CH 6 - SOUND SYSTEM OF LANGUAGE - PHONOLOGY & PROSODY

CHAPTER 6: SOUND SYSTEM OF LANGUAGE - PHONOLOGY & PROSODY

6.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE SOUND SYSTEM

Have you ever wondered why a child from Punjab might say "s-cool" instead of "school," or "w-ater" instead of "water"? It's because every language has its own unique set of sounds and rules for combining them. English sounds are different from Punjabi sounds.

Understanding the sound system is like learning the alphabet of speech. It’s not about letters on a page, but about the actual sounds we make with our mouth, throat, and nose. For a primary teacher, this knowledge is crucial because it helps you correct pronunciation clearly and teach reading through phonics effectively.

Think of it like this: Letters are the symbols (like musical notes), but sounds are the actual music we produce.

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6.2 CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH SOUNDS: VOWELS & CONSONANTS

All English speech sounds are divided into two main families: Vowels and Consonants.

Key Difference: Put your hand on your throat. Say "aaaaa" (a vowel). You feel a vibration. Now say "sssss" (a consonant). You feel little to no vibration. Vowels are voiced and open; consonants involve some obstruction of airflow.

A. VOWELS

• Definition: A speech sound produced with an open vocal tract. Air flows freely without any blockage by the tongue, lips, or teeth. Vowels form the core (peak) of every syllable.
• Example Sounds: /a:/ as in father, /i:/ as in see, /ʊ/ as in put.
• In the Classroom: When teaching phonics, we teach the short vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u as in cat, bed, sit, pot, cup) first, as they are most common in simple English words.

Types of Vowels:

1. Pure Vowels (Monophthongs): The tongue and mouth position stay fixed. The sound is steady.
• Example: The 'o' in 'hot' /ɒ/. The 'ee' in 'see' /i:/.
2. Impure Vowels (Diphthongs - "Double Sounds"): A glide from one vowel position to another within a single syllable. It's one sound that starts as one vowel and ends as another.
• Example: The sound in 'eye' /aɪ/. It starts with an 'ah' /a/ and glides to an 'ee' /ɪ/.
• Common Diphthongs for Primary Level:
• /eɪ/ as in day, cake
• /aɪ/ as in eye, kite
• /ɔɪ/ as in boy, toy
• /əʊ/ as in go, road
• /aʊ/ as in out, house

B. CONSONANTS

• Definition: A speech sound produced with a partial or complete obstruction of the airflow by the tongue, teeth, lips, or palate.
• Example Sounds: /p/ as in pat, /s/ as in sit, /m/ as in mat.
• In the Classroom: We often group consonants by how and where we make them (e.g., "lip sounds" /p, b, m/, "tongue-tip sounds" /t, d, n/). This helps children feel and see the difference.

Classifying Consonants:
We classify consonants based on two things:

1. Place of Articulation (Where is the blockage?):
• Bilabial: Both lips (प, ब) - /p/, /b/, /m/ (e.g., pan, ban, man)
• Labio-dental: Lower lip + upper teeth (फ) - /f/, /v/ (e.g., fan, van)
• Dental: Tongue tip + upper teeth - /θ/, /ð/ (e.g., thin, then) - This is a tricky one for Punjabi speakers.
• Alveolar: Tongue tip + gum ridge (ट, ड) - /t/, /d/, /n/, /s/, /z/, /l/ (e.g., tin, din, sin)
• Velar: Back of tongue + soft palate (क, ग) - /k/, /g/, /ŋ/ (e.g., kit, git, sing)
2. Manner of Articulation (How is the airflow blocked?):
• Plosives/Stops: Complete blockage, then a small explosion. /p, b, t, d, k, g/
• Fricatives: Partial blockage creating a friction sound. /f, v, s, z, ʃ (sh), ʒ (plea*s*ure)/
• Nasals: Air flows out through the nose. /m, n, ŋ/
• Approximants: Narrowing but no friction. /w, r, j (y)/, /l/

Cardinal Vowels - The Teacher's Reference Point:

• What it is: A set of 8 standard reference vowel sounds created by linguist Daniel Jones. They are like the "North, South, East, West" on a map of the mouth.
• Why it matters for teachers: It gives us a precise way to describe any vowel sound by where the tongue is (front/back, high/low) and the shape of the lips (rounded/unrounded). You don't need to teach this to children, but it helps you understand why the vowel in 'see' is different from the vowel in 'Sit'.

