This document summarizes key aspects of Bangla phonetics as discussed in a paper by Suniti Kumar Chatterji. It notes that Bangla has four main dialects and emphasizes the prestigious dialect of West Bengal. This standard colloquial dialect is considered acceptable for the study of Bangla phonetics and morphology. The document also outlines that Bangla has 37 phonemes including 7 vowels and 30 consonants, and discusses some similarities and differences between Bangla and English sounds in terms of vowels, diphthongs, tripthongs, voicing, aspiration and places and manners of articulation. It concludes that the author has recognized distinctions between Bangla and English phonetics with regards to grammar,

1. Reading Response 2
Name:Chowdhury Alisha Kamal
ID: 2125608655
“Bangla Phonetic”
English and Bangla both languages are different with formation,pronunciation, and spoken.
However, I am going to only emphasise on bangla phonetics. By studying the scholar Suniti
Kumar Chatterji’s paper completely I have figured out various aspects and dissimilarities
between Bangla and English language. Bangla dialects have four groups-
western,north,central,northern and eastern. The language which is commonly used in literature.
The dialect in West Bengal has been a highly prestigious dialect for centuries.
The grammar of this “high” Bengali the sadhu Bhasa called as archaic.Like the southern English
in Britain which symbolizes as dominant and classy language.
The writer of this paper has emphasised his own habitual spoken dialect which is basically
spoken by the elite and educated classes of Calcutta west Bengal.Moreover,the literary language
is also profoundly used in this dialect. Cultural drama, fiction, poetry are also used in this dialect.
It is grammatically advanced and the pronunciation is recognised as standard for literary
language. This standard colloquial is acceptable for the study of Bengali phonetics and
morphology.
Additionally Bengali language has thirty seven phonemes, seven vowels, and thirty
consonants.English and bangla have some common sounds.Among vowels two are
common/e//æ/. Bangla has twenty five diphthongs and seventeen tripthongs. Vowel lengths are
less significant than English.Bangla does not have long and short vowels unlike English.
The seven vowels mentioned in Bangla are nasalised. Voicing aspiration plays a significant role
and distinctive feature in the language.In Bangla members of the four groups (barga) are
identified as voiceless, unaspirated, voiced aspirated.
Like the English Phonetic , Bangla phonetic contains an IPA chart with places of articulation and
manners of articulation. However, there are distinctions between the pronunciation and usage of
language.
Bangla has four bilabial plosives. Labiodental fricatives are produced with the front of the
tongue making a restriction in the alveolar ridge .
Bangla has two similar sounds like /t
͡ ʃ/d
͡ ʒ/they are pronounced as plosives rather than affricates.
In palatal Bangla has/ʃ/ palatal fricatives pronunciation is same as English. Bangla has four velar

2. plosives.both English and Bangla have common one glottal fricatives/h/. Intonation of voice is
not a mandatory element of speech in Bengali phonetics.
From this paper, I have acknowledged the distinction between Bangla and English phonetics in
respect with grammar, vowels,pronunciation, utterances of words, manners of articulation,places
of articulation , voicing, also the significance of Bengali dialect and its standard pronunciation,
uses.