Pronunciation and Phonetics Flashcards

What is the term for the reduction of an unstressed vowel to the neutral /ə/ sound in connected speech?

Answer: Reduction

Vowel reduction refers to the process by which unstressed syllables are pronounced with the schwa /ə/, as in 'about' where the 'a' is reduced.

Which of the following pairs are minimal pairs?

Answer: 'bat' and 'bad'

Minimal pairs differ by exactly one phoneme; 'bat' /bæt/ and 'bad' /bæd/ differ only in the final consonant /t/ vs. /d/.

In English, word stress can change the grammatical category of a word. Which example correctly demonstrates this?

Answer: 'RE-cord' (noun) vs. 're-CORD' (verb)

In English, many two-syllable noun/verb pairs shift stress, so 'RE-cord' functions as a noun while 're-CORD' functions as a verb.

The /θ/ sound, as in 'think', is classified phonetically as which type of consonant?

Answer: Dental fricative

The /θ/ sound is a dental fricative, produced by placing the tongue near or between the upper teeth and allowing air to pass through narrowly.

Which feature distinguishes 'pin' /pɪn/ from 'spin' /spɪn/ in English phonetics?

Answer: Aspiration of the initial /p/

In English, /p/ at the start of a stressed syllable is aspirated (followed by a puff of air), but /p/ after /s/ is unaspirated.

What is 'connected speech', and why is it important for language learners?

Answer: Natural spoken language where sounds influence each other across word boundaries

Connected speech describes natural flowing speech where sounds blend, reduce, or are deleted across word boundaries, making it essential for real-world listening comprehension.

Which term describes the omission of a sound or syllable in spoken language, as in pronouncing 'comfortable' as 'comf-ta-ble'?

Answer: Elision

Elision is the omission of sounds or syllables during speech, commonly occurring in fast or informal speech to ease articulation.