Sounds of language: Phonetics and Applied Linguistics

SOUNDS OF LANGUAGE
Jourdanne Timbreza
Jose Rizal University
Master of Arts, Major in Language Education

ABSTRACT
To know a language, one must know the sounds of the
language. The study of phonetics concerns itself with the physical
properties and sounds of speech. Mainly, it is discusses how sounds
are made and how these sounds are formed to create a coherent
thought or message in a chosen language, which then will be passed
onto listeners through the process of oral communication. Before one
may speak in a language, he must know how words are said and which
words to combine to make these words.

ABSTRACT
Phones are unit of sounds which are then combined to form syllables.
These syllables are then combined to make words. However, each syllable
or phone, especially when combined, has a unique sound attached to
them. This is where consonants and vowels enter the picture. They are
then used to translate these syllables and phones into something a hearer
may understand. How then should these elements be combined or used?
This shall be the main topic of this paper.

ROLE OF SPEECH SOUNDS
 The basic knowledge a speaker should learn before he learns a
language is to recognize what the language he aims to learn sounds
like. It is only then that he would be able to distinguish it's differences
and even its common traits with others from various groups or
families of language.
 This point merely proves that to know a language also means to
know the sounds of a language .

PHONETICS
 Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that aims to study and
describe the sounds and forms of both spoken and sign language
respectively.
 They could also be referred to as sound differences. From this
information, it could be surmised that phonetics is mainly concerned
with the production, description and differentiation of speech sounds.

PHONETICS
 To the beginner, phonetics and phonology might be confused to
be the same discipline or study. However, upon closer study, it should
be noted that phonology concerns itself with phonemes, abstract
cognitive units of speech and signs of language. Phonetics, on the
other hand, concerns itself with speech sounds, phones, syllables,
consonants and vowels. It also places utmost importance in the
movement of the vocal tract as speech sounds are produced. .

THE SPEECH TRAIN
 Idea or concept is formulated within the brain of the speaker. It
will then be encoded into a common language which he and the
hearer both understand.
 From the brain, the message is sent to the vocal apparatus, which
can also be associated with the organs that compose the vocal tract.
The muscles and organs involved will then begin to position
themselves in order to produce the appropriate speech sounds.

THE SPEECH TRAIN
 The speech sounds travel through air until they reach the ears of
the hearer.
 After hearing the speech sounds, (4) the brain of the hearer starts
to decode them until they arrive at a thought which would prompt
their own response.

THREE BRANCHES OF
PHONETICS
 Articulatory Phonetics pertains to the production of speech sounds.
It studies how the vocal tract reacts and begins the procedure of
generating the sounds of a language.
 Auditory linguistics pertains to interpretation of speech sounds
within context.
 Acoustic Phonetics concerned with the physical properties of
sounds (how the word is pronounced through the speech sounds made)

THE VOCAL TRACT
 The vocal tract is a group of organs involved in the production of
speech sounds.
 Egressive pulmonic airstream is air pushed out of the lungs.
 Ingressive pulmonic airstream is produced when speech sounds
are made by breathing in.

PARTS OF THE VOCAL
TRACT
 Lungs
 Larynx
 Pharynx
 Nasal cavity
 Oral cavity
 Glottis

MANNER AND PLACE OF
ARTICULATION
 Place of articulation is defined as the point of contact where the
restriction or obstruction of airflow occurs in the vocal tract.
 Passive place of articulation is the more stationary part of the
vocal tract where articulation occurs ranging from any part starting
from the gums, upper teeth, roof of the mouth and back of the
throat.

MANNER AND PLACE OF
ARTICULATION
 Active place of articulation is the more mobile part of the vocal
tract. These are parts are usually found in some parts of the
tongue and lips.

MAJOR PLACES OF ARTICULATION
 Labials are divided into two kinds: Bilabial sounds are made by
bringing both lips together. Labiodental sounds on the other hand,
by allowing the bottom of the lip to touch the upper teeth.
 Dentals are formed using the tongue and teeth. The tip of the
tongue touches the upper teeth when making /th/ and /t/ sounds.
Interdentals which occur when the tongue protrudes between the
upper teeth and the lower teeth.

 Alveolars sounds occur when the blade of the tongue touches or
slightly touches the alveolar ridge. This ridge is the roof of the mouth
located behind the upper teeth. Another alveolar sound such as the
/r/ sound allows the speaker to curl his tongue just behind the
alveolar ridge. This is called as post-alveolar or retroflex.

 Alveolars sounds occur when the blade of the tongue touches or
slightly touches the alveolar ridge. This ridge is the roof of the mouth
located behind the upper teeth. Another alveolar sound such as the /r/
sound allows the speaker to curl his tongue just behind the alveolar ridge.
This is called as post-alveolar or retroflex.
 Palatals are made when the tongue makes contact with the palate.
If the tongue touches part of the front palate, it is an alveo-palatal sound.

 Velars occur when the consonant sounds are made with the
tongue touching the velum or soft palate.
 Uvulars are made when the back of the tongue is raised to touch
the uvula. The uvula is the fleshy bulge hanging down in the back of
the throat.
 Pharyngeals are made by pulling the root of the tongue back to
the narrow of the pharynx.

