, as in "cat".

• /ŋ/: A voiced velar nasal, as in "sing".
• /ɡ/: A voiced velar stop, as in "go".
• /ər/: The schwa /ə/ followed by an alveolar approximant /r/ (rhotic), as in American
English "car".

G. MOTION
• Phonetic transcription (American English): /ˈmoʊʃən/
• Phonetic transcription (British English): /ˈməʊʃən/

Explanation:

• /m/: A voiced bilabial nasal, as in "mat".

• /oʊ/: A diphthong in American English that starts with a mid-back rounded vowel
/o/ and glides to a high-back rounded vowel /ʊ/, as in "go".
• /əʊ/: A diphthong in British English, with a similar quality, but the glide is slightly
different.
• /ʃ/: A voiceless postalveolar fricative, as in "ship".
• /ən/: A schwa /ə/ followed by the alveolar nasal /n/.

H. INK
• Phonetic transcription: /ɪŋk/

Explanation:

• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".

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 • /ŋ/: A voiced velar nasal, as in "sing".
• /k/: A voiceless velar stop, as in "cat".

I. BIRTH
• Phonetic transcription (British English): /bɜːrθ/
• Phonetic transcription (American English): /bɜːrθ/ or /bɝːθ/

Explanation:

• /b/: A voiced bilabial stop, as in "bat".

• /ɜː/: A mid-central vowel, commonly used in British English, as in "bird".
• /r/: A rhotic sound in both British and American English.
• /θ/: A voiceless dental fricative, as in "think".

J. THRONG
• Phonetic transcription (British English): /θrɒŋ/
• Phonetic transcription (American English): /θrɔːŋ/

Explanation:

• /θ/: A voiceless dental fricative, as in "think".

• /r/: A rhotic sound in both British and American English.
• /ɒ/: A low back rounded vowel in British English, as in "hot".
• /ɔː/: A low-mid back rounded vowel in American English, as in "law".
• /ŋ/: A voiced velar nasal, as in "sing".

K. SPEECH
• Phonetic transcription: /spiːtʃ/

Explanation:

• /s/: A voiceless alveolar fricative, as in "sip".

• /p/: A voiceless bilabial stop, as in "pat".
• /iː/: A long close front unrounded vowel, as in "see".
• /tʃ/: A voiceless postalveolar affricate, as in "church".

l. Paths
• Phonetic transcription (British English): /pɑːθs/
• Phonetic transcription (American English): /pæθs/

Explanation:
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 • /p/: A voiceless bilabial stop, as in "pat".
• /ɑː/: A long open back unrounded vowel in British English, as in "father".
• /æ/: A near-front open vowel in American English, as in "cat".
• /θ/: A voiceless dental fricative, as in "think".
• /s/: A voiceless alveolar fricative, as in "sip".

M. EITHER
• Phonetic transcription: /ˈiːðər/ or /ˈaɪðər/

Explanation:

• /iː/: A long close front unrounded vowel, as in "see".

• /aɪ/: A diphthong, as in "my".
• /ð/: A voiced dental fricative, as in "this".
• /ər/: The schwa /ə/ followed by a rhotic approximant /r/, as in American English
"car".

N. SINGING
• Phonetic transcription: /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/

Explanation:

• /s/: A voiceless alveolar fricative, as in "sip".

• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".
• /ŋ/: A voiced velar nasal, as in "sing".
• /ɪ/: A near-close, near-front unrounded vowel, as in "sit".
• /ŋ/: A voiced velar nasal, as in "sing".

O. ETHNICITY
• Phonetic transcription: /ɛθˈnɪsɪti/

Explanation:

• /ɛ/: A mid-front unrounded vowel, as in "bed".

• /θ/: A voiceless dental fricative, as in "think".
• /n/: A voiced alveolar nasal, as in "net".

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 QUESTION NO . 06
Q. 6 Explain ‘syllabicity’ with examples from English and highlight the case of
syllabic consonants. Compare and exemplify open and closed syllables.

Answer:-

Syllabicity in Phonetics:
Syllabicity refers to the property of a sound that allows it to serve as the nucleus of a
syllable, which is the central part of a syllable typically occupied by a vowel. The syllable
nucleus is the peak of sonority within a syllable, and, in most languages, vowels serve as the
syllabic nucleus. However, in certain contexts, consonants can also act as the syllabic
nucleus, and this phenomenon is known as syllabic consonants.

Syllabic Consonants in English

In English, consonants like /n/, /m/, /l/, and /r/ can become syllabic. This occurs most
commonly in unstressed syllables, often when the syllable contains complex consonant
clusters or when the syllable ends in a nasal or liquid consonant.

• Syllabic consonants take on a vowel-like role in the syllable, meaning they become
the nucleus of the syllable, which is typically the vowel sound. This shift is especially
common in reduced syllables (i.e., unstressed syllables).

