Unstressed vocalism of English

Neutral ə

Occur only in unstressed position

Can perform distinctive fs only when opposed to other unstressed vowels

Neutral ə is a core of unstressed voc of English. All allophones are known in ling as schwa vowel

Independent phonemic status of neutral vowels provided by lots of mp where schwa is opposed to other neutral vowels. [ə] – [i] \ [ə] – [ou]

Semi-weak vowels –vowels, lying between strong and neutral vowels

[o] – [ou]

careful style [o] - [o’bei]

colloquial style [ə] - [ə ‘bei]

full style [ou] – [ou’bei]

A product of partial reduction

s-w vowels are never opposed to the corresponding vowels of full-formation or neutral vowels

Vowels of full formation

The system of English consonantal phonemes

English Segmental Phonemes in Writing

Language performs its function as an important medium of human inter-communication not only in oral, but also in written form. Material integument of written language is made by graphic symbols – letters and hieroglyphics.

Of the aims of phonetics is to study the connection between the oral speech and its graphical representation.

English language is known for irregularities of spelling, due to different principles of orthography.

Phonemic principle

The main principle. Represents phonemes, but not its allophones. (In some languages allophones of the same phoneme are presented by different letters – Ы-И).

The main unit of this principle – a grapheme.

It has the same functions as the phoneme:

Constitutive: written form of every word consists of graphemes.

Distinctive: written form of every word may be distinguished from that of an other by different graphemes directly (opposed sounds are represented by diff graphemes) and indirectly (graphemes differ from each other to homophones)

Differentiating principle

based on the independent of the phoneme distinctive function ……..?

great number of homophonous words sent-scent-cent

3. Historical\traditional\conservative principle

consist of preservation of such spelling that existed in early periods of language and no longer reflects the real pronunciation of words. Some letters seized to represent any phonemes because these phonemes a) seized to exist b) had dropped out from the particular ws c) letters began to represent newly developed or different phonemes

ð graphemes either lost or changed their phonemic reference.

Brought-taught-thought gh denoted the phoneme [h] in MidE, spelling survived even after [h] disappeared. Still it has a differentiating function – right-rite

No orthography is capable of reflecting the exact pronunciation of the language

Transcription – graphical designation of phonemes, stress etc.

Transliteration – representation of pronunciation of one language by means of other language.

Phonetic Symbolism

“There are some words that we feel to be more adequate to express certain ideas. We feel that ‘roll’ is more adequate than ‘катать’, because the very sounding of ‘roll’ make it more expressive” (c) Otto Espreson

Ph. Symbolism is connected with poetry.

There are 3 kindsof Ph. Symbolism in poetry:

-onomatopoeia (murmur, whisper, moan)

-special sounds that are difficult to articulate, good to reflect violent moves, attacks

-sp sounds which themselves suggest mng – phonetic intensives or phonesthemes.

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