BRITISH AND AMERICAN SPEECH SOUNDS

1. ENGLISH PHONOLOGY AND
PRONUNCIATION
PHONOLOGY PRONUNCIATION
PHONEMICS PHONETICS BRITISH AMERICAN
Phonetic Features

2. http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/ph
onetics/english/frameset.html
American English Speech Sounds
http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course
/chapter1/consonants1.html
http://www.phonetics.ucla.edu/course
/chapter1/vowels.html

3. PHONEMICS
It deals with the study of phonemes and the phonotactic
structure of words, i.e., Coda and onset, in a certain language
found through a phonemic analysis,i.e., Seperating
Procedure/Uniting Procedure.
Colour - Color Lift - Elevator
Centre - Center Bill -Check
Licence - License Cock -rooster
Dialogue - Dialog alluminium
Cheque - Check
Fulfil - Fulfill
Traveller - Traveler
Aeroplane - Airplane

4. THE PREMISES OF PRACTICAL PHONEMICS
(KENNETH L.PIKE, 1976:57-64, PHONEMICS)
1. Sounds tend to be modified by their environment.
can /kæn/-can get it /kæɳ ɡet it/
news /nju:z/-newspaper /nju:speipə( r )/
2. Sound systems have a tendency toward phonetic
symmetry, i.e., /p-b/, /t-d/, /k-ɡ/
3. Sounds tend to fluctuate, i.e.,
garage /ɡəˈrɑ:ʒ(ʤ)/
4. Characteristic sequences of sounds exert structural
pressure on the phonemic interpretation of suspicious
segments or suspicious sequences of segments yes
/jes/ or /ies/ ?

5. ANALYLITICAL PROCEDURES
I. PRELIMINARY PROCEDURES
1. Recording the data
2. Assuming the Accuracy and Completeness
of the problem
3. Making a Phonetic Chart
4. Listing Suspicious pairs of Sounds
5. Listing Nonsuspicious Sounds

6. ANALYTICAL PROCEDURES
II. SEPARATING PROCEDURES
1. The Phonemic Separation of Similar
Segments upon Finding them in Contrast in
Analogous Environments
2. The Phonemic Separation of Similar
Segments upon Finding them in Contrast in
Identical Environments

7. III. UNITING PROCEDURES
1. The Phonemic Uniting of Similar Segements
upon Finding them in Mutually Exclusive
Environents
2. The Phonemic Uniting of Similar Segements
upon Finding them Freely Fluctuating, but
Never in Contrast

8. PHONEMES
• SEGMENTALS : Pure Vovels
Diphthongs
Tripthongs
Consonants/Clusters
• SUPRASEGMENTALS: Stress
Pitch
Juncture
Terminal Contour
Intonation

9. PHONETICS
• ARTICULATORY PHONETICS deals with the study of the
way how speech sounds are produced by the speech
organs or vocal apparatus
• AUDITORY PHONETICS deals with the study of the way
how speech sounds are perceived by human ears
• ACOUSTIC PHONETICS deals with the study of the
physical entities of the speech sounds, i.e., the
frequency/amplitude, how they are transfered or
modified

10. SPEECH ORGANS (VOCAL APPARATUS)

11. BRITISH ENGLISH VOWEL CHART
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close 1 i: u: 8
2 I υ 9
Half-Close 3 e o
7 з:
6 ə
Half-Open here/ ðεə/, / ðeə/ ε ɔ: 10
4 æ 5 ʌ ɒ 11
Open a ɑ: 12
Hat
cat

12. AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWEL CHART
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close i = i: u = u:
I U
Half-Close e o
з/ɝ
ə/ɚ
Half-Open ε ɔ = ɔ :
ʌ
æ ɑ = ɑ:
Open
a
schwa

13. COMPARISON OF BRITISH &
AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWELS
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close i: = i u: = u
I = I υ = U
Half-Close e = ε/eI o = oU : əU
з: = з/ɝ
ə= ə /ɚ
Half-Open ε ɔ: = ɔ long /lɔɳ/
æ ʌ ɒ
Open a ɑ: = ɑ hot / hɑt /

14. BRITISH RISING DIPHTHONGS
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close eI aI ɔI au ou = əu
Half-Close e o
Half-Open ɔ
Open a

15. BRITISH CENTRING DIPHTHONGS
Front Central Back PHONEMIC NORM
Unrounded Rounded
Close
I υ
Half-Close
Iə uə
ε eə/εə
Half-Open ε
Open

16. BRITISH TRIPTHONGS
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close
I υ
Half-Close e o
aIə auə əuə/ouə
eIə ɔIə ɔ
Half-Open
Open a

17. AMERICAN ENGLISH VOWEL CHART
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded features
Close i u
I υ
Half-Close e o
з
ə
Half-Open ε ɔ
æ л
Open a ɑ
American English Vowel Chart

18. AMERICAN RISING DIPHTHONGS
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close
e aI ɔI au o
Half-Close e o
Half-Open ɔ
Open a
British English Rising Diphthongs

19. AMERICAN CENTRING DIPHTHONGS
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close
I υ
Half-Close
Ir υr
ε εr ɔr ɔ
Half-Open ε ɑr
Open
British Centring Diphthongs

