Phonetics is the scientific study of sounds used in language- how the sounds are produced, how they are transferred from the speaker to the hearer and how they are heard and perceived. The Sounds of Language provides an accessible, general introduction to phonetics with a special emphasis on English. Focusing on the phonetics of English, the first section allows students to get an overall view of the subject. Two standard accents of English are presented- RP (Received Pronunciation), the standard accent of England, and GA (General American), the standard accent throughout much of North America. The discussion is arranged so that students can read only the RP or GA portions, if desired. Sixteen additional accents of English spoken around the world are also covered to provide students with wider international coverage. The author then moves on to introduce acoustics phonetics in an accessible manner for those without a science background. The last section of the book provides a detailed discussion of all aspects of speech with extensive examples from languages around the world. Containing student-friendly features such as extensive exercises for practising the sounds covered in each chapter; a glossary of technical terms; instructions on how to write phonetic symbols; the latest International Phonetic Alphabet chart and a detailed list of English consonantal variants, The Sounds of Language provides an excellent introduction to phonetics to students of linguistics and speech pathology and students of English as a second language.

'Review from previous edition 'an introduction to general phonetics that integrates the articulatory and the acoustic aspects of the subject in a way that few other introductory works do; that gives a comprehensive view of the whole subject' -Kritikon LitterarumThis book is an introduction to practical phonetics, that is, to the description and classification of the sounds of speech. The book's unique approach leads readers to explore the entire range of human sounds by a series of introspective experiments carried out in their own vocal tracts. This highly practical exploration of the subject is informed throughout by recent research, particularly in the aerodynamics and acoustics of speech. The second edition, now part of the Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics series, has been updated throughout, and is now consistent with the revised International Phonetic Alphabet (1996).

This book examines some of the ways in which linguists can express what native speakers know about the sound system of their language. Intended for the absolute beginner, it requires no previous background in linguistics, phonetics or phonology. Starting with a grounding in phonetics and phonological theory, the book provides a base from which more advanced treatments may be approached. It begins with an examination of the foundations of articulatory and acoustic phonetics, moves on to the basic principles of phonology, and ends with an outline of some further issues within contemporary phonology. Varieties of English, particularly Received Pronunciation and General American, form the focus of consideration, but aspects of the phonetics and phonology of other languages are discussed as well. This new edition includes more discussion of Optimality Theory and a new glossary of terms. It has been updated throughout to take account of the latest developments in phonological theory, but without sacrificing the book's ease of use for beginners.

Asssuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this book offers a thorough introduction to phonetics and phonology. It is unusually comprehensive, including detailed attention to articulatory and acoustic phonetics as well as to the foundations of phonological analysis. The second edition of this hughly successful textbook incorporates several improvements: a completely new chapter on speech perception has been added, the material on anaotomy and physiology has been rearranged and much of the detail placed later in the book to make it less demanding on readers, and the entire text has been edited to help bring it up to date.

The book is designed as an introduction to the scientific study of speech. No prior knowledge of phonetics is assumed. As far as mathematical knowlege is concerned, all that is assumed is a knowledge of simple arithmetic and as far as possible concepts are dealt with on an intuitive rather than mathematical level. The anatomical material is all fully explained and illustrated. The book is arranged in four parts. Part 1, Basic Principles, provides an introduction to established phonetic theory and to the principles of phonetic analysis and description, including phonetic transcription. Part 2, Acoustic Phonetics, considers the physical nature of speech sounds as they pass through the air between speaker and hearer. It includes sections on temporal measurement, fundamental frequency, spectra and spectrograms. Part 3, Auditory Phonetics, covers the anatomy of the ear and the perception of loudness, pitch and quality. The final part, Part 4, covers the articulatory production of speech, and shows how experimental techniques and tools can enhance our understanding of the complexities of speech production. Though the audience for this book is mainly students and professors in the Speech Sciences, it will also be valuable to any students studying hearing science and acoustics. The book is well supported with figures, tables, and practice boxes with experiments.

Traditionally, investigations into speech and pronounciation have relied on the unaided skills of the phonetician in recognising and reproducing speech sounds. But many practicioners are now using instruments to gain a greater understanding of speech and to be able to analyse speech patterns in situations when speaking and hearing would otherwise be inaccessible without the use of these instruments. This new book looks at how this form of investigation has developed, and considers the types of data that can be used and which questions can be solved using experimental phonetics.

The second edition of the popular English Phonetics and Phonology textbook has been extensively updated and expanded to offer greater flexibility for teachers and increased support for non-native speakers studying the sound systems of English. An ideal introduction to the study of the sound systems of English, designed for those with no previous knowledge of the subject Second edition now rigorously updated and expanded to reflect feedback from existing students and to increase support for non-native speakers of English Benefits from a useful introduction to articulatory phonetics, along with coverage of the main aspects of the phonological structure of present-day English Features a completely new chapter on the relationship between English spelling and pronunciation, extended coverage of intonation, and extensive revisions to sections on rhythm, word stress, intonation and varieties of English worldwide Will include invaluable chapter-by-chapter exercises, linked to sound files available on the accompanying website at www.wiley.com/go/carrphonetics (available upon publication)