Understanding English Pronunciation: Vowels, Diphthongs, and Triphthongs
Understanding the /æ/ Vowel Sound
The /æ/ sound is unrounded, front, and pronounced between half-open and open. It is halfway between the Spanish /a/ and /e/.
Quantity
Usually a short sound, /æ/ may be lengthened when followed by /b/, /d/, /g/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, or /ʤ/. For example, compare bad [bæ:d] vs. bat [bæt] or bag [bæ:g] vs. back [bæk].
Distribution
The /æ/ sound is never found at the end of a syllable, with the exception of the word baa /bæ/ in American English.
Allophones
The /æ/ sound
Read MoreSpeech Sounds: Phonetics and Phonology Explained
Phonetics and Phonology: Understanding Speech Sounds
Key Concepts in Phonetics
Phonetics is the study of the sounds of language. Phonology determines the phonemes of a language. Spelling is also an important aspect of language.
- Phoneme: The smallest linguistic unit without meaning that a speaker intends to produce. Each phoneme can have different phonetic realizations.
- Sound: The realization of phonemes. Each phoneme may have multiple realizations depending on the context. Each variation is called an
Connected Speech and Prosody in English
Connected Speech in English
When looking at the main allophones of the phonemes in English, it’s necessary to look at sounds not only in isolation but also taking into account neighboring sounds. Sounds tend to change when they come into contact with other sounds. The main phenomena of connected speech are: weak forms, assimilation, elision, liaison, gemination, and hard attack.
Function Words
Function words, like me, you, at, to, as, and than, are words that don’t have a lexical meaning. They have
Read More