English phonetic

and
Transcription

Brainstorming: Amharic phonetics

By mastering these elements, you can achieve a more natural and fluent
pronunciation.Remember, practice is key! The more you practice, the better
your pronunciation will become.

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 Pronunciation of English language and The phonemic chart
Understanding Pronunciation
Just like English grammar, and its grammatical rules, pronunciation has
its own set of rules too. Pronunciation then, is knowing how words
Pronunciation sound and not how they are spelt. The spelling of the word does not
then, is knowing
help us pronounce them. While spelling doesn't directly indicate
how words
sound and not pronunciation, there are rules and patterns to follow.
how they are To make it a little harder, but fun, good pronunciation is not just ‘how
words and letters sound’ it involves more than just sound recognition; it
includes intonation, stress, and connected speech. All these features
contribute to good pronunciation – but don’t confuse them with accent.

pronunciation is Intonation: The rise and fall of pitch in speech. It can convey different
not just ‘how words meanings and emotions. How your tone of voice changes (going up and
and letters sound’ down) during a sentence.
it involves more
Stress: The emphasis placed on certain syllables within words. It can
than just sound
recognition; it affect the meaning and rhythm of speech. The words and syllables
includes intonation, which have more prominence when we are speaking.
stress, and Connected Speech: The way sounds blend together in natural speech.
connected speech. This can lead to sound reduction and elision, where sounds are omitted
or changed. How words can sound different when they are joined
together in natural speech.
Phonemic-Chart
The phonemic chart is a tool for understanding and practicing pronunciation.
It displays different sounds represented by symbols. To accurately transcribe
these sounds, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is commonly used.

basic phonemic chart for English, using IPA symbols

Learning these symbols helps you recognize and produce sounds without
relying on listening and repeating. Dictionaries often use these symbols to
indicate pronunciation. And All dictionaries have the phonemic spelling of

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words, so again, when you understand the symbols, you will know how to say
a word.
Vowels ሀ- ግዕዝ ሁ-ካዕብ ሂ -ሳልስ ሃ -ራብዕ ሄ - ሃምስ ህ -ሳድስ ሆ -ሳብ
Short ኧ /ʌ/ ኡ ʊ ኢ /ɪ/ ኣ æ ኤ /e/ እ ə ኦ /ɒ/
(but), (good) (bit) bat, (bet), her (bot)
luck lack head
Long አ~ /ɑː/ ኡ~./uː/ ኢ~ /iː/ እ~ /3:/ * ኦ~ /ɔː/
(bart) boot, (beat) (Bird) (bought),
bull
Key Points to Remember:
This is a simplified chart, and the actual pronunciation of sounds can vary
depending on the dialect and context. Vowel sounds can vary depending on
dialect and accent.
The same letter can represent different vowel sounds (e.g., "a" in "cat" and
"cake").
To improve pronunciation,
Learn the symbols: Familiarize yourself with the IPA symbols and the sounds
they represent.
Listen to native speakers and practice saying the sounds.
Use a dictionary: Many dictionaries provide phonetic transcriptions of words,
helping you to practice correct pronunciation.
Practice listening to and producing these sounds to improve your English
pronunciation. By consistently practicing with the phonemic chart, you can
significantly improve your English pronunciation
Practice saying sounds and words, paying attention to lip and jaw movements.
For example, "girl" has a monophthong /ɜ:/, while "boy" has a
diphthong /ɔɪ/.
Record yourself: Record your pronunciation and compare it to native speakers.
Seek feedback: Ask a language teacher or a native speaker to provide
feedback on your pronunciation.
English Vowel Sounds and Their Transcription

English has a complex system of vowel sounds, with many variations

depending on dialect and accent and often represented by various letter
combinations. The twenty six English alphabets have 44 sounds, in which 20
are vowel sounds while the rest related to consonants.
Graphic Representation of Vowel Sounds

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The following vowel chart visually represents the position of the tongue and
lips when producing the sounds. Try saying the sounds and feel the way your
lips and jaw move.

To illustrate further the pronunciation of these vowels, consider the following

graphic representations:

Using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for transcription here's a

breakdown of the 20 most common vowel sounds in English. These vowel
sounds are further catagorized into 12-monophtongs (single sounds) and 8
-Diphthongs (gliding sounds). By understanding the 20 vowel sounds of
English and their corresponding IPA symbols, you can enhance your ability to
accurately transcribe and pronounce words in the language

Monophthongs (Single Vowel Sounds):

Monophthongs are 12 single, pure vowel sounds within a single syllable so,
regarded as one sound. Furthermore it is arranged in seven short and five
Long sounds. For example, the word ‘girl’ has one vowel sound / ɜ:/ (er).
While the "ee" sound in "feet" (/iː/) and the "oo" sound in "boot" (/uː/).

