Final Assessment Questions on “Theoretical phonetics” Card-1 Connection of Phonetics with Other Sciences

The Articulatory Classification of English consonants.
On the articulatory level the consonants change:
-In the degree of noise.
-In the manner of articulation.
-In the place of articulation.
1. THE DEGREE OF NOISE. According to the degree of noise English consonants are divided into two big classes:
Class A. Noise consonants.
Voiceless consonants are: [p]‚ [t]‚ [k]‚ [f]‚ [s]‚ [∫]‚ [Ө]‚ [ʧ]‚ [h].
Class B. Sonorants.
Sonorants (or sonorous consonants) are made with tone prevailing over noise because of a rather wide air passage. They are: [m]‚ [n]‚ [ŋ]‚ [l]‚ [r]‚ [w]‚ [j].
2. THE MANNER OF ARTICULATION consonants may be of four groups:Occlusive./Constrictive./Occlusive-constrictive
3. THE PLACE OF ARTICULATION // Labial./Lingual./Glottal.


2.The acoustic сlassification of the vowels.
The acoustic aspect studies sound waves. Vowel, in human speech sound in which air from the lungs flows freely and passes through the mouth. From the viewpoint of articulatory phonetics, vowels are classified according to the position of the tongue and lips and, sometimes, the nose. A high vowel (such as i in “machine” and u in “rule”) is pronounced with the tongue arched toward the roof of the mouth. A low vowel (such as a in “father” or “had”) is produced with the tongue relatively flat and low in the mouth and with the mouth open a little wider than for high vowels. Midvowels (such as e in “bed” and o in “pole”) have a tongue position between the extremes of high and low.Vowels make up about half of the acoustic stream of speech, but these sounds are eclipsed by consonants in the literature on speech development and disorders.Vowels are the poor relations of child phonology. Correct pronunciation is often a later step in the process of teaching English as a second language. However, a focus on the correct articulation of vowels can significantly improve listening and comprehension skills as well as articulatory skills. Vowels and consonants differ in their acoustic properties. Unlike consonants, vowel sounds are produced with very little obstruction of airflow, resulting in a difference in the way they sound. Vowels are more sonorous, or acoustically powerful, than consonants, thus we perceive them as both longer lasting and louder than consonants. The greater sonority of vowels also permits them to form the basis of syllables. Introducing the phonetic properties of vowels is relatively easy. Second language teachers can train students to listen for vowel distinctions and teach the articulatory properties of vowels, strengthening students' listening and articulatory skills. Vowels form the nuclei of syllables, thus clarity in vowel sounds helps native speakers better understand foreign speakers. The focus on vowel sounds also supports instruction in the stress patterns of English, allowing students to more easily recognize individual words within sentences. This approach works particularly well with adult speakers who need to be clearly understood in professional settings.