English phonology

hritik

Phonology

The study of sound systems in a language, comprising of phonemes - the variation in phonetic/sound.

Assimilation

When sounds of one word are modified to their surrounding sounds.

Vowel reduction

Unstressed vowels are reducted to the schwa sound.

Elision

Removal of phonemes - and is not restricted to only removing one phoneme. You may be able to identify elision where apostrophes are present.

Insertion

Addition of sounds within a word or between words.

Prosodic features (acronym)

VPIST

Volume

How loud someone is.

Pitch

Refers to the height of sound in relation to its auditory nature.

Intonation

The pattern made by the variation in pitch.

High rising terminal

Very common and distinctive speech pattern in Australia and New Zealand, common in young people.

Stress

The degree of emphasis used to produce a syllable or lexeme. It is when we focus and therefore lend importance to certain syllables in both words and phrases.

Rhythm in speech is understood through the patterns and changes in stress..

Tempo

Tempo is the speed of speech - fast speech can indicate passion or nervousness, whereas slow speech can indicate deliberation or thoughtfulness.

Phonological patterning (acronym)

RACORA

Rhyme

Repetition of word endings that are phonetically similar.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within words - a type of internal rhyme effect.

Consonance

Pattern in the use of consonant sounds.

Onomatopoeia

Lexemes that imitat/mosck sounds of things - by either animate beings or inanimate objects.

Rhythm

The pattern of stressed + unstressed syllables. Common in text types containing lyrics or verses. Aid the memorability of the text by emphasising key ideas or verses.

Alliteration

Repetition of first letters/sounds in words that are in a sequence or close to each other.

Flapping

Like assimilation, but specifically refers to when Australians flap their intervocalic consonants. "Thirty" --> "Thirdy"

Elongation

When a vowel sound is stretched which increases the time it takes to pronounce the word in which the elongation is present.

Lengthening

When consonant sound is stretched, which increases the time it takes to pronounce the word in which the lengthening is present.