Phonetic exercises - Essay Example

2. Transcribe the following sentences phonetically the way you pronounce them. a) I’ m sure he can do it. | emʃʊə hi kəndəɪt | b) Why all this fuss foe nothing? |waɪɔːlðɪsfʌsfəʊ ˈnʌθɪŋ? | c) My brothers and sisters have just arrived. |maɪ ˈbrʌðəzənd ˈsɪstəzhəvdʒəstəˈraɪvd | d) When is the last train leaving for New York? |wen z ðəlɑːsttreɪn ˈliːvɪŋfənjuː jɔːk?| 5. How can we use intonation to give additional and / or contrastive meaning in English? i. I saw a black police car. – When stress is on the verb saw, it means I did not just hear or read about a police car but I actually saw it. ii. I saw a black police car – The car that I saw belonged to the police and it was of a specific color. Not any car but a police car and not a white, but black police car! iii. I saw a black police car. – It was me that saw the car, to convey personal presence at the scene. Someone else did not see the car. iv. You are coming along with us. (Falling tone) –Imperative, expresses command and finality of decision. v. You are coming along with us? (Rising tone) – Expects a no/yes answer vi. The conduct of the students was unsatisfactory. Stress on the first syllable of conduct shows that the word is used as a noun. vii. Conduct the students into the auditorium. Stressing the second syllable changes the word into a verb. viii. How much have you gained from our English language class? – Old information. ix. Oh, I have gained very much! – Intonation is used to convey additional or new information. x. Tom and Mary were not present at the function.We were! (Fall - rise) – Tom and Mary were not present in contrast, we were there. Bilabials: cap, cab, pat, bat, cup, cub, mat, boy, bit, beat, stubble, mood, summer, mum, bee, pea, me, boat, cabbage, lobby, labor, burn, cob, box, big, pig, pot, peat, path, park, people, person, pole, pen, pee, pump, pomp, meat, mop, mint, mix, mess, most, mad, mud, Labiodental: laugh, love, leave, fit, vast, vex, veal, vault, fault, fall, fowl, vow, villain, feel, feed, feet, fit, fix, float, fox, fat, frown, frog, freeze, first, fast, vie, freight, fruit, van, vender, value, veil, vapor, vague, vane, veto, vain, vein, vast, voice, fright, tough, tuft, flu, flute, fly, flea, flap, flip, vice, virtue, vision, video, vent, life, lift, silver, groove, vanity, gravity, fir, foot, fine, fluid, filth, factory, fact, fire Dental: theta, thief, teeth, thanks, thought, things, they, dhow, thin, thick, thresh, thrive, thrill, thatch, theme, theta, thespian, ether, tether, gather, brother, bother, breathe, breath, brothel, bathe, bath, booth, loathe, sloth, sleuth, thirst, throat, throttle, thrust, thistle, thought, seethe, smooth, leather, father, mother, without, within, wither, lethal, heath, cloth. Alveolar: tot, dot, sue, zoo, sip, zip, bus, buzz, seek, like, dart, debt, suit, run, sin, seen, tar, stir, stuck, stack, butter, better, take, day, deep, dip, deer, dear, dish, dust, dark, desk, tin, teen, top, talk, tank, term, tale, tame, but, fit, zeal, zest, zinc, zap, lazy, bosom, size, zone, soon, loose, song, send, sum, simple, seal, sit, seat, sink, essay, scope, cease, low, law, leap, leaf, lip, little, lax, loot, nice, next, neat, knit, kneel, nose, nurse, nail, numb. Palate – alveolar: sheep, shape, shop, shoot, shrink, shrimp, shrill, shoe, shirt, ship, bishop, fissure, mission, fish, brush, shark, shot, shell, cash, measure, leisure, seizure, genre, beige, siege, prestige, usual, user, cheap, cheat, choose, chair chat, chess, cheer, torch, charm capture, breach, jeep, jar gesture. Palatal: young, yesterday, yawn, yank, yes, youth, yield, yeast, Velar: goat, goal, girl, gallon, gallop, gone, gasp, gut, goose, get, groan, ground, grip, gate, gape, got, good, gloss, gross, gossip, garner, granary, grit, ghost, gorgeous, garment, gown, gambler, gasket, figure, vague, plague, king, kind, kindle, camp, kin, keen, cough, catch, cat, kiln, keel, keep, cast, close, casket, control, cool, calm, come, cut, cold, clock, cloak, courage, complete, can, crash, soak, quail, queen, quad, quench, quality, quit, quick. Glottal: /h/ hot, hotel, happy, honey, home, hop, horse, hat, hurt, husk, hunger, help, halt, harsh, hush. Labial – Velar: /w/ win, witch, wall, wet, wipe, water, wasp 6. How has this course helped you to become a more effective teacher of English as a second language? a. “Sharpening” the ears. As a result of undertaking this course, I am able to effectively differentiate between two similar sounding words based on the syllabic stress. For example, in the word “conduct”, if stress is applied on the second syllable the meaning changes to a verb. On the contrary, stressing the first syllable of Conductthe word becomes a nounand so I can quickly point out whether a word is a noun or a verb based on its usage in a sentence. Likewise the intonation on sentence can change its meaning, so proper intonation will help my students understand what I am really saying. b. Ability to control parts of the vocal apparatus This course has given me a good understanding of the processes involved in articulation, articulation points and the manner of articulation. This knowledge will prove handy in helping students with pronunciation difficulties especially those taking English as a second language and for whom, their first language structure is markedly different in structure fromthat of the English language e. g in the pronunciation of consonants. c. Sensitivity to the importance of sounds in a language. Sounds are the building blocks of language. A good understanding of sounds contribute to better spelling, flowing speech, and good reading skills and better comprehension. I have learned that in English there are many ways in which to spell the same sound. Therefore in oral tests, the manner in which a student perceives sound determines how he/ she spells it. d. Knowledge of the function of sounds in a language. Different words have different sounds and meaning attached to them and so sounds give melody to language. The right intonation of sounds can convey a host of human feelings such as empathy, anger. Sounds can show confidence or certainty of our words. This course has helped me a appreciate the two fold meaning that sound can bring into one sentence through the use of word stress and sentence intonations to alter meaning. e. The importance of contrastive or comparative studies and the ability to construct exercises for learners of English as a second language. Constructing exercises for learners of English as a second language is now easier because of the emphasis I have learned that phonetics play on the meaning and the message sentences carry. I can also comfortably test the oral capability of my students from my knowledge of how words are constructed and how the vocal apparatus achieves this. Besides, I also understand how to classify words based on their point of articulation, and this will prove indispensable in helping my students become fluent speakers of English. Read More