Definition of Phonetics Malmberg (1963, p.1): the study of sounds of language Langacker (1967, p.6): … the analysis of speech sounds with their articulation, acoustic property and perception O’Connor, (1973, p.105): the study of speech sounds
Ladefoged (1975, p.1): Phonetics is concerned with describing the speech sounds that occur in the languages of the world.
Definition of Phonetics Catford (1988, p.1): Phonetics is the systematic study of human speech-sounds. It provides means of describing and classifying virtually all the sounds that can be produced by human vocal tracts. Lyons (2002, p.66): the study of the phonic medium Yule (2008, p.30): the general study of the characteristics of speech sounds Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2010): the study of speech sounds and how they are produced
Definition of Phonetics Crystal (1990, p.167): Phonetics is the science of human speech sounds; it studies the defining characteristics of all human vocal noise, and concentrates its attention on those sounds which occur in the world’s languages. It looks at speech from three distinct but interdependent viewpoints:
Definition of Phonetics 1 . it studies the vocal organs, through the use of which we articulate the sounds of speech;
2. it studies sound waves, which is the physical way in which sounds are transmitted through the air from one person to another;
3. it studies the way in which human beings perceive sounds through the medium of the ear.
Roach (2000, p. 1): a general theory about speech sounds. Clark and Yallop (1995, pp. 1-2): the study of articulatory, acoustic and auditory facets of speech Crystal (2003, p. 349): the science which studies the characteristics of human sound-making, especially those sounds used in speech, and provides methods for their description, classification and transcription
Defining characteristics of Phonetics Phonetics is a science or a scientific study. It is the study of human vocal noise. It gives emphasis on the study of human speech sounds. It studies the production, transmission and reception of speech sounds It transcribes the speech sounds, and describes and classifies them on the basis of their production.
Conclusion Phonetics is the scientific study of all human vocal noise with special emphasis on speech sounds in terms of their production, transmission and reception, including the transcription, and description and classification of them on the basis of their production.