Written and composed by

Azmi MM Saifullah
Ex-Ideal, Ex- Nortedamian,
BA (Hons) (1st Class 1st), University of Dhaka
Masters (1st Class 3rd), University of Dhaka
PhD Researcher at Cambridge University

Former Lecturers at Northern University, United International University (UIU), European

University

IELTS, GRE, TOEFL, SAT trainer at GRAD BUNKER (Online), USA

Chief Editor and Writer at Nobodoot Publications

Founder of
Socrates Academy, Tikatuli
For Private care, IELTS, University admission, SSC, HSC English and Foundation/Basic
Grammar and Speaking courses
Contact: 01685308495
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Course Topics
Phonetics in Practice (Oxford 3000 ™)
Phonology theory
Homophones,
silent letters
Foreign words and phrases
Human names

Mid term Syllabi

Words for Phonetics from this link
A-B from this link
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/external/pdf/wordlists/oxford-3000-5000/The_Oxf
ord_3000_by_CEFR_level.pdf

(A-D)➝ 200 words

1.Word to Sound symbol→ 15 marks
2.Sound symbol to Word→5 marks
3.Question-answer:(2 out of 3)→10 marks

Questions for the mid term:

What is a homophone? Explain with examples
What is a homograph? Explain… .
What is a homonym? Explain… .
What is phonetics? Explain… .

• What is a homophone?
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and may also be
spelled differently. They can sometimes cause confusion, especially in written
communication. Here are some examples of homophones:
Eye/I
Bee/Be
See/Sea
Hear/Here
Eight/Ate
Night/Knight
Flower/Flour
Right/Write
Hair/Hare
Cell/Sell
Male/Mail
Threw/Through
Son/Sun
Pair/Pear
Peace/Piece
Deer/Dear
Road/Rode
Allowed/Aloud
Morning/Mourning
Principal/Principle

## What is a homonym? Explain.

Homonyms are words that sound alike and are spelt alike or similarly, but have different
meanings.

Bark (the sound a dog makes) / Bark (the outer covering of a tree)
Bat (a flying mammal) / Bat (a piece of sports equipment used in baseball)
Bank (a financial institution) / Bank (the edge of a river)
Pen (a writing instrument) / Pen (an enclosure for animals)
Bowl (a container for food) / Bowl (to participate in a game of bowling)
Fair (an event or exhibition) / Fair (just and equitable)
Rock (a type of music) / Rock (a solid mineral material)
Match (a contest or game) / Match (a stick used to create fire)
Rose (a flower) / Rose (past tense of "rise")
Scale (a tool for measurement) / Scale (the outer covering of a fish)
Seal (a marine mammal) / Seal (a device for closing or fastening)
Sole (the bottom of the foot) / Sole (a type of fish)
 Light (illumination) / Light (not heavy)
Bear (an animal) / Bear (to tolerate or carry)
Tear (to rip) / Tear (a drop of liquid from the eye)
Wind (moving air) / Wind (to twist or turn)
Book (a written work) / Book (to make a reservation)
Plane (a flat surface) / Plane (an aircraft)
Tire (a rubber covering for a wheel) / Tire (to feel fatigued)
Lead (a heavy metal) / Lead (to guide or direct)

These examples demonstrate how homonyms can have distinct meanings despite sharing
the same pronunciation or spelling.

## What is a homograph?

Homographs are words that are spelled alike but may have different pronunciations and
meanings. Here are 10 examples of homographs:

Bow:
The bow of a ship (pronounced like "b-ow")
A bow for a gift (pronounced like "b-oh")

Tear:
To rip something (pronounced like "t-ear")
A drop of liquid from the eye (pronounced like "t-air")

Wind:
Moving air (pronounced like "w-ih-nd")
To twist or turn (pronounced like "w-ai-nd")

Read:
Present tense of reading (pronounced like "r-ee-d")
Past tense of reading (pronounced like "r-ed")

Lead:
A heavy metal (pronounced like "l-ee-d")
To guide or direct (pronounced like "l-ed")