20. AMERICAN TRIPTHONGS
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Close
I υ
Half-Close e o
aIr aυr or
er ɔIr ɔ
Half-Open ε
Open a

21. English Pure Vowel /i:/ and /i/
Grapheme British American
compete / kəm'pi:t / / kəm'pit /
machine / mə'ʃi:n / / mə'ʃin /
breed / 'bri:d / / 'brid /
receive / rı'si:v / / rı'siv /
field / 'fi:ld / / 'fild /
key / 'ki: / / 'ki /
people / 'pi:pl / / 'pipl /
quay / 'ki: / / 'ki /

22. Pure Vowel /i:/ and /i/
Initial Position British American
each / 'i:ʧ / / 'iʧ /
eager / 'i:ցə / / 'iցər /
eagle / 'i:ցl / / ’iցl /
ease / 'i:z / / 'iz /
east / 'i:st / / 'ist /
easter / 'i:stə / / 'istər /
easy / 'i:zI / / 'izI /
even / 'i:vn / / 'ivn /

23. Pure Vowel /i:/ and /i/
Medial Position British American
beat / 'bi:t / / 'bit /
been / 'bi:n / / 'bin /
beach / 'bi:ʧ / / 'biʧ /
breathe / 'bri:ð / / 'brið /
breeze / 'bri:z / / 'briz /
breed / 'bi:d / / 'bid /
beef / 'bi:f / / 'bif /
crease / 'kri:s / / 'kris /
cream / 'kri:m / / 'krim /
SUSPICIOUS PAIR

24. Pure Vowel /i:/ and /i/
Final Position British American
agree / ə'ցri: / / ə'ցri /
bee / 'bi: / / 'bi /
decree / dı'kri: / / dı'kri /
degree / dı'ցri: / / dı'ցri /
fee / 'fi: / / 'fi /
flea / 'fli: / / 'fli /
free / 'fri: / / 'fri /
key / 'ki: / / 'ki /
knee / 'ni: / / 'ni /

25. Pure Vowel / I/
Graphemes British American
bring / 'brıŋ / / 'brıŋ /
lips / 'lıps / / 'lıps /
become / bı'kʌm / / bı'kʌm /
descend / dı'send / / dı'sɛnd /
city / 'sıtı / / 'sıtı /
many / 'menı / / 'mɛnı /

26. Pure Vowel / I /
Initial Position British American
idiom / 'ıdıəm / / 'ıdıəm /
ignore / ıց'nɔ: / / ıց'nɔr /
ill / 'ıl / / 'ıl /
illegal / ı'li:ցl / / ı'liցl /
innate / ı'neıt / / ı'net /
innovate / 'ınəveıt / / 'ınəvet /
insist / ın'sıst / / ın'sıst /
intimate / 'ıntımət / / 'ıntımət /
irregular / ı'reցjələ / / ı'rɛցjələr /
irrelevant / ı'reləvənt / / ı'rɛləvənt /

27. Pure Vowel / I /
Medial Position British American
bid / 'bıd / / 'bıd /
big / 'bıɡ / / 'bıɡ/
bill / 'bıl / / 'bıl /
biscuit / 'bıskıt / / 'bıskıt /
bridge / 'brıʤ / / 'brıʤ /
chilli / 'ʧılı / / 'ʧılı /
chin / 'ʧın / / 'ʧın /
click / 'klık / / 'klık /
clinic / 'klınık / / 'klınık /
chip / 'ʧıp / / 'ʧıp /

28. Pure Vowel / I /
Final Position British American
activity / æk'tıvətı / / æk'tıvətı /
annuity / ə'nju:ətı / / ə'nuətı /
any / 'enı / / 'enı /
biology / baı'ɒləʤı / / baı'ɒləʤı /
binary / 'baınərı / / 'baınərı /
bribery / 'braıbərı / / 'braıbərı /
busy / 'bızı / / 'bızı /
bushy / 'bυʃı / / 'bυʃı /
candy / 'kændı / / 'kændı /
city / 'sıtı / / 'sıtı /

29. MINIMAL PAIRS
eat / 'i:t / - it / 'ıt /
ease / 'i:z / - is / 'ız /
each / 'i:ʧ / - itch / 'ıʧ /
beat / 'bi:t / - bit / 'bıt /
been / 'bi:n / - bin / 'bın /
deed / 'di:d / - did / 'dıd /
deep / 'di:p / - dip / 'dıp /
feast / 'fi:st / - fist / 'fıst /
feel / 'fi:l / - fill / 'fıl /
feet / 'fi:t / - fit / 'fıt /
green/ 'ցri:n /- grin / 'ցrın /

30. ENGLISH CONSONANTS
Place or
point
articulation
Manner of
articulation
Bilabial Labio
dental
Dental Alveo
lar
Post
Alveolar
Palato
Alveolar
Palatal Velar Glott
al
Stop vl
vd
p
b
t
d
k
ց
Affricate vl
vd
ʧ / č
ʤ /j
Nasal vd m n ŋ
Lateral vd l
Fricative vl
vd
θ
ð
f
v
s
z r
∫ / š
ӡ / ž
h
Semi
Vowel vd w j

