| RESOURCES |
| Here are some very useful links: |
| PHONETICS |
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| More relevant tables available also here |
| Consonant Classes available here |
| Vowel table, as well as a simplified consonant table and correspondance between sounds and transcription as .pdf available here |
| Close = High; Open = Low |
| Phonetics deals with the sounds of language. |
| Very important for Phonetics is the Phonetic Transcription! Its goal is to describe and define each sound used in language in general. Transcription is not the same as spelling! The phonetic transcription uses symbols which tell us how a certain letter/sound (or pair) is pronounced when grouped together, thus how words are pronounced. The "grammar" of transcribing is based on the International Phonetic Alphabet, which has been developing since its recognition during the late 19. century. The accepted transcription of English words is based on the Received Pronunciation (Standart British English!!!). Every (English) dictionary has a list of all relevant sounds. So you may check up which symbols correspond to which words as well as whole word transcriptions and pronunciation variaties. Please make sure you have a standart dictionary! Some American dict.'s for example may offer different transcriptions! |
| We distinguish between vowels (a, e, i, o, u...) and consonants (b, c, d, f, g...) In English Y and W are an exception, as they act like vowels, but function as consonants. For example, we say "a train", "a table", (the indefinite article is "a" if a word begins with a consonant), BUT "an apple", "an elephant", etc. ("an" if it begins with a vowel) However, we also say "A YEAR", and not "*AN YEAR" |
| Sounds are produced by setting lung-air in motion. Sounds may be voiced (vowels and some cons., like "z" in "zip") voiceless (some cons. like "f") and whisper (voiceless - try to whisper "z" and you will see the difference) |
| Below you will find various tables and links illustrating the different sounds. Those are exam relevant, but only the sounds found in a standart English dictionary should be in consideration for you |