Bass:
A low, deep sound or voice (pronounced like "b-ay-ss")
A type of fish (pronounced like "b-ah-ss")

Wind:
A twisting motion (pronounced like "w-ai-nd")
Moving air (pronounced like "w-ih-nd")

Object:
To express disagreement (pronounced like "uh-b-j-ekt")
A thing or item (pronounced like "ah-b-j-ekt")
 Desert:
An arid, sandy region (pronounced like "d-eh-z-ert")
To abandon or leave (pronounced like "d-ih-z-ert")

Close:
Nearby or in proximity (pronounced like "kl-oh-s")
To shut or seal (pronounced like "kl-ow-s")

These examples demonstrate how homographs can have the same spelling but different
pronunciations and meanings.

## What is phonetics?
Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that deals with the sounds of human speech, including
their production, transmission, and perception. It studies the physical properties of sounds
and how they are organised and used in different languages.

## What are different types of 'ə' sounds? Describe the features.

The 'ə' sound, known as the schwa, is a neutral vowel sound found in various languages. It's
the most common vowel sound in English and is usually unstressed. There are different
variations of the schwa sound, often influenced by surrounding sounds. Some features of the
schwa sound include:

Mid-Central Vowel: The schwa is a mid-central vowel, meaning it's produced with the
tongue in a neutral position and the mouth almost closed. The tongue isn't in a high or low
position.

Short and Unstressed: The schwa is typically a short and unstressed sound, often found
in unstressed syllables of words. For example, in "sofa" and "banana," the schwa appears in
the second syllable.

Reduced Articulation: When producing the schwa, the articulatory effort is minimal. The
mouth is relaxed, and the tongue is in a fairly neutral position.

Vowel Reduction: In English, many vowels in unstressed syllables tend to get reduced to
the schwa sound. For instance, the vowel in "banana" is pronounced as 'bənana' in casual
speech.

Centralised Position: The tongue is positioned centrally in the mouth, not favouring the
front or back of the oral cavity.

Non-Rhotic Pronunciation: In non-rhotic accents of English, the schwa often replaces the
"r" sound in syllable-final positions. For example, "better" is pronounced as 'bet-uh.'

Lax Vowel: The schwa is considered a lax vowel, as opposed to tense vowels that involve
more tension in the tongue and lips.
a" in unstressed syllables (sofa, banana)
"e" in unstressed syllables (chocolate, telephone)
"i" in unstressed syllables (pencil, family)
"o" in unstressed syllables (memory, eloquent)
"u" in unstressed syllables (supply, medium)
"y" in unstressed syllables (happy, family)
"er" in unstressed syllables (bother, clever)
"ar" in unstressed syllables (dollar, particular)
"or" in unstressed syllables (doctor, error)
"our" in unstressed syllables (colour, honour)
"ure" in unstressed syllables (measure, closure)
"ear" in unstressed syllables (clear, appear)
"eer" in unstressed syllables (cheer, peer)
"ier" in unstressed syllables (prettier, healthier)

## What are the different spelling variants for /e/ sounds in English words? Make a
comprehensive list and exemplify them.

Ans. The /ɛ/ sound in English can be represented by various spellings.

" (pen, set)

"e" before a double consonant (spell, well)
"ea" before "d" (bread, dead)
"ai" (said)
"a" before "ll" (cell, ball)
"e" before "th" (breath, death)
"e" before "l" in some words (melon, smell)
"ae" in some loanwords (aesthetic, aerobics)
"e" in the suffix "-est" (smartest, greatest)

## Define diphthongs in English phonetics. list some of the diphthongs, and their
features with examples.

Ans. A diphthong in English is a combination of two vowel sounds pronounced within the
same syllable. It involves a smooth and continuous transition from one vowel sound to
another in a single glide, without a noticeable pause. This contrasts with a monophthong,
which consists of a single, pure vowel sound.

Diphthongs are a key element of English phonetics, contributing to the distinct sound of
various words. They often occur in stressed syllables and can vary in pronunciation across
different accents and dialects.

