Basic Concepts: Syllables, Basic Concepts: Syllables, Stress & RhythmStress & Rhythm
Unit 1
Phonetics & PhonologyPhonetics & Phonology
Phonetics
the study of production of speech sounds of any language
Phonology
the study of the system and patterns of speech sounds in a language
Nasal Cavity (鼻腔 )
Oral Cavity (口腔 )
Pharynx ( 咽 )
Larynx: vocal folds in it ( 喉 )
the windpipe (气管 )
Lung: supply airstream (肺 )
Phoneme 音位;音素A phoneme is the smallest unit of
speech that can be used to make one word different from another word.E.g. ‘b’ & ‘p’ in ‘big’ & ‘pig’; ‘s’ & ‘z’
in ‘sip’ & ‘zip’
In English, there are 26 letters but 44 phonemes. Among them,20 are vowels and 24 are consonants.
Syllables 音节A vowel is the syllable nucleus.A syllable is part of a word and the
basic unit of English rhythm.Syllables are often considered the
phonological “building bricks” of words.
English words can have one, two, three, or, even more syllables. E.g. pronunciation?
如何划分音节?1.音节的构成:
英语中一个元音构成一个音节,一个元音加上一个或一个以上的辅音也构成一个音节。
2.音节的划分 : 元音是构成音节的主体,辅音是音节的分界线。一般情况下: a.两辅音字母之间不管有多少个元音字母,一般都是一个音节。如: seat , beau·ty。
b.在两个音节的相邻处有两个辅音时,一个辅音字母属于前面的音节,一个属于后面的音节。例如:let·ter, mem·ber, chil·dren, daugh·ter;
c.在两个音节之间有一个辅音字母时,一般辅音字母归后一音节。例如: stu·dent
Open Syllable 开音节
1. With the vowel letter (including ‘y’) at the end, not followed (closed) by any other letter. E.g. me, no, tidy, baby
2. With the vowel letter followed by a mute (soundless) ‘e’ at the end. E.g. die, hoe, true
3. With the vowel letter followed by a single consonant letter (other than ‘r’) and then a mute ‘e’ at the end. E.g. late, rise, take, name, these, bike, home, excuse
Closed Syllable 闭音节
With the vowel letter followed by one or more consonants (other than ‘r’). 以一个或几个辅音字母( r 除外)结尾而中间只有一个元音字母的音节称为闭音节。
A closed syllable is a syllable that ends in s consonant.
E.g. catch, miss, put, hot, mess, beg, egg, fish, cup
元音字母在开音节和闭音节单词中的发音对比:
Exercise
下列单词哪些是开音节,那些是闭音节 ?Coke, hi, catch, book, sky, ride,
train, okay
根据音标写出单词 : /sɪk/, /slaɪd/, /blɒk/, /∫ʌt/
Stress 重音、重读Stressed syllables are those that are
marked in the dictionary as stressed. E.g. ’photograph, pho’tographer, photo’graphic
Some syllables receive the primary stress, some the secondary stress, and some zero stress. E.g. better/'betə/ banana/bə'nanə/
If there is a pitch change, the pitch change often falls on the stressed syllables.
Word Stress
A word stress means a prominent syllable.
word pattern
tea.cher • .
beau.ti.ful • . .
un.der.stand . . •
con.ti.nue . • .
How to pronounce word stress?
When a syllable is stressed, it is pronounced
longer in duration higher in pitchlouder in volume
How do you say teacher?
Longer teeeeeeeeeeee cher
Highertea
cher
Louder TEA cher
All three combined
TEEEEEEEEEEE
cher
Word Stress Rules
Word type Where is the stress? Examples
Two syllables
Nouns on the first syllable
center object flower
Verbs on the last syllable
release admit
arrange
Compound
Nouns (N + N)
(Adj. + N)
on the first part
desktop pencil case bookshelf greenhouse
Adjectives (Adj. + P.P.)
on the last part (the verb part)
well-meant hard-headed old-fashioned
Verbs (prep. + verb)
understand overlook
outperform
Word type Where is the stress? Examples
Phrasal Verbs on the particleturn off
buckle up hand out
Word with added ending
-icthe syllable before the
ending
economic Geometricelectrical
-tion, -cian, -sionTechniciangraduation
cohesion
-phy, -gy, -try, -cy, -fy, -al
the third from the last syllable
Photographybiology
geometry
-meterParameter
Thermometerbarometer
Rhythm 节奏The rhythm of a language is
characterized by the timing pattern of successive syllables.
Stress is the heart of rhythmic pattern.Usually the key words receive the
stress in a sentence.E.g. soft and light, it’s soft and it’s light;
cold winter, it was cold in the winter.
Sentence Stress in English
Sentence stress is what gives English its rhythm or "beat". You remember that word stress is accented on one syllable within a word. Sentence stress is accented on certain words within a sentence.
Most sentences have two types of word:
content words structure words
Content words are the key words of a sentence. They are the important words that carry the meaning or sense. Structure words are not very important words. They are small, simple words that make the sentence correct grammatically.
If you remove the structure words from a sentence, you will probably still understand the sentence.
Rules for Sentence Stress in English
1. Content words are stressed; 2. Structure words are
unstressed; 3. The time between stressed
words is always the same.
Content words - stressed
Words carrying the meaning Example
main verbs SELL, GIVE, EMPLOY
nouns CAR, MUSIC, MARY
adjectives RED, BIG, INTERESTING
adverbs QUICKLY, LOUDLY, NEVER
negative auxiliaries DON'T, AREN'T, CAN'T
Structure words - unstressed
Words for correct grammar Example
pronouns he, we, they
prepositions on, at, into
articles a, an, the
conjunctions and, but, because
auxiliary verbs do, be, have, can, must
Diphthong 双元音
Diphthongs are sounds which consist of a movement or glide from one vowel to another.
In diphthongs, the first part is much longer and stronger than the second part.
Exercise Read the following tongue-twisters:
1.A proper copper coffee pot.
2.Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascals ran.
3.She sells seashells by the seashore.
4.We surely shall see the sun shine soon.
5.Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled pepper. Did Peter Piper pick a pack of pickled pepper? If Peter Piper picked a pack of pickled pepper, where’s the pack of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?
Pronunciation in Communication
Greetings
Saying Hello & Goodbye
Making Introduction
Greetings
(Xiao Li and Mary work in the same office.)Xiao Li: Good morning, Mary. Mary: Good morning, Xiao Li . How are you
today?Xiao Li: Fine, thanks. And you? Mary: I am fine, too. I think it’s another
busy day.Xiao Li: You are right. Shall we start our
work?Mary: Ok. Let’s begin.
Making Introduction
(Tom is introducing his friend Wang Lin to Xiao Zhang. )
Tom: Good afternoon, Xiao Zhang.Xiao Zhang: Good afternoon, Tom. Tom: Xiao Zhang, this is Wang Lin, my
friend. He’s from Shanghai. Wang Lin, this is Xiao Zhang, my classmate.
Wang Lin: How do you do?Xiao Zhang: How do you do? Wang Lin: It’s very nice to meet you.Xiao Zhang: Pleased to meet you, too.
Saying Goodbye
(In the office)A: I came to say goodbye. B: When are you leaving? A: I'm flying home on Sunday
afternoon. B: Well, happy landing.
Goodbye. See you later.
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