Aspiration (phonetics)

 Aspiration (phonetics)

In phonetics, aspiration is the strong burst of air that accompanies either the release or, in the case of preaspiration, the closure of some obstruents. To feel or see the difference between aspirated and unaspirated sounds, one can put a hand or a lit candle in front of one's mouth, and say pin ([pʰɪn]) and then bin ([bɪn]). One should either feel a puff of air or see a flicker of the candle flame with pin that one does not get with bin. In most dialects of English, the initial consonant is aspirated in pin and unaspirated in bin.

“Phonetics training” has one target: you; that is, your ears and mouth. The goal is to finetune
your hearing and to help you regain as much conscious control of your vocal apparatus
as possible. “Pronunciation practice” has an altogether different target: your new language,
specifically the unfamiliar sounds. The goal is mastery – hearing those sounds correctly and
producing them accurately. Phonetics training precedes pronunciation practice and helps you
bring more in ear-sensitivity and mouth-control to that practice.
On the following pages you will find new terminology, discussions, suggestions and
exercises that will assist you as you embark on your attempt to help your mouth “get it right.”
This will be your exposure to phonetics itself.

IPA SYMBOLS & ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS

Symbol Description English Equivalent
1 pʰ voiceless bilabial aspirated stop “p” in pill
2 tʰ voiceless alveolar aspirated stop “t” in till
3 kʰ voiceless velar aspirated stop “k” in kill
4 p voiceless bilabial stop “p” in spill
5 t voiceless alveolar stop “t” in still
6 k voiceless velar stop “k” in skill
7 b Voiced bilabial stop “b” in bill
8 d Voiced alveolar stop “d” in dill
9 ɡ Voiced velar stop “g” in gill
10 ʔ glottal stop glottis closure between
“uh” & “oh” in “uhoh”
11 ɸ voiceless bilabial fricative no equivalent
12 β Voiced bilabial fricative no equivalent
13 f voiceless labiodental fricative “f ” in fan
14 v Voiced labiodental fricative “v” in van
15 θ voiceless interdental fricative “th” in thin
16 ð Voiced interdental fricative “th” in then
17 x voiceless velar fricative no equivalent
18 ɣ voiced velar fricative no equivalent
19 s voiceless alveolar grooved fricative “s” in sip
20 z voiced alveolar grooved fricative “z” in zip
21 ʃ voiceless palato-alveolar grooved fricative “sh” in ship
22 ʒ voiced palato-alveolar grooved fricative “s” in measure
23 ɬ voiceless lateral fricative no equivalent
24 ɮ voiced lateral fricative no equivalent
H voiceless glottal fricative “h” in heap
26 L voiced lateral approximant “l” in log
27 M voiced bilabial nasal “m” in mode
28 N voiced alveolar nasal “n” in node
29 ñ voiced palato-alveolar nasal “ny” in canyon
30 Ŋ voiced velar nasal “ng” in sing
31 ɹ voiced alveolar approximant “r” in run
32 ɾ voiced alveolar flap “dd” in buddy
33 R voiced alveolar trill no equivalent
34 ʀ̥ voiceless uvular trill French “r” in très
35 ʀ voiced uvular trill French “r” in rue
36 tʃ voiceless palato-alveolar affricate “ch” in choke
37 dʒ voiced palato-alveolar affricate “j” in joke
37 j / w voiced palatal approximant/voiced labial-velar approximant “y” in yell/
“w” in well

Symbol Description of vowel English Equivalent

1 I close front unrounded vowel “ee” in beet

2 ɪ near-close front unrounded vowel “i” in bit
3 E close-mid front unrounded vowel “a” in bait
4 ɛ open-mid front unrounded vowel “e” (unglided) in bet
5 Æ near-open front unrounded vowel “a” in bat
6 ə mid central unrounded vowel “u” in but
7 ɯ close back unrounded vowel no equivalent
8 U close back rounded vowel “oo” in boot
9 ʊ near-close back unrounded vowel “oo” in book
10 O close-mid back rounded vowel “oa” (unglided) in boat
11 ɔ Open-mid back rounded vowel “ou” in bought
12 ɑ Open back unrounded vowel “o” in blot