Phonetics Assignment Essay

Phonetics Assignment

Louisa Hogman   26th November 2006

1. In which grammatical area would knowing about voiced and voiceless consonants be useful?   Explain why.

      It is important to understand what a voiced and voiceless consonant is.   The definition of a consonant is a speech sound produced by partly or totally blocking the path of air through the mouth.   A voiced consonant is when the vocal cords are vibrated to produce voice.   A voiceless consonant is when there is no vibration.

      In English grammar when using simple past and the past participle it is very useful to understand voiced and voiceless consonants.   Regular simple past is formed by adding an ed to the end of the root.   Eg: walk – walked, wonder – wondered, listen – listened.

      When the verb root ends in a voiceless sound, the simple past is pronounced with a voiceless sound.

      Root simple past pronunciation
      guess guessed guess /t/
      walk walked walk /t/
      laugh laughed laugh /t/

      When the root ends in a voiced sound, the simple past is pronounced with a voiced sound

      Root simple past pronunciation
      arrive arrived arrive /d/
      mingle mingled mingle /d/
      bug bugged bug /d/

      When the root already ends in /d/ or /t/ a vowel sound needs to be added.

      Root simple past pronunciation
      need needed need /id/
      exhaust exhausted exhaust /id/

      It is also useful to know about voiced and voiceless consonants in grammar when talking about plurals.   This is not often a problem with foreign students, but there is a general rule.

      When the noun ends in a voiceless consonant, the voiceless plural is added /s/.
      Shop /s/

      When the noun ends in a voiced consonant, the voiced plural is added /z/.
      Lid /z/
  2. Your students are having problems with the pronunciation of /i/ and /i:/ as in ship and sheep.   Think of six minimal pairs you...