English Phonetics and Phonology Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering linguistic phonetics, places of articulation, manners of articulation, and properties of vowels and consonants based on lecture notes.

Phonology

The study of the sound of language, including components like the palate, velum, and alveolar ridge.

Phonetics

The study of the characteristics of speech sounds.

Articulatory Phonetics

The study of how speech sounds are made, or articulated.

Acoustic Phonetics

The branch of phonetics that deals with the physical properties of speech as sound waves in the air.

Auditory Phonetics

Also called perceptual phonetics, this field deals with the perception, via the ear, of speech sounds.

Voiced sounds

Sounds produced when the vocal folds are drawn together and the air from the lungs repeatedly pushes them apart, creating a vibration effect.

Voiceless sounds

Sounds produced when the vocal folds are spread apart and the air from the lungs passes between them with no obstruction.

Bilabials

Consonants made using both lips, including $[p]$, $[b]$, $[m]$, and $[w]$.

Labiodentals

Sounds formed using the upper front teeth and the lower lip, such as $[f]$ and $[v]$.

Dentals and Interdentals

Sounds where the teeth are involved, including the voiceless theta $[\theta]$ and the voiced eth $[\text{ð}]$.

Alveolars

Sounds produced by raising the front of the tongue to the alveolar ridge, including $[t]$, $[d]$, $[s]$, $[z]$, $[n]$, $[r]$, and $[l]$.

Post-alveolars

Sounds where the tongue comes into contact with the area behind the alveolar ridge, such as $[\text{ʃ}]$ and $[\text{tʃ}]$.

Palatals

Sounds involving the tongue and the hard palate, such as $[j]$.

Velars

Sounds produced toward the back of the mouth involving the velum, including $[k]$, $[g]$, and the augma $[\text{ŋ}]$.

Glottals

Sounds produced in the space between the vocal folds without active use of the tongue, such as $[h]$.

Glottal stop

Represented by the symbol $[\text{ʔ}]$, it occurs when the glottis is closed completely and then briefly released.

Stops

A manner of articulation involving the physical blocking or stopping of the air stream then letting it out.

Fricatives

Sounds made by blocking the airstream and forcing the air through a narrow opening.

Affricates

A combination of a brief stopping of the air stream followed by a restricted release.

Nasals

Voiced sounds produced when the velum is lowered, allowing the air stream to flow out through the nose, including $[m]$, $[n]$, and $[\text{ŋ}]$.

Liquids

Voiced sounds such as $[l]$ and $[r]$. The $[l]$ sound is specifically a lateral liquid formed by air flowing around the sides of the tongue.

Glides

Also called semi-vowels, these voiced sounds ($[w]$ and $[j]$) are produced with the tongue in motion to or from the position of a vowel.

Vowel

A speech sound produced with an open mouth where the tongue does not touch the top of the mouth or the teeth.

Diphthong

The union of two vowels in one sound.

Proper Diphthong

A diphthong where both vowels are sounded and unite, as in oil or sound.

Improper Diphthong

A diphthong where only one of the vowels is sounded.

Triphthong

The union of three vowels in one syllable, although it is considered a union of letters rather than sounds.

Vowel Parameters

The four characteristics used to determine vowels: Tongue Height, Tongue Backness, Lip Rounding, and Tenseness.