For example, in the word "ride," the diphthong /aɪ/ starts with an "ah" sound and glides into
an "ee" sound. The two vowel components are combined into a single syllable. Similarly, in
the word "boat," the diphthong /oʊ/ transitions from an "oh" sound to an "oo" sound.
aɪ/ - This diphthong is the sound in "ride" or "time."
/eɪ/ - Found in words like "day" or "stay."
/ɔɪ/ - Seen in words like "coin" or "boy."
/aʊ/ - Present in words like "out" or "cow."
/oʊ/ - Heard in words like "go" or "boat."
/ɪə/ - Used in words like "ear" or "fear."
/eə/ - Found in words like "air" or "care."
/ʊə/ - Seen in words like "tour" or "pure."
ɪʊ/ - Seen in some pronunciations of "few" or "beauty."
/ɛɪ/ - Used in words like "eight" or "wait."
/ɔʊ/ - Heard in words like "go" or "show."
/aɪə/ - Present in some accents for words like "fire" or "hire."
/aʊə/ - Seen in some pronunciations of "hour" or "our."

## what are the different spellings for which we get /ɔː/ sounds?

The /ɔː/ sound in English can be represented by various spellings, such as "aw" (saw), "au"
(cause), "augh" (caught), "ough" (thought), and "al" (walk).

aw" (saw, draw)

"au" (cause, autumn)
"augh" (caught, daughter)
"al" (walk, talk)
"ough" (thought, bought)
"ought" (bought, brought)
"o" before "r" (more, before)
"or" (worn, born)
"our" (pour, course)
"ore" (shore, more)
"war" (warm, war)
"oor" (floor, door)
"ore" (bore, store)
"oar" (board, roar)
"a" in certain words before "l" and "r" (talk, wall)

## Discuss some key concepts of phonetics.

Phoneme: A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish
meaning. For example:
In English, the /p/ sound differentiates words like "pat" and "bat."
The /b/ sound distinguishes words like "bit" and "bit."

Consonant: A consonant is a speech sound produced by restricting or obstructing airflow.

Examples:
/s/ in "sun"
/k/ in "cat"
/m/ in "mouse"
 Vowel: A vowel is a speech sound produced without any significant obstruction of airflow.
Examples:
/i/ in "beet"
/a/ in "cat"
/u/ in "moon"

Articulation: Articulation refers to the movement and positioning of the speech organs
(such as the lips, tongue, and vocal cords) to produce speech sounds. Examples:
The /t/ sound is produced by touching the tip of the tongue to the alveolar ridge behind
the upper front teeth.
The /v/ sound is produced by partially blocking the airflow between the upper teeth and
the bottom lip.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA): The IPA is a system of symbols used to represent
the sounds of human language. It provides a standardized way to transcribe and analyze
speech sounds. For example:
The IPA symbol for the /θ/ sound in "think" is θ.
The IPA symbol for the /ʃ/ sound in "ship" is ʃ.

Syllable: A syllable is a unit of speech consisting of a vowel sound (or vowel sound with
accompanying consonant sounds). Examples:
"Cat" has one syllable.
"Water" has two syllables.

Stress: Stress refers to the emphasis or prominence placed on a particular syllable within
a word or phrase. Examples:
In "hello," the stress is on the first syllable: "HE-llo."
In "banana," the stress is on the second syllable: "ba-NA-na."

Phonetic Transcription: The representation of speech sounds using phonetic symbols. For
example:
The word "cat" can be transcribed as /kæt/ in phonetic notation.

Place of Articulation: The specific location in the vocal tract where a sound is produced.
Examples:
The /p/ sound is produced with the lips touching, making it a bilabial sound.
The /s/ sound is produced with a narrow opening between the tongue and alveolar
ridge, making it an alveolar sound.

Manner of Articulation: How airflow is modified to produce a sound. Examples:

The /m/ sound is produced by closing the lips and allowing air to pass through the nasal
cavity, making it a nasal sound.
The /f/ sound is produced by bringing the bottom lip close to the upper teeth, causing
friction, making it a fricative sound.

