Phonetics and Pronunciation
,Phonetics Study or science of the sounds of a certain language.
It can be recognized by;
-The same sound is represented by the same symbol
- Phonetic transcriptions are put between slashes: / /
- No CAPITOLS are used
- Stress indication by a stress marks
Phonemes It represents a distinctive sound
Vowel Klinkers
Consonant Medeklinkers
Syllable Lettergreep
Vowel sounds Different vowel, but the same sound (klinkerklanken).
Consonant sounds Medeklinkerklanken
Phonetic transcription When speech sounds are represented by phonenimes.
Stress Klemtoon
Mnemonic Ezelsbruggetje
Colon ‘:’ Een dubbele punt, Marks a long vowel sound
Semi colon ‘;’ een puntkomma
Lenis (soft) Makes a sound longer,the vocal cords vibrate while
speaking.(vb; /v/ or /z/
Fortis (effort) Makes a sound shorter, pronounced without vibrations of
the vocal cords. (vb; /f/ /p/
Context The position of a vowel sound
Vocal cords Stembanden
Minimal pair Two words that sound the same but have only one
different phonetic symbol.
Schwa /ᵊ/ Most important vowel sound, used more in English than
any other language.
Short vowel Short vowel Long vowel Long vowel
Short context Long context Short context Long context
Voiceless Voiced Voiceless Voiced
Short Long
Note: The vowel sound is not lengthened if it’s followed by another syllable: (vb;
begging, woodland, budding.)
It’s important to pronounce either a voiced or a voiceless sound correctly in a certain
word because it could mean something different. ( vb; cap-cab)
Weak and strong forms
Words in isolation are sometimes produced different when you use it in a sentence.
For example;
I’m going to go to Amsterdam.
/tᵊ/ /ᶷ/
Weak forms The normal way to pronounce the word
Strong forms Isolation
When the word is stressed
Often used in a final position in the sentence.
Gradation: When a word has one strong form and one or more weak forms.
, Three term label:
- The degree to which the
tongue is raises: open,
half open, half close or
close
- The part of the tongue that is raised: front, central or back
- Whether the lips are rounded or not: rounded or unrounded
1. Give the rule: When is the /r/ pronounced in BrE?
The /r/ is only pronounced in BrE if it is followed by a vowel sound.
2. Give the rule: When is the /r/ pronounced in AmE?
In all positions
3. How would the word ‘grass’ be pronounced in BrE and AmE?
- BrE grass > gr/a:/ss or gr/ᵊ/ss
- AmE grass > gr/e/ss
Word & sentence stress
When words are said with greater force and effort than the others they are stressed.
You out an ‘ before the syllables which are stressed. The other words are
unstressed. (vb; //I could ‘hardly be’lieve my ‘eyes//
The difference between word stress and sentence stress is that word stress is
indicated with a stress mark, the stress is on a syllable. And a sentence stress is on a
whole word, not on a part of one word.
,Phonetics Study or science of the sounds of a certain language.
It can be recognized by;
-The same sound is represented by the same symbol
- Phonetic transcriptions are put between slashes: / /
- No CAPITOLS are used
- Stress indication by a stress marks
Phonemes It represents a distinctive sound
Vowel Klinkers
Consonant Medeklinkers
Syllable Lettergreep
Vowel sounds Different vowel, but the same sound (klinkerklanken).
Consonant sounds Medeklinkerklanken
Phonetic transcription When speech sounds are represented by phonenimes.
Stress Klemtoon
Mnemonic Ezelsbruggetje
Colon ‘:’ Een dubbele punt, Marks a long vowel sound
Semi colon ‘;’ een puntkomma
Lenis (soft) Makes a sound longer,the vocal cords vibrate while
speaking.(vb; /v/ or /z/
Fortis (effort) Makes a sound shorter, pronounced without vibrations of
the vocal cords. (vb; /f/ /p/
Context The position of a vowel sound
Vocal cords Stembanden
Minimal pair Two words that sound the same but have only one
different phonetic symbol.
Schwa /ᵊ/ Most important vowel sound, used more in English than
any other language.
Short vowel Short vowel Long vowel Long vowel
Short context Long context Short context Long context
Voiceless Voiced Voiceless Voiced
Short Long
Note: The vowel sound is not lengthened if it’s followed by another syllable: (vb;
begging, woodland, budding.)
It’s important to pronounce either a voiced or a voiceless sound correctly in a certain
word because it could mean something different. ( vb; cap-cab)
Weak and strong forms
Words in isolation are sometimes produced different when you use it in a sentence.
For example;
I’m going to go to Amsterdam.
/tᵊ/ /ᶷ/
Weak forms The normal way to pronounce the word
Strong forms Isolation
When the word is stressed
Often used in a final position in the sentence.
Gradation: When a word has one strong form and one or more weak forms.
, Three term label:
- The degree to which the
tongue is raises: open,
half open, half close or
close
- The part of the tongue that is raised: front, central or back
- Whether the lips are rounded or not: rounded or unrounded
1. Give the rule: When is the /r/ pronounced in BrE?
The /r/ is only pronounced in BrE if it is followed by a vowel sound.
2. Give the rule: When is the /r/ pronounced in AmE?
In all positions
3. How would the word ‘grass’ be pronounced in BrE and AmE?
- BrE grass > gr/a:/ss or gr/ᵊ/ss
- AmE grass > gr/e/ss
Word & sentence stress
When words are said with greater force and effort than the others they are stressed.
You out an ‘ before the syllables which are stressed. The other words are
unstressed. (vb; //I could ‘hardly be’lieve my ‘eyes//
The difference between word stress and sentence stress is that word stress is
indicated with a stress mark, the stress is on a syllable. And a sentence stress is on a
whole word, not on a part of one word.