A. Short Vowels: These are seven sounds represented by /ɪ/ , /e or ɛ/, /æ/,
/ʌ/, /ɒ/, /ʊ/, /ɜ or ə/ (schwa). Based on the place of their origination they
further catagorized into front, center and back)
Front Vowels: /ɪ/ , /ɛ/, /æ/:
(l): This sound is produced with the tongue in a closer position to the roof of
the mouth, compared to /ɛ/. It's a more closed sound, often described as a

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long "e" sound. Close-mid front unrounded vowe: /e or ɛ/ While it's not as
common in English, it can be found in certain dialects or in words like "café" or
"élite."
 ɪ ("bit") - Short high front vowel  /e/** or ɛ ("bet") - Mid front
 æ ( "bat") - Low front vowel vowel
Central Vowels: /ʌ/, /ə/
Example:
 ʌ ("but") - Mid central vowel
 ə ("about") - Mid central vowel (schwa)
Schwa: The sound / ə / is a neutral sound and is known as the schwa /
ʃwɑː /; is the most common vowel sound in Australian English.
Back Vowels: /ɒ/, /ʊ/
Example:
 ʊ ("put") - Short high back vowel
 ɒ ("bought", "cot") - Low back vowel

Long Vowels: These are five sounds represented by /iː/ , /ɑː/, /uː/, /ɜː/, /ɔː/
The two dots / : / after a symbol indicate that the vowel sound is long. Can
you hear the difference between sheep /ʃi:p/ and ship /ʃɪp/ ? Try saying the
sounds and feel the way your lips and jaw move. The symbols follow the
shape of your mouth. Starting with the / i: / your lips are wide and your jaw is
closed and as you move right to the / u: / your lips open to a round
shape.Based on the place of their origination they further catagorized into
front, center and back)

 Front Vowels: /iː/ - "beat" (long i)

 Central : /ɜː /. - "bird" Mid central vowel (sometimes considered a
diphthong
 Back : /ɔː/ - "caught" (long o), /ɒ:/ - "bought") (long ow), /uː/ - "boot"
(long u)

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 Diphthongs (Vowel Combinations)
Diphthongs: These are complex vowel sounds that involve a glide from one
vowel sound to another. Diphthongs are single-syllable vowel sounds
however involve two sounds the beginning of the sound glides to another,
slightly different vowel sound – so two sounds
.
1. /aɪ/ (like "buy") 5. /eɪ/ (like "day")
2. /aʊ/ (like "house") 6. /eə/ (like "bear")
3. /ʊə/ (like "tour") 7. /əʊ/ (like "go")
4. /ɪə/ (like "beer") 8. /ɔɪ/ (like "boy")
Try saying the full words as seen on the left and then focus on the vowel
sound within those words, for example, ‘here’ – now just say the vowel
sound /ɪə/ – can you hear the two sounds gliding together? First the / ɪ /
sound and then the / ə / sound; your lips change positions to make the
sound to glide together and to form the sound / ɪə/ ‘here’
They are grouped in rows according to their second sound. .

Centring ending in / ə /
1. ɪə (as in "here") - Diphthong starting high front and moving to mid
front

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 2. eə (as in "hair") - Diphthong starting high front and moving to mid
center
3. ʊə (as in "tourist") - Diphthong starting high front and moving to
mid front

Centering ending in ə
ɪə ኺይ eə ኤይ ʊə ኡኽ
here hair tourist

Here: /hɪə/ Repair: /rɪˈpeə/ Poor: /pʊə/

Near: /nɪə/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Tour: /tʊə/
Fear: /fɪə/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Sure: /ʃʊə/
Gear: /ɡɪə/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Pure: /pjʊə/
Hear: /hɪə/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Cure: /kjʊə/
Dear: /dɪə/ Bear: /beə/ Lure: /ljʊə/
Pier: /pɪə/ Pair: /peə/ Mure: /mjʊə/
Cheer: /tʃɪə/ Hair: /heə/ Nure: /njʊə/
Jeer: /dʒɪə/ Fair: /feə/ Puree: /pjʊəreɪ/
Veer: /vɪə/ Chair: /tʃeə/ Impure: /ɪmpjʊə/
Fierce: /fɪəs/ Rare: /reə/ Secure: /sɪkˈjʊə/
Fiery: /ˈfaɪəri/ Ware: /weə/ Ensure: /ɪnˈʃʊə/

