The Sounds Of English

Una ppp per a entendre com funcionen els sons en anglès. O si més no, una introducció al tema.

1. 11
Facoltà di EconomiaFacoltà di Economia
Corso di Laurea inCorso di Laurea in
Economia e Gestione AziendaleEconomia e Gestione Aziendale
Economia e FinanzaEconomia e Finanza
Economia e Gestione dei Servizi TuristiciEconomia e Gestione dei Servizi Turistici
Lingua IngleseLingua Inglese
prof.ssa Luisanna Foddeprof.ssa Luisanna Fodde
a.a. 2003/2004a.a. 2003/2004

2. TTHE SOUNDS OF HE SOUNDS OF
ENGLISHENGLISH

3. 33
::
PHONOLOGY
The study of speech sounds in a particular
language

PHONETICS
The study of speech sounds and their
production

The Sounds of English

4. 44
WORDS CAN BE BROKEN DOWN (DIVIDED) WORDS CAN BE BROKEN DOWN (DIVIDED)
INTOINTO MORPHEMESMORPHEMES - THEIR STRUCTURAL - THEIR STRUCTURAL
CONSTITUENTSCONSTITUENTS
un-employ-mentun-employ-ment
THEY CAN ALSO BE BROKEN DOWN INTO THEY CAN ALSO BE BROKEN DOWN INTO
THEIR CONSTITUENT SOUNDS,THEIR CONSTITUENT SOUNDS,
PHONEMESPHONEMES
A PHONEME is the smallest unit of sounds A PHONEME is the smallest unit of sounds
which constitute a change of meaning.which constitute a change of meaning.
Seat / beat / meat /Seat / beat / meat /

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The sounds of EnglishThe sounds of English
English has 44 phonemes, 24 English has 44 phonemes, 24
consonant and 20 vowel sounds.consonant and 20 vowel sounds.
CONSONANTCONSONANT
–A sound made with a certain amount of A sound made with a certain amount of
temporary block of the airflow through temporary block of the airflow through
the mouth.the mouth.

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The sounds of EnglishThe sounds of English
VOWELVOWEL
A sound made without any such restrictions in A sound made without any such restrictions in
the airflow.the airflow.
The 20 vowel sounds may be divided into 12 'pure' vowel The 20 vowel sounds may be divided into 12 'pure' vowel
sounds and 8 diphthongs.sounds and 8 diphthongs.
THE PHONETIC ALPHABET DISTINGUISHES ALL THE PHONETIC ALPHABET DISTINGUISHES ALL
PHONEMES IN WRITING.PHONEMES IN WRITING.
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) provides a The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) provides a
writing symbol for any linguistic sound of any world writing symbol for any linguistic sound of any world
language.language.

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The International Phonetic The International Phonetic
AlphabetAlphabet
EEnables students and linguists to learn and record the nables students and linguists to learn and record the
pronunciation of languages accurately, therebypronunciation of languages accurately, thereby
avoiding the confusion of inconsistent, conventional spellings. avoiding the confusion of inconsistent, conventional spellings.
One aim of the IPA was to provide a unique symbolOne aim of the IPA was to provide a unique symbol
for each distinctive sound in a language--that is, every sound, for each distinctive sound in a language--that is, every sound,
or phoneme, that serves to distinguish one word from or phoneme, that serves to distinguish one word from
another.another.

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PROSODY
THE STUDY OF THE PATTERNS OF SOUNDS AND
RHYTHMS IN POETRY AND SPEECH

STRESS (ACCENT)
AN EXTRA FORCE USED WHEN PRONOUNCING A
PARTICULAR WORD OR SYLLABLE:

In 'strategic' the stress is/falls on the second
syllable

9. 99
ACCENT
A NATIONAL, LOCAL, INDIVIDUAL WAY OF
PRONOUNCING WORDS.
A Southern accent, a Northern accent, a
Scottish accent,
“To speak with an accent”

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The Sounds of EnglishThe Sounds of English
In English, stressed syllables occur In English, stressed syllables occur
generally at regular intervals. The stress generally at regular intervals. The stress
pattern can sometimes indicate a word's pattern can sometimes indicate a word's
class, for example 'conduct' can be class, for example 'conduct' can be
pronounced /' /, a noun, or / '/, a verb. pronounced /' /, a noun, or / '/, a verb.
Also 'contest', 'contact', ecc.Also 'contest', 'contact', ecc.

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A STRESSED SYLLABLE IS MARKED BY A STRESSED SYLLABLE IS MARKED BY
PLACING A HIGH VERTICAL MARK /'/ PLACING A HIGH VERTICAL MARK /'/
BEFORE IT. A stressed syllable is BEFORE IT. A stressed syllable is
relatively loud, long in duration, said clearly relatively loud, long in duration, said clearly
and distinctly.and distinctly.
LONGER WORDS may have one or more LONGER WORDS may have one or more
secondary stresses coming before the main secondary stresses coming before the main
stress. These are marked with /, /stress. These are marked with /, /
Laboratory, cerimony, monasteryLaboratory, cerimony, monastery

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TThe Sounds of Englishhe Sounds of English
INTONATION MAY BE INTONATION MAY BE RISING RISING
OR OR FALLINGFALLING
In English declarative In English declarative
sentences - statements - are sentences - statements - are
spoken with FALLING spoken with FALLING
intonation. Interrogative intonation. Interrogative
sentences - questions - with sentences - questions - with
RISING intonation.RISING intonation.

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The Sounds of EnglishThe Sounds of English
THE FIRST PRONUNCIATION GIVEN THE FIRST PRONUNCIATION GIVEN
IN A DICTIONARY IS THAT OF IN A DICTIONARY IS THAT OF
GENERAL BRITISH – British EnglishGENERAL BRITISH – British English
Received Pronunciation - RP - plus similar Received Pronunciation - RP - plus similar
accents not strongly regional)accents not strongly regional)

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TThe Sounds of Englishhe Sounds of English
OFTEN THE SAME PHONETIC OFTEN THE SAME PHONETIC
REPRESENTATION OF A WORD IS ALSO REPRESENTATION OF A WORD IS ALSO
APPROPRIATE FOR AMERICAN SPEECH , APPROPRIATE FOR AMERICAN SPEECH ,
WITH SIMPLE AUTOMATIC CHANGES ( F.E. WITH SIMPLE AUTOMATIC CHANGES ( F.E.
TO INSERT /r/ IN SUCH WORDS AS FARM).TO INSERT /r/ IN SUCH WORDS AS FARM).
If the word is pronounced differently in the If the word is pronounced differently in the
US, the dictionary will give its US, the dictionary will give its
pronunciation separately with thepronunciation separately with the label US:label US:
HOT, BUTTER, BETTER, FAST, PAST, PASS, HOT, BUTTER, BETTER, FAST, PAST, PASS,
CEMETERY, MONASTERY, MONETARY.CEMETERY, MONASTERY, MONETARY.