In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), syllabic consonants are typically marked with a
vertical line underneath the consonant symbol (e.g., /n̩/, /l̩ /, /m̩/, /r̩/).

Examples of Syllabic Consonants in English

1. /n̩/:
In the word "button" (pronounced /ˈbʌtən/), the final syllable contains the sound /n̩/.
In rapid speech or casual speech, this may be pronounced as /ˈbʌtn̩/, where /n̩/ serves
as the nucleus of the syllable.
o Example word: "button" /ˈbʌtn̩ /
o IPA: /ˈbʌtn̩ /
2. /l̩ /:
In the word "bottle" (pronounced /ˈbɒtl̩ / in British English or /ˈbɑːtl̩ / in American
English), the sound /l̩ / functions as the syllabic nucleus in the final unstressed
syllable. The /l/ acts as a vowel-like sound.
o Example word: "bottle" /ˈbɒtl ̩/
o IPA: /ˈbɒtl ̩/

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 3. /m̩/:
In the word "prism" (pronounced /ˈprɪzəm/), the final /m/ in the second syllable can
become syllabic in rapid speech, and the word is pronounced as /ˈprɪzɪm̩/.
o Example word: "prism" /ˈprɪzəm/
o IPA: /ˈprɪzɪm̩ /
4. /r̩/:
In many dialects of American English, especially in words like "butter" (pronounced
/ˈbʌtər/), the /r/ sound can be syllabic, making the final syllable pronounced as
/ˈbʌtər̩/ (rhotic "r" as the syllabic nucleus).
o Example word: "butter" /ˈbʌtər/
o IPA: /ˈbʌtər̩/

These examples show how consonants, typically nasal and liquid sounds, can take on the role
of the syllabic nucleus when they occur in unstressed syllables.

Open vs. Closed Syllables

A syllable is a unit of sound that typically consists of a nucleus (the most sonorous part),
usually a vowel, and can have an onset (consonants before the nucleus) and a coda
(consonants after the nucleus). Syllables can be classified as open or closed based on the
presence of a consonant at the end of the syllable.

1. Open Syllables:
An open syllable is one that ends in a vowel, not a consonant. These syllables
typically have a long vowel sound, and the vowel is usually pronounced as it would
be in isolation. Open syllables are often more sonorous and are common in many
languages, including English.
o Characteristics of open syllables:
▪ The syllable ends in a vowel sound.
▪ The vowel sound is usually long or tense.
▪ The syllable is often stressed.
o Example words with open syllables:
▪ "me" /miː/
▪ "go" /ɡoʊ/
▪ "hi" /haɪ/
▪ "no" /noʊ/

In each of these examples, the syllables are open because they end in a vowel sound.

2. Closed Syllables:
A closed syllable is one that ends in a consonant. These syllables tend to have a
short vowel sound, and the consonant "closes" the syllable, making it more compact
and often producing a more clipped or tense vowel sound.
o Characteristics of closed syllables:
▪ The syllable ends in a consonant sound.
▪ The vowel sound is often short or lax.
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 ▪The syllable may be stressed or unstressed, but the vowel is generally
more reduced in unstressed syllables.
o Example words with closed syllables:
▪ "cat" /kæt/
▪ "dog" /dɔɡ/
▪ "sit" /sɪt/
▪ "pen" /pɛn/

In these examples, the syllables are closed because they end in a consonant sound.

Comparison of Open and Closed Syllables

• Open syllables:
o End in a vowel sound.
o Usually have a long vowel sound.
o Common in languages with simple syllable structures.
o Examples: me /miː/, hi /haɪ/, go /ɡoʊ/
• Closed syllables:
o End in a consonant sound.
o Typically have a short or reduced vowel sound.
o Common in languages with more complex syllable structures.
o Examples: cat /kæt/, dog /dɔɡ/, pen /pɛn/

The key difference is that open syllables end with a vowel, often with a long or tense vowel,
while closed syllables end with a consonant, often resulting in a short or reduced vowel
sound.

Syllabicity and the Role of Consonants in

Syllables
In many languages, including English, consonants play an important role in the structure of
syllables. In English, syllabic consonants (like /n̩/, /l̩ /, /m̩/, and /r̩/) show that consonants can
sometimes replace vowels as the nucleus of a syllable. This is particularly evident in
unstressed syllables, where the vowel sound is often reduced or absent, and a consonant takes
over the function of the syllable's peak of sonority.

Examples of Syllabic Consonants:

• /n̩ /: "button" /ˈbʌtn̩ /

• /l ̩/: "bottle" /ˈbɒtl ̩/
• /m̩ /: "prism" /ˈprɪzəm/ (pronounced as /ˈprɪzɪm̩ / in rapid speech)
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 • /r̩/: "butter" /ˈbʌtər̩/

This shows how English syllables are flexible and can adapt the role of consonants to fill the
role of the vowel in the syllable nucleus, especially in casual or rapid speech.

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THE END

THANKS

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