Centering ending in ɪ

4. eɪ (as in "bait") - Diphthong starting high front and moving to mid

front
5. aɪ (as in "bite") - Diphthong starting low front and moving to high
front
6. ɔɪ (as in "boy") - Diphthong starting mid back and moving to high
front

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 Centering ending in ɪ
eɪ አይ aɪ ኢይ ɔɪ ኦይ
bait bite boy

Day: /deɪ/ Way: /weɪ/ My: /maɪ/ Spy: Boy: /bɔɪ/ Royal:
Play: /pleɪ/ Lay: /leɪ/ Sky: /spaɪ/ Toy: /tɔɪ/ /ˈrɔɪəl/
Say: /seɪ/ Pay: /peɪ/ /skaɪ/ Why: Joy: /dʒɔɪ/ Foil: /fɔɪl/
May: /meɪ/ Pray: Try: /traɪ/ /waɪ/ Coy: /kɔɪ/ Soil: /sɔɪl/
Hay: /heɪ/ /preɪ/ Cry: /kraɪ/ Lie: /laɪ/ Loyal: Toil: /tɔɪl/
Slay: /sleɪ/ Fly: /flaɪ/ Tie: /taɪ/ /ˈlɔɪəl/ Spoil:
Bye: /baɪ/ /spɔɪl/
Closing ending in ʊ
7. əʊ (as in "show") - Diphthong starting high front and moving to
mid front
8. aʊ (as in "bout") - Diphthong starting low front and moving to high
back

Closing ending in ʊ
əʊ/. ኦዎ ኧው aʊ/
Know: /nəʊ/ Go: /ɡəʊ/ How: /haʊ/ Plow: /plaʊ/
Blow: /bləʊ/ No: /nəʊ/ Now: /naʊ/ Vow: /vaʊ/
Low: /ləʊ/ So: /səʊ/ Cow: /kaʊ/ Gown: /ɡaʊn/
Slow: /sləʊ/ Grow: /ɡrəʊ/ Bow: /baʊ/ Clown: /klaʊn/
Blow: /bləʊ/ Throw: /θrəʊ/ Wow: /waʊ/ Brown: /braʊn/
Grow: /ɡrəʊ/ Frown: /fraʊn/

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 Consonant Sounds:
Consonants are Backbone of Words. In English there are 24 Consonant
Sounds. Consonant sounds are produced by obstructing the airflow in the
vocal tract. Here's a breakdown of these sounds, again using the IPA for
transcription:

They can be categorized based on various factors, including place of

articulation (where the sound is produced), manner of articulation (how the
sound is produced), and voicing (whether the vocal cords vibrate).
Voicing and Unvoicing:
Some Consonant Sounds are voiced, and some are unvoiced – voiced means
that your vocal cords vibrate and are unvoiced if they do not. Basically, if it is
unvoiced more air is needed to make the sound.
1. Voiced sounds: The vocal cords vibrate when producing these
sounds.Examples include the "b" sound in "bat" and the "v" sound in "vat."
Further classified on place and manner of articulation (Plosives, Fricatives,
Nosal, Liquids)
Plosives:
1.1. b (as in "bat") - Voiced bilabial plosive
1.2. d (as in "dad") - Voiced alveolar plosive
1.3. ɡ (as in "gat") - Voiced velar plosive
Fricatives:
1.4. v (as in "vat") - Voiced labiodental fricative
1.5. ð (as in "then") - Voiced dental fricative
1.6. z (as in "zat") - Voiced alveolar fricative
1.7. ʒ (as in "measure") - Voiced postalveolar fricative
Nasals:
1.8. m (as in "mat") - Bilabial nasal
1.9. n (as in "nat") - Alveolar nasal
1.10. ŋ (as in "sing") - Velar nasal
Liquids:
1.11. l (as in "lat") - Alveolar lateral approximant
1.12. r (as in "rat") - Alveolar approximant (varies by dialect)
Approximants:
1.13. w (as in "wet") - Labiovelar approximant
1.14. j (as in "yet") - Palatal approximant
2. Unvoiced sounds: The vocal cords do not vibrate when producing these
sounds. Examples include the "p" sound in "pat" and the "f" sound in "fat."
Plosives:
2.1. p (as in "pat") - Voiceless bilabial plosive
2.2. t (as in "tat") - Voiceless alveolar plosive