 Glottal consonant sounds are made when there is a constriction
of the glottis, which is the opening between the vocal folds.

MANNER OF ARTICULATION
 The Manner of Articulation are concerned with how the
airstream is affected when it is released from the lungs and pushed
out of the mouth or nose, if it is blocked or partially blocked and
vibrating or non-vibrating.

 Stops are made when there is a complete closure or blockage of
the airstream. These can be made from the glottis to the lips. When
stops are made, the air is closed or restricted in the oral cavity for a
few seconds before it is released to make a vowel sound.
 Nasals are phones which lower the velum in order to permit the
air to pass through the nose. The flow of air is stopped at the oral
cavity but it may pass freely through the nasal cavity.

 Fricatives are impartial blockages of places of articulation. Since
the flow of air is constricted, there is friction which can either be
voiced or voiceless.
 Affricates are a combination of stops and fricatives. There is a
restriction of air which is immediately followed by a gradual release
of the closure, which causes friction.

 Laterals are when both sides of the tongue are lowered to allow air to
pass through them. The air proceeds through the sides of the tongue but
is blocked by the tongue from going through the middle of the mouth.
 Liquids are present in the /l/ and /r/ sounds. A restriction of air
occurs, but not enough to cause friction. Acoustically, they have common
elements. This is the reason why foreign speakers may sometimes
interchange them or confuse them with one another.

 Glides are also known as semi-vowels for they are consonants that
resemble vowels. They are known to have the least constriction at the
point of articulation. The articulators move but they do not meet
each other. After articulating the consonant, the tongue glides in place
to ready itself for the following vowel sound.
 Approximants are similar to liquids in a way that articulators are
close enough to each other but no actual friction occurs.

 Trills are produced by rapid vibrations of an articulator. The
vibrating sound is made when the tip of the tongue is against the
alveolar ridge. Meanwhile, a flap is made by a flick of the tongue
against the alveolar ridge. These two are also referred to as Rhotics.

CONSONANTS AND
VOWELS
 A consonant is defined as a speech sound that is made with either
complete or partial closure of the vocal tract.
 The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) was created to
represent each consonant sound with a symbol. These symbols are
known as letters, which are used in communication.
 Vowel sounds are pronounced with an open vocal tract. There is
no restriction of air at any point just above the glottis.

CONSONANTS AND
VOWELS
 The tongue may shift position within pronunciation of vowels the
vocal tract, on the other hand is used as a resonating chamber for the
passing airstream resulting to vibration. According to McGregor
(2009), this means that all vowels are voiced in all languages.

CONSONANTS AND
VOWELS
 Diphthongs are known as gliding vowels. When the tongue is in
constant motion throughout traveling from one vowel sound to
another, a diphthong is produced. They are adjacent vowel sounds
occurring within the same syllable. To this extent, they are the
opposite of monophthongs which refer to simple vowels. These
monophthongs are made when the tongue is immobile and only one
vowel sound emerges from a syllable

CONSONANTS AND
VOWELS
 Lip roundings are dependent on the position or shape of the lips,
if they are rounded or spread. Rounded vowels are produced with
pursed or rounded lips. The two types of rounding are: protruded and
compressed. Protruded rounding pertains to when the corners of the
mouth are drawn together like a tube while their inner surface remains
visible. Compressed rounding, on the other hand, the lips are drawn
together horizontally with only the outer surface visible.

CONCLUSION
There are various sounds present in the English language. Speech sounds are often
taken for granted, as many people do not seem to realize how important they are in
terms of learning or acquiring a language. Oral communication plays a major role in
phonetics. This can only suggest that the elements of spoken language such as
phones, syllables, consonants, syllables and other phonetic properties are also vital
principles of language that should not be overlooked. Therefore, the study of
phonetics should always be considered in comprehending the concept of language.

REFERENCES:
McGregor, W. B (2009) Linguistics: An Introduction. New York, Continuum
International Group.
Fromkin, V. , Rodman, R. &Hyams, N. (2010) Introduction to Linguistics. Singapore,
Cengage Learning Asia
Phonetics (n.d.) Retrieved on: February 24, 2010. Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonetics
Consonants (n.d.) Retrieved on: February 26, 2013. Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vowel
Diphthongs (n.d.) Retrieved on: February 19, 2013. Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipthong

 Lip Rounding (n.d.) Retrieved on: February 27, 2013. Retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lip_rounding
 Hembree, D. (2013) What Are the Acoustic Properties for Describing
Consonant & Vowel Sounds? Retrieved on: February 25, 2013. Retrieved from:
http://www.ehow.com/list_7658647_acoustic-describing-consonant-vowel-
sounds.html
 Glossary of Phonetic Terms.(n.d.)Retrieved on: February 25, 2013. Retrieved
from: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/hh361665%28v=office.14%29.aspx

Sounds of language: Phonetics and Applied Linguistics

Sounds of language: Phonetics and Applied Linguistics

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