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6.3 PHONOLOGY - THE SYSTEM OF SOUNDS

• Definition: Phonology is the study of how speech sounds are organized and function in a particular language. It's about the system and the rules.
• Simple Analogy: If sounds are bricks, phonetics is about the clay and shape of each brick. Phonology is about the rules for how to arrange those bricks to build words in English.

Key Concepts in Phonology:

1. Phoneme:
• The smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word.
• Example: /p/ and /b/ are different phonemes in English because they distinguish pat (tap) from bat (ਬੱਲਾ). In Punjabi, these two sounds might not change meaning in the same way.
• Classroom Link: This is the heart of phonics instruction. We teach that the letter 'c' can represent the phoneme /k/ (cat) or /s/ (city).
2. Allophone:
• Different versions of the same phoneme that don't change meaning.
• Example: The /p/ in pit (with a puff of air - aspirated) and the /p/ in spit (no puff - unaspirated) are allophones of the /p/ phoneme in English. In Punjabi, however, this difference is phonemic (ਪਲ /pal/ vs. ਪਲ /pʰal/).
3. Assimilation:
• When a sound changes to become more like a neighbouring sound in connected speech. It's what makes natural speech smooth.
• Example: "Ten bikes" is often pronounced "Tem bikes" (/n/ becomes /m/ before the /b/). "Good girl" sounds like "Goog girl" (/d/ becomes /g/).

Why Phonology Matters for Primary Teachers:

• It explains common pronunciation errors. A Punjabi-speaking child might say "village" as "willage" because the /v/ phoneme doesn't exist in Punjabi.
• It guides you in choosing the right minimal pairs for practice (e.g., ship vs. sheep, pat vs. bat).
• It is the foundation for teaching spelling patterns and decoding skills in reading.

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6.4 PROSODY - THE MUSIC OF SPEECH

• Definition: Prosody refers to the melody, rhythm, and emotion of speech—the features that go over and above individual sounds (vowels and consonants). These are called suprasegmental features.

The Three Pillars of Prosody:

1. Stress (Word & Sentence):
• Word Stress: Emphasizing one syllable in a multi-syllable word. Getting this wrong can make a word hard to understand.
• Example: RE-cord (noun) vs. re-CORD (verb). PRE-sent (gift) vs. pre-SENT (to show).
• Sentence Stress: Emphasizing key words (usually content words: nouns, main verbs, adjectives) to convey the main message.
• Example: "SHE gave HIM the BOOK." (Emphasis on who did what to whom).
2. Intonation (The Tune):
• The rise and fall of the pitch of our voice across a sentence. It conveys grammar, attitude, and emotion.
• Types:
• Falling Intonation (➘): Used for statements, commands, and Wh- questions. Sounds final and certain. "My name is Anjali.➘" "What is your name?➘"
• Rising Intonation (➚): Used for yes/no questions and to show surprise or doubt. Sounds incomplete. "Is your name Anjali?➚"
• Rise-Fall Intonation (➚➘): Used for choices, lists, and hidden emotions. "Would you like tea➚ or coffee➘?"
3. Rhythm:
• English has a stress-timed rhythm. This means the stressed syllables occur at roughly regular intervals, and we squeeze the unstressed syllables in between. This creates the characteristic "da-DUM da-DUM" beat of English.
• Example: "The BIGCAT ATE aFAT `RAT." (Stressed syllables in CAPS create the rhythm).
• Unstressed syllables often become the weak, central vowel sound schwa /ə/ (like the 'a' in ago, the 'e' in system).

Why Prosody is CRUCIAL for Primary Teachers:

• Comprehension: Without the right intonation, "You're going." can sound like a mean statement instead of a happy question.
• Listening Skills: It helps children understand the emotion and intent behind words.
• Speaking Fluency & Naturalness: It's what separates robotic, word-by-word speech from fluent, natural-sounding English.
• Reading Aloud: Good prosody (reading with expression) is a key indicator of reading comprehension.

Classroom Activities for Prosody:

• Clapping Syllables: Clap the beats in names and words to feel syllable count.
• Stress Marks: Use gestures (big arm movement) or symbols (O o) to mark stressed syllables.
• Emotion Cards: Read the same sentence ("Oh, you're here.") with different emotion cards (happy, sad, angry, surprised).
• Chants and Rhymes: Nursery rhymes are perfect for teaching rhythm and stress patterns.

