Linguistics for TeachersONLINE SESSION : Linguistics for TeachersONLINE SESSION MODULES 1 to 3
Module 1 : Module 1 Introduction to Linguistics
What is Language? : What is Language? “From now on, I will consider a language to be a set (finite or infinite) of sentences, each finite in length and constructed out of a finite set of elements” (Lyons, 1981, p.7)
Animal vs. Human language : Animal vs. Human language ( adapted from Fromkin & Rodman, 1998)
Linguistic Competence : Linguistic Competence what you ‘know’ about a language
‘knowing’ the sound system, words, sentence structure of a language
having the ability to understand and create an infinite combination of sentences
Linguistic Performance : Linguistic Performance what you ‘produce’ as language
how you use your linguistic knowledge
physiological and psychological limitations to your performance of a language
Discussion : Discussion At this point, has your idea (definition) of language changed in terms of the various definitions that we have read? Also take into account what we have discussed about animal and human ‘language’ as well as competence vs. performance.
Module 2 : Module 2 Phonetics
The Phonetic Alphabet : The Phonetic Alphabet http://bscw.avmz.uni-siegen.de/pub/bscw.cgi/d754252/IPA-chart.gif
Places of ArticulationWhere the sounds are made: : Places of ArticulationWhere the sounds are made: bilabials [p], [b], [m], and [w] – these sounds are formed using the top and bottom lips
labiodentals [f] and [v] – these sounds are formed using the top teeth and the bottom lip
dentals [ð] (theta – voiced - there, thus) and [?] (eth – voiceless - three, thank) – these sounds are formed with the tongue behind the top front teeth
glottals [h] – hound -these sounds are formed when the glottis is open (there is no movement of tongue or lips) alveolars [t], [d], [s], [z], [n] – tree, dentist, sip, zoo, noun respectively - these sounds are formed with the front part of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge
palatals [?], [?], [?], [?], [j] – shoe, measure, church, judge , yet respectively - these sounds are formed when the front part of the tongue touches the hard palate
velars [k], [g], [?] – kite, game, bang - these sounds are formed when the back of the tongue touches the soft palate
Manner of ArticulationHow the sounds are made: : Manner of ArticulationHow the sounds are made: voiced [f] in fine; [s] in seal; [?] in choke; [p] in pat
and voiceless [v] in vine; [z] in zeal; [d?] in joke; [b] in bat
aspirated [p?] as in pit
and unaspirated [p] as in spit
nasal [m] man, [n] noise [?] ring
and oral [b], [d], [g], [p], [t], [k]
stops sound is stopped completely
[p], [b], [m], [t], [d], [n], [k], [f], [?], [c], [d?] fricatives some obstruction[f] and [v] fine / vine; [s] and [z] sing / zing
affricates air is stopped initially with some friction[?] church; [d?] jeep
liquids minimal obstruction of air in the mouth, but not enough to cause much friction [l] laugh, [r] round
glides an initial you movement, and the tongue glides to or from a vowel position [j] you / yes [w] well / waste
Consonants : Consonants Sound Segments:
not / knot ? [nat]
These two words (although different in length) are made up of 3 sound segments
Here are some more examples:
eight/ate – [ejt]
son/sun – [s?n]
write/right – [rajt]
Vowels : Vowels vowels are ‘voiced’ – air moves unobstructed through the oral cavity but the vocal cords are vibrating
vowels are described as ‘front’/ ‘central’/ ‘back’ beat butt boot
vowels are also described as ‘high’/ ‘mid’/ ‘low’ see say sat
Vowels and the schwa : Vowels and the schwa heat hit hat hot
According to how vowel sounds are characterized, how would you describe these sounds?
? - This symbol is called a schwa and represents an unstressed vowel – [s?p?rt] [?b?v]? - This symbol represents a stressed vowel – [t?f] [k?z?n]
Diphthongs : Diphthongs Do you pronounce it difthong /dif???/ or dipthong /dip???/?
vowel (a, e, i, o, u) + glide (j, w)
[a?] as in buy, [a?] as in cow, and [??] as in boy
Can you think of other words using these sounds?
Practice 3 : Practice 3 What phonetic property and/or feature distinguish the
sets of sounds in column A from those in Column B?
