Vowel sounds
Vowel № 8 [o:] In pronouncing the English [o:] the tongue is retracted from the lower teeth. The back of the tongue is raised still higher to the soft palate than in [o]. The lips are rounded. Thus, the English [o:] may be defined as a long, tense, labialized, back, half-open vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
New lords, new laws.
Pride goes before a fall.
Velvet paws hide sharp claws.
To cut a long story short.
Vowel № 9 [u] The back of the tongue is raised to the soft palate; the tongue is retracted. The lips are rounded but not protruded. Thus the English [u] may be defined as short, lax, back, labialized, close vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
By hook or by crook.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
A good beginning makes a good ending.
To beat about the bush.
Vowel № 10 [u:] The back of the tongue is raised high in the direction of the soft palate. The tongue is retracted. The lips are rounded but not protruded. Thus, the English [u:] is long, tense, back, labialized, close vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
No news is good news.
The exception proves the rule.
The proof of the pudding is in its eating.
Don’t halloo till you are out of the wood.
Drop a spoon, company soon.
Vowel № 11 [ə:] In pronouncing the English [ə:] the tongue is neither raised nor lowered. The tongue is flat in the middle of the mouth cavity. The tip of the tongue is retracted from the lower teeth. The lips are neutral. Thus, the English [ə:] may be defined as a long, tense, mixed, half-open vowel phoneme.
Proverbs:
First come, first served.
Every early bird catches the worm.
It is never too late to learn.
The work will serve no purpose.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Many words hurt more than swords.
Vowel sounds
Vowel № 12 [ə] The mouth is opened very slightly; the lips are apart, relaxed. Make a short sound with your voice.
Proverbs:
An apple a day keeps a doctor away.
Who chatters to you, will chatter of you.
We never know the value of water till the well is dry.
He that never climbed never fell.
Man can die but once.
CLASSIFICATION OF CONSONANTS
The quality of consonants is determined by the following three conditions:
The active organs of speech which form the obstruction (the place of obstruction).
The manner of the production of noise (the way of forming obstruction).
The work of the vocal chords.
According to the active organs of speech consonants are divided into:
bilabial (the obstruction is formed by the two lips brought together):
[p], [b], [m], [w]
labiodental (the obstruction is formed by the lower lip being pressed against the upper teeth):
[f], [v]
c) forelingual (the obstruction is formed by the front part of the tongue):
[Ө],
[ð],
[t], [d], [l], [s], [z], [
], [
],
[t
], [
]
d) mediolingual ( the front of the tongue is raised to the hard palate):
[j]
e) backlingual (the back of the tongue is raised to the soft palate):
[k], [g], [ŋ]
f) glottal (the place of obstruction is the pharynx):
[h]
According to the manner of the production of noise, consonants are divided into:
occlusive (in making occlusive consonants the active organs of speech form a complete obstruction).They are subdivided:
plosives (a kind of explosion is heard)
[b], [p], [d], [t], [k], [g]
2) occlusive sonants
[m], [n], [ŋ]
b) constrictive consonants (in making them the active organs form a narrowing of the air passage). They are subdivided into:
1.
fricative
[f],
[v], [Ө], [ð],
[h], [s], [z], [
],
[
]
2. constrictive sonants [j], [l], [v], [r]
c) affricates (in pronouncing these sounds the articulating organs form a complete obstruction at first and then they are slowly released forming a narrow air passage).
[
t
],
[
]
According to the work of vocal chords, consonants are divided into voiced and voiceless.
Voiced
consonants:
[b],
[d], [g], [m], [n],
[ŋ],
[v], [ð],
[z], [
],[
],
[r], [j], [w], [l] (
weak).
Voiceless consonants: [p], [t], [k], [f], [Ө], [s], [ ], [t ] (strong).