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EXERCISE: ANSWERS

1. Define sound system of language.

• Introduction: The sound system of a language, also known as its phonology, is the organized framework of distinct sounds and the rules governing their combination and use within that particular language. It is the foundational auditory code that allows for meaningful verbal communication.
• Definition and Explanation: It encompasses the inventory of phonemes (meaningful sound units), their allophonic variations, and the suprasegmental features like stress, rhythm, and intonation. This system dictates which sounds are used, how they can be sequenced into syllables and words, and how they are modified in flowing speech. Crucially, it is language-specific; the sound system of English with its fricatives /θ/ and /ð/ (th sounds) and stress-timed rhythm is distinct from that of Punjabi.
• Conclusion: Therefore, mastering a new language involves not just learning vocabulary and grammar, but also internalizing its unique sound system—learning to perceive, produce, and organize its sounds correctly. For a teacher, understanding this system is essential for effective phonics instruction and pronunciation guidance.

2. Briefly discuss phonology of English.

• Introduction: English phonology is the study of the system and patterns of sounds in the English language. It explains how the finite set of speech sounds in English are organized to create an infinite number of words and utterances.
• Key Components of English Phonology:
1. Phonemic Inventory: English has approximately 44 phonemes (24 consonants, 20 vowels and diphthongs). This set includes sounds that may be unfamiliar to learners from other language backgrounds, such as the dental fricatives /θ, ð/ (thin, this) and certain vowel distinctions (/ɪ/ as in sit vs. /i:/ as in seat).
2. Phonotactics: These are the rules for how phonemes can be combined. For example, in English, the consonant cluster /str-/ can begin a word (string), but /ftr-/ cannot. Similarly, the /ŋ/ sound (sing) cannot begin a word in English.
3. Allophonic Variation: A single phoneme can have different pronunciations (allophones) based on context without changing meaning. For example, the /p/ in 'pin' is aspirated [pʰ], while in 'spin' it is unaspirated [p]. This is predictable and rule-based.
4. Syllable Structure: The typical English syllable structure is (C)(C)(C)V(C)(C)(C)(C), allowing for complex consonant clusters not found in many languages (e.g., 'strengths' /strɛŋkθs/).
5. Connected Speech Processes: Phonology governs how sounds change in fast, natural speech through processes like assimilation ('hand bag' → 'hambag'), elision ('next day' → 'nex day'), and linking.
• Conclusion: The phonology of English presents specific challenges (like vowel complexity and consonant clusters) and specific rules. A phonological awareness of these patterns is vital for teachers to diagnose learner errors, design effective pronunciation lessons, and build a strong foundation for literacy.

3. Write a note on prosody.

• Introduction: Prosody, often termed the "music of speech," refers to the suprasegmental features of language—those aspects of speech that extend over syllables, words, and phrases. It is the layer of sound that carries emotion, intent, and structure, making speech natural, expressive, and intelligible.
• Explanation of Key Elements: Prosody primarily involves three interrelated components:
1. Stress: The prominence given to certain syllables or words. Word stress (e.g., PRE-sent vs. pre-SENT) is lexically important, while sentence stress highlights key information words (e.g., "JOHN ate the CAKE"), shaping meaning and focus.
2. Intonation: The pattern of pitch (rise and fall of the voice) across a phrase or sentence. It performs grammatical functions (e.g., falling tone for statements, rising for yes/no questions) and attitudinal functions (e.g., enthusiasm, sarcasm, surprise).
3. Rhythm: The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in time. English is a stress-timed language, meaning the beats of stress occur at roughly regular intervals, with unstressed syllables compressed between them, creating its characteristic cadence.
• Importance in Language Learning and Teaching: Prosody is not decorative but essential. It aids in parsing speech, distinguishing questions from statements, and interpreting speaker emotion. Poor prosody leads to monotonous, robotic, or sometimes unintelligible speech, even if individual sounds are correct. In reading instruction, teaching children to read with prosody (expression) is a key milestone in fluency and comprehension.
• Conclusion: In essence, prosody is the soul of spoken language. For primary teachers, fostering prosodic awareness through rhymes, chants, modelled reading, and drama activities is as critical as teaching vocabulary and grammar, as it breathes life and meaning into the words students learn.