This document provides an overview of the topics that will be covered in Week Two of LIT 303, which focuses on phonology, the study of sounds. It begins with reviewing key concepts from Chapter One such as linguistic systems, signs, and the vocal nature of language. Chapter Two will cover sounds, including the 44 sounds and over 200,000 words in English. Additional details are provided on consonants and their place and manner of articulation. Vowels are also introduced based on tongue position. Context is given on language statistics worldwide.

1. LIT 303
Week Two: Sounds
(Phonology)

2. Finishing Chapter One: system, signs, vocal, conventional, human,
communicate

3. Finishing Chapter One: system, signs, vocal, conventional, human,
communicate
• How does thought shape language?
• How does language shape thought?
• What is the Whorf hypothesis?

4. Chapter One: What you need to remember
Be able to say something, with examples, about linguistic…
…systems (phonology, lexis, morphosyntax)
…signs
…the vocal (oral-aural) nature of language
…conventional language
…human communication
…Whorf hypothesis

5. Chapter Two
• Sounds

6. English
• 44 sounds
• Over 200,000 words

7. Number of living languages: 6912
Number of those languages that are nearly extinct: 516
Language spoken by the greatest number of non-native speakers: English (250 million to 350
million non-native speakers)
Country with the most languages spoken: Papua New Guinea has 820 living languages.
First language ever written: Sumerian or Egyptian (about 3200 BC)
Oldest written language still in existence: Chinese or Greek (about 1500 BC)
Language with the most words: English, approx. 250,000 distinct words
Language with the fewest words: Taki Taki (also called Sranan), 340 words. Taki Taki is an
English-based Creole spoken by 120,000 in the South American country of Suriname.
The most widely published language: English
Language which has won the most Oscars: Italian (12 Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film)
The most translated document: Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, written by the United
Nations in 1948, has been translated into 321 languages and dialects.
Longest word in the English language: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (45
letters)

10. Consonants: Place of articulation
• Labial
--bilabial
--labiodental
• Dental
--interdental
--alveolar
--alveolopalatal
• Palatovelar
--palatal
--velar
• glottal

11. Consonants: Manner of articulation
• Stop
• Fricative
• Affricative
• Nasal
• Liquid
• Semivowel
…and, voice

12. Place of articulation: LABIAL
bilabial labiodental
Voiceless stop
(plosive)
pup
Voiced stop bub
Voiceless
fricative
(where is the
friction?)
few
Voiced fricative
(where is the
friction?)
view
Nasals
(sound through
nose)
mum

13. Place of articulation: DENTAL
interdental alveolar alveolopalatal
Voiceless stop tat
Voiced stop dad
Voiceless fricative
(where is the friction?)
thigh seal shun
Voiced fricative
(where is the friction?)
Thy, them zeal vision
Voiceless affricative
(begins like t-stop)
chug
Voiced fricative
(begins like d-stop)
jug
Nasals
(sound through nose)
nun

14. stress
Primary stress
Secondary stress
vehicular
situation

15. Vowels
Front (is the part of the
tongue in the highest
position)
Central Back
High (tongue relative to
roof of mouth)
Pete
pit
pike poo
put
Medium pet
pate
Putt pert sofa Poe
paw
Low pat pot