Voicing: The vibration or lack of vibration of the vocal cords during sound production.
Examples:
The /b/ sound is voiced, meaning the vocal cords vibrate when producing it.
 The /p/ sound is voiceless, meaning the vocal cords do not vibrate when producing it.

Intonation: The variation in pitch, tone, and melody that conveys meaning and emotion
in speech. Examples:
Rising intonation at the end of a sentence can indicate a question.
Falling intonation can indicate a statement or completion of thought.

Assimilation: The process in which sounds become more similar to neighboring sounds.
Examples:
In "handbag," the /n/ sound is assimilated to the following /b/ sound, resulting in a
nasalized /m/ sound.

Coarticulation: The phenomenon in which sounds are influenced by neighboring sounds,

causing them to be produced differently. Examples:
In "stop," the /t/ sound is pronounced with a slight release of air before the /s/ sound,
resulting in a different sound quality.

Onset, Nucleus, and Coda: The three parts of a syllable. Examples:

In the word "cat," the /k/ sound is the onset, the /æ/ sound is the nucleus (vowel), and
the /t/ sound is the coda.

Minimal Pairs: Words that differ by only one sound, highlighting the contrast between
phonemes. Examples:

"Ship" and "sheep" differ in the initial sounds /ʃ/ and /ʃiːp/.
"Cat" and "hat" differ in the final sounds /k/ and /hæt/.

Suprasegmental Features: Aspects of speech that extend beyond individual sounds, such as
stress, pitch, and duration. Examples:

Rising pitch at the end of a question.

Emphasizing certain words through increased stress.

Rhotic and Non-Rhotic Accents: Differences in the pronunciation of the /r/ sound between
dialects. Examples:

Rhotic accents, pronounce /r/ in words like "car."

Non-rhotic accents, often do not pronounce /r/ in the same positions.

Coarticulatory Effects: The influence of surrounding sounds on the articulation of a particular

sound. Examples:

In "quick," the /w/ sound affects the preceding /k/ sound, creating a slight rounding effect.

Vowel Quality: The specific characteristics of vowel sounds, including height, backness, and
rounding. Examples:
 The /i/ sound in "see" is a high, front, unrounded vowel.
The /ɑ/ sound in "car" is a low, back, unrounded vowel.

Nasalization: The addition of nasal airflow to a sound due to the lowering of the velum.
Examples:

In English, the vowel sound in "sing" is nasalized due to the /ŋ/ consonant at the end.

## What is phonology?

Phonology is a subfield of linguistics that studies the organization and systematic patterns of
sounds in languages. It focuses on the abstract and mental representations of speech
sounds, known as phonemes, and how they function and interact within a particular
language or languages. Phonology examines the rules and principles that govern the sound
patterns, including phonotactics (allowed combinations of sounds), syllable structure, stress
patterns, and phonological processes such as assimilation, deletion, and metathesis.

Phonology is concerned with analyzing and describing the distinctive and meaningful
contrasts of sounds in a language. It investigates the underlying structures and rules that
determine how sounds can be combined and modified to create meaningful units, such as
words or morphemes. For example, in English, the contrast between the sounds /p/ and /b/
is phonologically significant because it can distinguish words like "pat" and "bat."

Phonologists use various theoretical frameworks and tools to analyze and describe the
phonological systems of languages. They may represent phonological patterns using
phonological rules, feature matrices, or Optimality Theory, among other formal frameworks.
Phonology also considers the interaction between phonological patterns and other aspects
of language, such as syntax and semantics.

In summary, phonology is the study of the abstract sound patterns and structures of
languages, focusing on the organization, representation, and rules governing the sounds
used in human speech. It plays a crucial role in understanding how sounds function in
language and contribute to meaning and communication.

##
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/20-most-commonly-mispronounc
ed-foods-23806004

https://bucketlistjourney.net/mispronounced-food-words/

https://thesmartlocal.com/read/food-names-mispronunciation/