31. CONSONANT /p/
Final Position British American
pace / 'peIs / / 'pes /
pack / 'pæk / / 'pæk /
page / 'peIʤ / / 'peʤ /
pain / 'peId / / 'ped /
paint / 'peInt / / 'pent /
pair / 'peə / / 'pɛr /
pale / 'peIl / / 'pel /
palm / 'pɑ:m / / 'pɑm /
paper / 'peIpə / / 'pepər /
park / 'pɑ:k / / 'pɑk /

32. CONSONANT /p/
Medial Position British American
space / 'speIs / / 'spes /
spade / 'speId / / 'sped /
spare / 'speər / / 'spɛr /
speak / 'spi:k / / 'spik /
speech / 'spi:ʧ / / 'spiʧ /
speed / 'spi:d / / 'spid /
spell / 'spel / / 'spɛl /
spend / 'spend / / 'spɛnd /
spin / 'spIn / / 'spIn /
spirit / 'spIrIt / / 'spIrIt /

33. CONSONANT /p/
Final Position British American
chop / 'ʧɒp / / 'ʧɑp /
clap / 'klæp / / 'klæp /
clasp / 'klɑ:sp / / 'klæsp /
cop / 'kɒp / / 'kɑp /
cope / 'kəυp / / 'kop /
crop / 'krɒp / / 'krɑp /
deep / 'di:p / / 'dip /
dip / 'dIp / / 'dIp /
drop / 'drɒp / / ‘drɑp /

34. CONSONANT /b/
Inital Position British American
base / 'beIs / / 'bes /
back / 'bæk / / 'bæk /
bark / 'bɑ:k / / 'bɑk /
bath / 'bɑ:θ / / 'bæθ /
bone / 'bəυn / / 'bon /
bound / 'baυnd / / 'baυnd /
bowl / 'bəυl / / 'bol /
brain / 'breIen / / 'bren /
bread / 'bred / / 'brɛd /

35. CONSONANT /b/
Medial Position British American
ability / ə‘bIlətI / / ə‘bIlətI /
about / ə'baυt / / ə'baυt /
above / ə'bʌv / / ə'bʌv /
abroad / ə'brɔ:d / / ə'brɔd /
absent / æb'sənt / / æb'sənt /
absorb / əb'sɔ:b / / əb'sɔrb /
absolute / əb'səlu:t / / əb'səlut /
abstract / æb'strækt / / æb'strækt /
bible / 'baIbl / / 'baIbl /
cabin / 'kæbIn / / 'kæbIn /

36. CONSONANT /b/
Final Position British American
babe / 'beIb / / 'beb /
bribe / 'braIb / / 'braIb /
bulb / 'bʌlb / / 'bʌlb /
club / 'klʌb / / 'klʌb /
crab / 'kræb / / 'kræb /
curb / 'kɜ:b / / 'kɜrb /
describe / dI'skraIb / / dI'skraIb /
grab / 'ցræb / / 'ցræb /
globe / 'ցləυb / / 'ցlob /

37. MINIMAL PAIRS
ample / 'æmpl / amble / 'æmbl /
Crumple / 'krʌmpl / crumble / 'krʌmbl /
pace / 'peIs / base / 'beIs /
park / 'pɑ:k / bark / ‘pɑrk /
peach / 'pi:ʧ / beach / 'bi:ʧ /
pie / 'paI / buy / 'baI /
poor / 'pUə / boor / ‘bUər /
pride / 'praId / bride / 'braId /
staple / 'steIpl / stable / 'stebl /
rope / 'rəUp / robe / 'rəUb /

38. THE ENGLISH SYLLABLE STRUCTURES
a syllable generally contains a vowel or a
group of vowels regarded as the peak of the
syllable. A group of vowels consisting of two
vowels is called diphthong, and a group of
vowels consisting of three vowels is called
triphthong. A syllable may consist of a vowel,
a diphthong, a triphthong. A vowel in a
syllable may either preceded or followed by a
consonant or a group of consonants known as
cluster.

39. THE ENGLISH SYLLABIC PHONOTACTIC
STRUCTURES
A consonant or a cluster that precedes a
vowel, a dipthong, or a triphthong in a syllable
is called onset, and a consonant or a cluster
that follows a vowel, a diphthong, or a
trphthong in a syllable is called coda (Roach,
2002: 70-80).

40. THE ENGLISH SYLLABIC PHONOTACTIC STRUCTURES
are / 'ɑ: / (V)
I / 'aI / (VV)
hour / 'aUə / (VVV)
add / 'æd / (VC)
ant / 'ænt / (VCC)
he / 'hi: / (CV)
free / 'fri: / (CCV)
hot / 'hɒt / (CVC)
belt / 'belt / (CVCC)
cream / 'kri:m / (CCVC)
crisp / 'krIsp / (CCVCC)
stream / 'stri:m / (CCCVC)
scratched / 'skræʧt / (CCCVCC)
scripts / 'skrIpts / (CCCVCCC)
texts / 'teksts / (CVCCCC)
twelfths / 'twelfθs / (CCVCCCC)