LING101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Vocal Tract, Syllable, Tenseness
Document Summary
Why do we need the phonetic alphabet? (ipa) Can"t use regular alphabet because letters have many different sounds. 1 to 1 correspondence between sounds and symbols. Many symbols from or based on latin and greek alphabets. How consonants are articulated the articulation of consonants involves the complete or partial constriction of airflow within the vocal tract. Distinguishing features of english consonants place of articulation (place of airflow obstruction) Alveolar - l n s z t d r. Postalveolar - sh, ch, ja - jump (dz), long z. Velar - k g ng (long n) Plosive (oral stop) - p b t d k g. Liquid - lateral - l, retroflex - r. How vowels are articulated: vowels are produced with a relatively open vocal tract, lacking any significant constriction. Distinguishing features of english vowels: height (high,mid,low) tongue advancement (front,central,back) tenseness refers to relative tenseness of lip muscles lip rounding. Minimally, a syllable has a nucleus (a vowel or syllabic consonant)