1) Phonetics as a branch of linguistics
Phonetics is an independent branch of linguistics like lexicology or grammar. Phonetics studies the outer form of language; its sound matter. Phonetics occupies itself with the study of the ways in which the sounds are organized into a system of units and the variation of the units in all types and styles of spoken language.
Theoretical Phonetics has the following branches: articulatory, acoustic,auditory,functional /phonologicalEach branch of Theoretical Phonetics investigates the appropriate aspect of speech sounds.Articulatory Phonetics investigates the functioning of one’s speech apparatus and mechanism. It is based on profound knowledge of physiology and the structure of one’s speech apparatus. While investigating the articulatory aspect of speech sounds both subjective and objective methods are employed: the method of direct observation (concerning the lips & the tongue movements) – subjective method and X-ray photography and X-ray cinematography (objective methods). Acoustic Phonetics studies the acoustic properties of sounds (quantity, timber/voice quality, intensity, the pitch of the voice and temporal factor) in terms of the frequency of vibration and the amplitude of vibration in relation to time. The analysis begins with a microphone, which converts the air movement into corresponding electrical activity. While investigating the acoustic aspect of speech sounds special laboratory equipment is employed: spectrograph, intonograph, sound analyzing & sound synthesizing machines.
Auditory Phonetics is aimed at investigating the hearing process which is the brain activity.
Functional Phonetics presupposes investigating the discriminatory (distinctive) function of speech sounds.
2) The system of English consonants
On the articulatory level every consonant can be characterized by 2 facts: in what articulatory position are organs of speech while pronouncing this consonant;where in the mouth this consonant is formed. consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract. Examples are[p], pronounced with the lips; [t], pronounced with the front of the tongue; [k], pronounced with the back of the tongue; [h], pronounced in the throat; [f] and [s], pronounced by forcing air through a narrow channel (fricatives); and [m] and [n], which have air flowing through the nose (nasals).
(I)Each sound is known to have three aspects: articulatory; acoustic and auditory; and therefore can be studied on three levels. the first and basic principle of classification is the degree of noise. It leads to dividing English consonants into two big groups: A - noise consonants- p, b, t, d; B – sonorants-m,n,l. It is easy to see that the term "degree of noise" belongs to auditory level analysis.
(II)The manner of the production of noise and the type of obstruction is another characteristic of English consonants. On this ground three classes of consonants are distinguished: a) occlusive, in the production of which a complete obstruction is formed-p,b.m,n; b) constrictive, in the production of which an incomplete obstruction is formed-v,h,f,s; c) occlusive-constrictive consonants (affricates), in the production of which the obstruction is complete at the beginning of production, then it becomes incomplete.-tʃ,dʒ
(III)The place of articulation is another characteristic of English consonants. According to this principle the English consonants are classed into: 1) labial; 2) lingual; 3) glottal [h]. The class of labial consonants is subdivided into: a) bilabial[p,b,m,w]l; b) labiodental[f,v], and among the class of lingual consonants three subclasses are distinguished. They are: a) forelingual[A: According to the position of the tip of the tongue they may be apical-t,d,s,z,n,l;cacuminal-r;B- According to the place of obstruction forelingual consonants may be interdental-Ѳ,ð; alveolar-t,d,s,n,l; post-alveolar-r; palato-alveolar -tʃ,dʒ]; b) mediolingual consonants are produced with the front part of the tongue. They are always palatal. Palatal consonants are articulated with the front part of the tongue raised high to the hard palate /j/. and c) backlingual consonants are also called velar, they are produced with the back part of the tongue raised towards the soft palate “velum” /k, g, ŋ /.
(IV) According to the position of the soft palate all consonants are subdivided into oral and nasal. When the soft palate is raised oral consonants are produced- p, t, k, f, v; when the soft palate is lowered nasal consonants are produced-. m, n,ŋ
(V) According to the force of articulation consonants may be fortis-p,t,k,tʃ and lenis-b,d,g,dʒ. This characteristic is connected with the work of the vocal cords: voiceless consonants are strong and voiced are weak.