Phonetics and Phonetics and PhonologyPhonology

Introduction to Introduction to Phonetics and Phonetics and Phonology Phonology

Basic TerminologyBasic Terminology Prepared by Zhian Fadhil AsaadPrepared by Zhian Fadhil Asaad

Definitions of Language & LinguisticsWhat is Language?Saussure says that“language Its both social

product of the faculty of speech and a collection of necessary conventions that have been adopted by a social body to permit individuals to exercise that faculty ,and language unlike speaking is some thing that we can study separately".

(Ferdinand de Saussure, 1966 :p:9 )• According to Chomsky : Language is a set of

finite or infinite number of sentences .and its consists of physical events and objects, whether the sounds of speech or the symbols of writing .

• (V.J.Cook&Mark Newson,2007:p4)

Languages have Different: Accents: They are pronounced differently by

people from different geographical places, from different social classes of different ages and different educational backgrounds.

Dialect: refers to a variety of a language which is different from others not just in pronunciation but also in such matters as vocabulary, grammar, and word order .(Peter Roach,2000:p:2)

What is Linguistics?Linguistics is the scientific study of human language-

is to describe language and to explain the unconscious knowledge all speakers have of their language. (Falk,1978)

Linguistics is the study of language in general and of particular language, their structure ,grammar and history (Longman,2003,p:942)

According to Lyon Linguistics is descriptive, not prescriptive to say that linguistics is descriptive science it means that the linguist tries to discover and record the rules to which the numbers of language – community actually conform and doesn’t seek to impose upon them other rules ,or norms of correctness.

(John Lyon,1981,p:47-48)

What is Phonetics?• Phonetics: Is 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. (Crystal, 2003,p:236)

Phonetic science is concerned with the objective description and analysis of all aspects of speech. The representation of speech depends upon treating it as a succession of sounds. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) aims to provide a symbol for any sound in any language .

(Michael Ashby & John Maidment)

The Branches of Phonetics

The Branches of Phonetics are as following :• Articulatory phonetics: is the study of the way

speech sounds are made (articulated) by the vocal organs.

• Acoustic phonetics: studies the physical properities of speech sound, as transmitted between mouth and ear.

• Auditory phonetics: Studies the perceptual response to speech sounds as mediated by ear; auditory nerve and brain.

We used square brackets – [ ] - when sounds are being discussed from a phonetic point of view.

• (Crystal, 2003 ,p:236)

What is Phonology?Phonology: Its a branch of Linguistics which

studies the sound system of Languages and of the general properities displayed by these systems.

(Crystal, 2003,p:236) Phonology : is the study of all aspects of the

sounds and sound system of a language, and its based on what we unconsciously know about sound patterns of our language. Phonology is concerned with abstract or mental aspect of sound in languages rather than with actual physical articulation of speech sounds.(Yule,1996,Falk,1978)

The difference between Phonetics & Phonology

• Phonology contrast with phonetics, which studies all possible sounds that the human vocal apparatus can make, phonology studies only those contrasts in sound (the phonemes) which makes differences of meaning within language.

When we talk about the sound system of English, we are referring to the number of phonemes which are used in a language and to how they are organized. To say there are '20' vowels in particular accent means that there are '20' units which can differentiate word meaning: /e/ is different from /i:/,for example set and seat .We used slant brackets-//- when sounds are being discussed from phonological point of view.

• (Crystal, 2003,p:236)

What is the aim of studying Phonology?

The aim of phonology is not only to establish the set of phonemes in a language, but also the patterning of these sounds, both dynamic and static. Patterns of changes in the pronunciation of words (alternations) often result from the operation of phonological processes, the same general types of process being found widely in languages.

(Michael Ashby & John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic Science)

References1. David Crystal,2003,A Dictionary of Linguistics & Phonology,5th

ed.,UK, Blackwell.2. David Crystal,2003,The Cambridge encyclopedia of the English

Language,2nd ed., UK, Cambridge.3. Ferdinand de Saussure,1966,Course in General Linguistics,1st ed.,

US.4. John Lyon,1981,Language &Linguistics,1st ed., UK, Cambridge.5. V.J. Cook & Mark Newson,2007,Chomskys Universal Grammar,3rd

ed., UK, Blackwell.6. Longman,2003,Dictionary of Temporary English,4th ed., British

Library.7. Peter Roach,2000,English Phonetics & Phonology,3rd ed., UK,

Cambridge.8. Seyyed Ayatollah Razmjoo,2004,Fundamental Concepts in

Linguistics,1st ed., Tahran, Gawhar Andesha .9. Michael Ashby & John Maidment, Introducing Phonetic Science.