Preface

Phonetics (Great Britain)

                                       Preface

     This is a compilation of British English speech sound system.  We follow Jones phonetic system.  You are guided to how each sound symbol is pronounced with the relevant words that you know already to learn the phonemes.  You can even master the sound symbols or phonemes with minimal help from the teacher.

     There are 20 vowel phonemes accompanied by the words that can help you learn and remember the sound of each symbol easily.  For example,     / i: / has the same sound as the letter ‘E’.  It has a longer sound than the sound vowel /  I   /.  The word ‘it’ has the sound except that the letter ‘t’ is not pronounced.  For the second length / i /,  I just include it in the phoneme / I /.  The third vowel /  eI    / has the same vowel sound as the letter ‘A’.  It is a diphthong. That means it is the combination of two phonemes, i.e / e / and / I    /.  Therefore the accompanying words really help.

     There are 24 consonant phonemes also accompanied by the words to help you.  The consonant phonemes are so much easier than the vowel phonemes as most of them have the same symbols as the letter forms.  For example, the letter ‘p’ is / p /; ‘b’ / b / and the like except /∫  /,/ ӡ   /     / q / /  ð  /,  and /  ŋ  /.  The affricatives / t∫  / is the combination of        /  t   / and /  ∫ / and /dӡ / is the pairing of the phonemes / d/ and /  ӡ   /.

     In the part ABC in phonetics, again you have the chance to review the vowel and consonant phonemes.

     In the Vowel letter clusters, you see the overall vowel letter clusters of the English words in general.  Besides, you are also shown the consonant letters of the English words.  With this additional information, you should find the spelling of the English words no longer a threat.  Remember to break the word according to speech sound syllables or letter clusters and you will find it just that easy to get hold of the words.  For example, the words, ‘pronounce’, you can separate the word according to the speech sound syllables  ‘pro -- nounce’ or according to the letter clusters ‘pro--noun--ce’.

     In Keys to Phonetic Symbols,  the general letter clusters and the correspondent phonemes are viewed. 

    There are highlights on certain vowel and consonant phonemes. 

    The follow-up exercises help reinforce the learning of all the phonemes.

With the mastery of these phonemes, you are able to find out the exact pronunciation of the words at our disposal.  This book is useful to speech artistes and  the ones who quest for excellence.  This really helps you to gain confidence in speaking English.             (II)                          

Topic 1  General Introduction to British English Phonetics

There are two forms of English:

1.  Spoken form
2.  Written form

For spoken / oral form, it involves the production of speech sounds and the mechanism involved.

Classification of speech sounds:

I. Vowels          

There are 20 vowel phonemes:

 7 short vowels 

 5 long vowels

 8 diphthongs

    

Vowel speech sounds (phonemes)

     In producing vowel speech sounds, there is no obstruction of 

     airstream. 

Features to classify them:

1.   The height of the tongue:  High /  Mid /  Low
2. The advancement of the tongue:  Front  /  Centre  /  Back
3. the tenseness of the tongue:  tense / lax
4.  lips rounding:  Unround  /  Half-round  /  Round
5. Length of monophthongs:  long / short

 

II.          Consonants   

There are 24 consonant phonemes

  Consonant speech sounds  (phonemes)

In producing consonant speech sounds, the airstream is completely / 

partially obstructed at 7 different places, namely:

1.    Bilabial

2.    Labiodental

3.    Interdental

4.    Alveolar

5.    Palatal

6.    Velar 

7.    Glottal

   

   The ways how an airstream is obstructed are the manners of articution.  

   They are classified into 5 categories:

1.     Stop/Plosive

2.     Fricative

3.     Affricative

4.     Glide

5.     Nasal  

   The vowel phoneme forms the nucleus of the speech sounds and they are usually flanked by consonant phonemes.  For example, for the words:  now /naU /; seat /si:t/;  hat /hæt/;  joy / dӡ Ɔ I / and so on.                                                          1.

Topic 2      Vowel Phonemes                                                    

    No.                   Phonemes                         Helping Words

1.                          /  i: /                                    E

2.                          /  I  /                                                      it

3.                          /  e  /                                   egg

4.                          /  æ  /                                 cat

 5.                        /  3:  /                                   sir  

 6.                        / ә /                                      ago   /  ә’gәU/

7.                        /  ʌ   /                                    up

8.                          /          u:  /                                  blue

9.                          /  ʊ  /                                  book

10.                        /   Ɔ:   /                                 awe

11.                         /   ɒ   /                                 dog

12.                         /  a:   /                                 R

13.                         / eI /                                      A

14.                      /  Ɔ I  /                                    oil

15.                      /  aI  /                                     I

16.                      /  I ә      /                                ear

17.                      /  e ә     /                                air  

18.                    /   U ә    /                                 tour

19.                         / ә U   /                                 O

20.                     /  aU    /                                  cow