Core Concepts
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)
A standardized system of symbols representing all speech sounds in human languages.
Place of Articulation
Where in the vocal tract a sound is produced: bilabial, labiodental, dental, alveolar, postalveolar, palatal, velar, uvular, pharyngeal, glottal.
Manner of Articulation
How the airflow is modified: plosive, nasal, trill, tap/flap, fricative, approximant, lateral.
Voicing
Whether the vocal folds vibrate during sound production: voiced vs voiceless.
Vowel Quadrilateral
The classification of vowels by tongue height (close to open) and backness (front to back).
Worked Examples & Applications
Consonant Chart (English): Bilabial: /p/ /b/ /m/. Alveolar: /t/ /d/ /n/ /s/ /z/ /l/. Velar: /k/ /g/ /ŋ/. Glottal: /h/. Dental: /θ/ /ð/. Postalveolar: /ʃ/ /ʒ/ /tʃ/ /dʒ/.
Minimal Pairs: Pat [pʰæt] vs Bat [bæt] — differ only in voicing of initial consonant. Ship [ʃɪp] vs Sheep [ʃiːp] — differ only in vowel length. These prove phonemic contrast.
Practice Questions
Q: What is the difference between phonetics and phonology? A: Phonetics studies the physical properties of speech sounds. Phonology studies how sounds function within a specific language.
Q: Give an example of a minimal pair. A: "Bat" [bæt] and "pat" [pæt] — they differ in one phoneme and have different meanings, proving /b/ and /p/ are separate phonemes in English.