Theory
Which is the difference between phonetics and phonology?
Phonetics deals with the production of speech sounds by humans.
Phonology is about patterns of sounds, especially different patterns of sounds in different languages, or within each language, different patterns of sounds in different positions in words etc.
Which is the right transcription for the word "courage"?
/ˈkɜrɪdʒ/ /ˈkʌrɪdʒ/ /ˈkɝɪdʒ/
/ˈkɝɪdʒ/
Which word you hear?
LONELY
Could you think of a minimal triplet for this word changing the first sound?
post
post most toast
Which words are function words and which are content words in the following sentence:
The dog is barking loud.
Function words: the, is
Content words: dog, barking, loud.
What is the difference between a front, central and back vowel? Could you provide an example for each?
Front vowel: The tongue is moved frontwards, towards our mouth. Ex: /i/
Central vowel: The tongue remains in the center of the vocal tract. Ex: schwa
Back vowel: The tongue is moved backwards, towards the back part of our vocal tract. Ex: /o/
Could you think of two homophones for the following transcription?
/ˈsɛnt/
cent scent
In which order do you hear the following words?
sollar seller sailor
1 sailor
2 seller
3 sollar
Are these minimal pairs? Justify your answer.
corn burn
No. First, different number of sounds (corn 4, burn 3); Second, two different sounds: first consonant sound and vowel sound: minimal pairs are the same except for one sound.
This is a short text without punctuation. Where would you pause?
my mother is waiting for my father at home she is nervous walking around the house she cannot stop looking at the watch she wonders whether he is ok.
my mother is waiting for my father at home / she is nervous / walking around the house / she cannot stop looking at the watch / she wonders whether he is ok.
What is the difference between the place of articulation, the manner of articulation and voicing? To which purpose do we use these parameters?
Place of articulation: where the sound is produced. Ex: bilabial (two lips)
Manner of articulation: how the sound is produced. Ex: stops, fricatives.
Voicing: whether there is vocal fold vibration (voiced) or not (voiceless).
We use these parameters to describe consonant sounds.
Which are the two possible transcriptions of the word "of"? When do we use each? Support your explanation with examples.
/əv/ when it is followed by a vowel sounds "a lot of apples"
/ə/ When it is followed by a consonant sound "a lot of noise"
Which option do you hear?
The house will have been built by den/then.
The house will have been built by then.
Describe the following vowel sound and following consonant sound phonologically:
/u/ /d/
/u/ back, high, rounded, tense
/d/ alveolar, stop, voiced
Detect the intonational patterns of the following dialog:
- Mr. Smith, are you waiting for somebody?
- No. What can I have for lunch?
- You can choose between steak or fish.
- Then, I'll have the steak.
- Mr. Smith LOW RISE, are you waiting for somebody? RISE
- No. FALL What can I have for lunch? FALL
- You can choose between steak LOW RISE or fish. FALL
- Then, FALL RISE I'll have the steak. FALL
Which are the two phenomena associated to rhythm? Describe them.
Linking: how we link words within a rhythmic unit: i.e., a chunk of words that we say without pauses and that have meaning on their own. It happens within constituents.
Pausing: how we divide rhythmic units. It happens accross constituents.
Could you decode the message?
/hɚ ˈhʌzbənd kəd ˈgo wɪð ɚ / bət ʃi ˈnoz ðət i ˈwɑnts tə ˈwɑtʃ ə ˈsɑkɚ ˌgem ɑn ˈtɛləˌvɪʒən/
Her husband could go with her, but she knows that hi wants to watch a soccer game on television.
Which intonation pattern do you hear and what does the sentence say?
FALL
We lived there until I was ten.
Which are the most common allophonic variation for the sound /t/? Provide examples
- aspirated at the beginning of stressed syllable- Ex: tree
- unaspirated at the beginning of unstressed syllables or after s-. Example: metro, story
- unreleased at the end of a word. Example: rat
- Flapped in unstressed position between vowels or after an r-. Example: writer, party
- Glottalized in unstressed position followed by an -n. Example: certain.
- Deleted in unstressed position after an n-. Example: plenty.
Complete the dialog bearing in mind the intonational pattern suggested:
- John, I'm here!
- FALL
- I fell asleep, I'm sorry
- RISE
- Of course! You know I wanted to watch the game!
- LOW RISE
- John, I'm here!
- Why are you so late?
- I fell asleep, I'm sorry
- Are you lying to me?
- Of course! You know I wanted to watch the game!
- If you were so excited, you would have been punctual.
Which are the four basic intonation patterns? When do we use each?
FALL: Statements, commands, wh- questions
RISE: Yes/no question
LOW RISE: Sentential/phrasal adverbials, lists, polite address
FALL RISE: Introductory adverbs, polite address
This transcription is wrong. Could you spot the mistakes?
/aɪ doʊnt laɪk ˈʧɔklət ənd vəˈnɪlə ˈaɪskrim/
/aɪ ˈdont ˈlaɪk ˈʧɑklət ən vəˈnɪlə ˈaɪsˌkrim/
Where does the sentence stress fall in this sentence?
I am studying for the test.
AM
If you had to mention the main dialectal difference between British and American English, what would you say?
Examples: car - tower
Where does the sentence stress fall in the following conversation bearing in mind the question?
Do you want to meet at home?
I will see you at my place at 8 o'clock.
MY