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 2.3. k (as in "cat") - Voiceless velar plosive
Fricatives:
2.4. s (as in "sat") - Voiceless alveolar fricative
2.5. f (as in "fat") - Voiceless labiodental fricative
2.6. θ (as in "thin") - Voiceless dental fricative
2.7. h (as in "hat") - Voiceless glottal fricative
2.8. ʃ (as in "shut") - Voiceless postalveolar fricative
Affricates:
2.9. tʃ (as in "chat") - Voiceless postalveolar affricate
2.10. dʒ (as in "jam") - Voiced postalveolar affricate
Paired sounds with blue and orange dots have similar articulations but differ
in voicing. Practice saying words normally and then whispering to feel the
difference in breath force.Each pair of sounds (the first symbols are exactly
the same as to how the sound is made, but the sound with the second symbol
needs more air.
Practice the following words transcription
Light: /laɪt/ Sow: /səʊ/ Deceive: /dɪˈsiːv/
Might: /maɪt/ Piercing: /ˈpɪərsɪŋ/ Receive: /rɪˈsiːv
Sight: /saɪt/ Steering: /ˈstɪərɪŋ/ Piercing: /ˈpɪərsɪŋ/
Tight: /taɪt/ Appearing: /əˈpɪərɪŋ/ Steering: /ˈstɪərɪŋ/
Right: /raɪt/ Disappearing: Appearing: /əˈpɪərɪŋ/
Bright: /braɪt/ /ˌdɪsəˈpɪərɪŋ/ Disappearing:
Fright: /fraɪt Reappearing: /ˌdɪsəˈpɪərɪŋ/
High: /haɪ/ /ˌriːəˈpɪərɪŋ/ Reappearing:
Fight: /faɪt/ Steering: /ˈstɪərɪŋ/ /ˌriːəˈpɪərɪŋ/
Fierce: /fɪəs/ Tiering: /ˈtaɪərɪŋ/ Steering: /ˈstɪərɪŋ/
Fiery: /ˈfaɪəri/ Sheering: /ˈʃɪərɪŋ/ Tiering: /ˈtaɪərɪŋ/
Piercing: /ˈpɪərsɪŋ/ Repair: /rɪˈpeə/ Sheering: /ˈʃɪərɪŋ
Steering: /ˈstɪərɪŋ/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Dare: /deə/
Appearing: /əˈpɪərɪŋ/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Share: /ʃeə/
Disappearing: Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Spare: /speə/
/ˌdɪsəˈpɪərɪŋ/ Ensnare: /ɪnˈsneə/ Afraid: /əˈfreɪd/
Reappearing: Bear: /beə/ Aware: /əˈweə/
/ˌriːəˈpɪərɪŋ/ Pair: /peə/ Compare: /kəmˈpeə/
Steering: /ˈstɪərɪŋ/ Hair: /heə/ Declare: /dɪˈkleə/
Tiering: /ˈtaɪərɪŋ/ Fair: /feə/ Prepare: /prɪˈpeə/
Sheering: /ˈʃɪərɪŋ Chair: /tʃeə/ Procure: /prəˈkjʊə/
Throw:/θrəʊ/ Rare: /reə/ Abjure: /əbˈdʒʊə/
Know: /nəʊ/ Ware: /weə/ Conjure: /ˈkʌndʒə/
Mow: /məʊ/ Dare: /deə/ Adjure: /əˈdʒʊə/
Sow: /səʊ/ Share: /ʃeə/ Allure: /əˈlʊə/
Row: /rəʊ/ Stay: /steɪ/ Amure: /əˈmjʊə/
Show: /ʃəʊ/ Stray: /streɪ/ Endure: /ɪnˈdʊə/
Grown:/ɡrəʊn/ Gray: /ɡreɪ/ Insure: /ɪnˈʃʊə/
Grow: /ɡrəʊ/ Tray: /treɪ/ Mow: /məʊ/
Throw: /θrəʊ/ Fray: /freɪ/ Sow: /səʊ/
Know: /nəʊ/ Spray: /spreɪ/ Chow: /tʃaʊ/
Blow: /bləʊ/ Convey: /kənˈveɪ/ Brow: /braʊ/
Mow: /məʊ/ Perceive: /pərˈsiːv/

