6. Common features of consonants as opposed to vowels.

Articulatory differences b/n vowels, cons and sonorants depend on 3 articulatory criteria:

1. the presence/absence of an articulatory obstruction to the air stream in the larynx or in the supra-glottal cavities

2. the concentrated or diffused character of muscular tension

3. the force of exhalation

=> consonants= sounds in the production of which a) there is an articulatory obstruction to the air stream (complete, incomplete, the combination of the two /t∫, d3/, intermittent) b) muscular tension is concentrated in the place of obstruction c) the exhaling force is rather strong

vowels=sounds in the production of which a) there is no articulatory obstruction to the air stream b) muscular tension is diffused more of less evenly throughout the supra-glottal part of the speech apparatus c) the exhaling force is rather weak

sonorants= sounds intermediate b/n cons & vow bec they have features common to both. The obstruction is complete/incomplete but not narrow enough to produce noise. Muscular tension is concentrated in the place of obstruction, but the exhaling force is rather weak. /m,n,η,l,w,r,j/

7. Common features of vowel as opposed to conconants.

We have 6 vowel letters(a,e,i,o,u,y) and 20 vowel sounds (in Br.E.) 12 monothongs,8 dipthongs+5 tripthongs

Vowels=sounds articulated with no impediment to the airstream (the air passes freely through the vocal organs)+voice is created by the vibration of the vocal cords in the glottis+all vowels are produced by exhaling the air (egreesive airstream).

From the phonological point of view:vowels tend to occupy the middle position of the word,the middle of a syllable(contrary to consonants).All Eng.v. are oral(no nasal)=the soft palate is raised=the air passes freely through the mouth cavity.If v. are in a position close to nasals,the vowel “a” will be a nasalized allophone.

8. Main principals of consonant classification. Classification of English consonants.

1.voicing (work of the vocal cords&force of exhalation): voiceless-fortis, voiced-lenis.

2.place of articulation (where the air is impeded):

-bilabial(2 lips) p-b

-labiodental(upper teeth-lower lip) f-v

-dental(teeth) ð,θ

-alveolar t-d,s,n,z,l

-retroflex(tip of the tongue curved&moved backwards) r

-palato-alveolar(middle tongue to the hard palate) тч,дж,ш,ж

-palatal(to the soft palate) j

-glottal h(pharyngal)

-velar(back of the tongue) k,g, ŋ

-labiovelar w

3.manner of articulation(kind of construction made by articulators):

-occlusive:plosives(pbtdkg)&sonorants-nasals

-constrictive:fricatives(fvszhðθшж)&semi-vowels(approximants) jwr+lateral l

-occlusive-constrictive (affricates) тч дж

11. Syllabic structure if English words. Functional characteristics if syllables.

Human intercom-n is actualized in s-s. s-le is dif-t to define. S-le – one or more speech sound, forming an uninterrupted unit of utterance, which may be a word or a commonly recognized subdivision of a word. Can be a single word, a part of a word, a part of the grammatical form. Can be analized from the acoustic (by the force of the ut-ce or accent, pitch of the voice, sonority and length, intonograph & spectrograph), auditory (the smallest unit of perception), articulatory (results from the combined action of the power, vibrator, resonator and obstructor mechanisms) and func-l point of view. Also graphic representation. S-s in writing – syllabographs – are closely con-ed with the morphemic str-re of words.

Formed by a vowel, a v-l & a con-t, con-t & a sonorant. Types of s-s: unc-ed open, unc.closed, covered closed, covered open. The peak of the crest of the s-le is formed by a v-l or a son-t. The con-ts which precede the peak and follow it – slops.

Theories of s-le formation & s-le division: 1) the most ancient (as many s-s as there are v-ls – primitive & insufficient); 2) the expiratory th-ry (as many as there are expiration pulses, the borderline – the moment of the weakest ex-n, - inconsistent; 3) sonority th-ry (as many as there are the peaks of prominence or sonority – an inherent quality of all ind-l sounds; fails to explain the mec-m of s-le div-n: doesn’t state to which s-le the weak sound at the boundary of two s-s belongs. Otta Jespersen: the scale of son-ty of sounds – the scale of their inherent prominence. Sounds are grouped around the most son-ous ones, which form the peaks of son-ty in a syl-le. Two points of lower son-ty – the beg-g & the end of one s-le.

Functions of s-s:

1) constitutive - constitute words, phrases & s-ces through the comb-n of their prosodic features: loudness-stress, pitch-tone, duration-length & tempo. May be stressed, unstr-ed, high,mid, low, rising, falling, long, short. These pros-c features constitute the stress pattern of words, tonal& rhythmic str-re of an ut-ce, help to peform dist-ve variations on the s-le level. 2) distinctive & differentiatory f-n - word dis-ve f-n of a s-le. There are many comb-n dist-ed by means of the dif-ce in the place of the syl-c boundary. Close juncture – b-n sounds within one s-le, open – b-n two s-s, marked with+.

3) identificatory - is conditioned by the pron-n of the speaker. The listener understands if he perceives the correct s-c boundary – ‘syllabodisjuncture’ might rain – my train.