A B
a. [i] [u] i. [æ] [a]
b. [p] [t] [k] [s] [f] ii. [b] [d] [g] [z] [v]
c. [i] [?] [u] [?] iii. [e] [?] [o] [?] [æ] [a]
d. [f] [v] [s] [z] [š] [ž] iv. [c] [d?]
e. [i] [?] [e] [?] [æ] v. [u] [U] [o] [?] [a]
Module 3 : Module 3 Phonology
Phones and Allophones : Phones and Allophones phones – these are phonetic units represented by the square brackets [ ]
[t] is a phone- it is the unaspirated ‘t’ sound in words like hit, bat, rut
[t?] is a phone- this is the aspirated ‘t’ sound in words like top, tank, telephone
allophones - these are variations of phonetic units, still represented by the square brackets [ ][t] and [t?] are allophones (or variations) of the phoneme /t/
Minimal Pairs : Minimal Pairs minimal pairs sip/zip /s/ and /z/ crick/creek /?/ and /i/ fine/vine /f/ and /v/ crook/croak /?/ and /o/ pat/bat /p/ and /b/
phonemes /s/, /z/, /f/, /v/, /?/, /i/, /?/, and /o/ are phonemes due to their ‘meaning-distinguishing’ features – these pairs can also be called minimal pairs for the same reason
minimal set
crick / creek / crook / croak / crack / crock - these are all different meanings based on ONE phoneme
Phonological Rules : Phonological Rules
Evidence for phonological rules : Evidence for phonological rules Intended Utterances Actual Utterances
-gone to seed -god to seen[ga~n t? sid] [gad t? si~n]
-stick in the mud -smuck in the tid[st?k ?~n ð? m?d] [sm?k ?~n ð? t??d]-speech production -preach seduction[spi? pr?d?kš?~n] [p?ri? s?d?kš?~n ]
**We are still following phonological rules even when we’ve mixed up the order of the segments.
Syllable (s) Structure : Syllable (s) Structure -A syllable is a phonological unit that is composed of one or more
phonemes.
-A syllable will have an onset and a rhyme – every syllable has a
nucleus (usually a vowel) which may be preceded by an onset and
followed by a coda.
-Can you think of examples for these clusters: CCVC, CVC, VCC, CCCVC (Fromkin & Rodman, 1998, p.269)
Sequential Constraints : Sequential Constraints How many possible English words can you make using these four phonemes?
/k/ /b/ /l/ /?/
How about possible combinations like /kl?b/, /bl?k/, /bilk/?
Which combinations cannot be made into possible English words?
How about /kb?l/, /bkl?/, /lk?b/, or /lbk?/?
Phonotactics : Phonotactics phonotactics is “the permitted arrangement of sounds”
Look back at the previous dialogue:English phonotactics tells us that bl is a permitted consonant cluster, so we question the meaning of an unknown but potential word like blik
-bkl is not a permitted consonant cluster, so we question what language the speaker is actually speaking
Intonation : Intonation intonationIn English, we use pitch to signal questions (a rising intonation) or to signal a statement (a falling intonation)
John is leaving today. This is said with a falling intonation to indicate a statement of fact.
John is leaving today?This is said with a rising intonation to indicate a question of uncertainty.
Tone languages : Tone languages English is an intonation language – the use of pitch may vary, but it is not used to distinguish meaning.
with a rising intonation, this becomes a question; with a falling intonation, this becomes a statement
Thai is a tone language – the use of pitch contrasts meanings of words
with a rising intonation, this means ‘thick’; with a falling intonation, this means ‘face’
Word Stress : Word Stress stress – content words (i.e. nouns, verbs, adjectives) have at least one or more stressed syllables
súbject subjéct pérvert pervért
two or three syllable words – one syllable will have more stress than the otherfáther béautiful áncestor
four or more syllable words – one syllable will have the primary stress, one syllable will have secondary stress, and the other syllables will have no stress
rèsignátion lìnguístics fùndaméntal
Practice 5 – possible words : Practice 5 – possible words Write the English spelling for each transcription. Indicate if the word is an English word, a possible word or a foreign word.
1. [?ar]
2. [blaft]
3. [skric]
4. [p?ril]
5. [maj]
6. [know]
What do you think? : What do you think? What is the value of a lesson on intonation and word stress in the ESL/EAP classroom?
Which would you consider more valuable – a lesson in phonetics or a lesson in word stress (or both)?
End of Overview for Modules 1 to 3 : End of Overview for Modules 1 to 3