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Multiple Choice Questions on Phonetics and Phonology
1. What is the primary function of the phonemic chart?
a) To visually represent the sounds of a language
b) To teach people how to read and write
c) To analyze the grammatical structure of a language
d) To study the historical development of a language
2. Which of the following is NOT a vowel sound?
a) /a/ c) /i/
b) /p/ d) /u/
3. What are diphthongs?
a) Single vowel sounds
b) Vowel sounds that glide from one sound to another
c) Consonant sounds that are produced with a complete obstruction of
airflow
d) Sounds produced by the vibration of the vocal cords
4. What is the difference between voiced and voiceless sounds?
a) Voiced sounds are produced with a higher pitch than voiceless sounds.
b) Voiced sounds are produced with a lower pitch than voiceless sounds.
c) Voiced sounds are produced with vibration of the vocal cords, while
voiceless sounds are not.
d) Voiced sounds are produced with a complete obstruction of airflow, while
voiceless sounds are not.
5. What is intonation?
a) The rhythm of speech
b) The speed of speech
c) The stress placed on certain syllables
d) The rise and fall of pitch in speech
6. What is the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)?
a) A system of writing used in many countries
b) A standardized system of phonetic symbols
c) A language learning method
d) A type of handwriting font
7. Which of the following is a monophthong?
a) /aʊ/ c) /iː/
b) /eɪ/ d) /ɔɪ/
8. What is the schwa sound?
a) A highly stressed vowel sound
b) A vowel sound that is often reduced and unstressed
c) A consonant sound that is produced with a complete obstruction of airflow
d) A diphthong that glides from one vowel sound to another
9. What is the difference between a phoneme and a phone?
a) A phoneme is a physical sound, while a phone is a mental representation of
a sound.
b) A phoneme is a mental representation of a sound, while a phone is a
physical sound.
c) Phonemes are only found in spoken language, while phones are only found
in written language.

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d) There is no difference between a phoneme and a phone.
10. What is connected speech?
a) Speaking slowly and clearly
b) Speaking in a formal style
c) The way sounds blend together in natural speech
d) The use of gestures and body language to communicate
11. Which of the following is an example of a fricative sound?
a) /p/ c) /s/
b) /b/ d) /m/
12. What is the role of stress in pronunciation?
a) To emphasize certain syllables in a word
b) To change the meaning of a word
c) To indicate the speaker's emotion
d) To slow down the rate of speech
13. What is the purpose of the blue and orange dots in the phonemic chart?
a) To indicate the stress pattern of a word
b) To distinguish between voiced and voiceless sounds
c) To show the place of articulation of a sound
d) To indicate the manner of articulation of a sound
14. What is the difference between a plosive and an affricate?
a) Plosives are produced with a complete obstruction of airflow, while
affricates are not.
b) Affricates are produced with a complete obstruction of airflow, while
plosives are not.
c) Plosives are produced with a gradual release of air, while affricates are
produced with a sudden release of air.
d) Affricates are produced with a gradual release of air, while plosives are
produced with a sudden release of air.
15. What is the role of the jaw in producing vowel sounds?
a) The jaw is always closed when producing vowel sounds.
b) The jaw is always open when producing vowel sounds.
c) The position of the jaw can vary depending on the vowel sound being
produced.
d) The jaw plays no role in producing vowel sounds.
16. What is the role of the lips in producing consonant sounds?
a) The lips are always rounded when producing consonant sounds.
b) The lips are always spread when producing consonant sounds.
c) The position of the lips can vary depending on the consonant sound being
produced.
d) The lips play no role in producing consonant sounds.
17. What is the purpose of practicing pronunciation with a mirror?
a) To improve your posture
b) To monitor your facial expressions
c) To observe your lip and tongue movements
d) To increase your self-confidence
18. What is the importance of connected speech in language learning?
a) It helps you to speak more slowly and clearly.

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b) It helps you to sound more formal and polite.
c) It helps you to understand and produce natural speech patterns.
d) It helps you to learn new vocabulary words.
19. What is the role of a language exchange partner in improving
pronunciation?
a) To provide grammar corrections
b) To help you with vocabulary
c) To give you feedback on your pronunciation
d) To translate texts from one language to another
20. What is the best way to improve your pronunciation?
a) Reading aloud
b) Listening to native speakers
c) Practicing with a language exchange partner
d) All of the above

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