Phonetic Symbols & Transcription Items

Understanding English Sounds

In English, sounds are represented by phonetic symbols. These symbols help us understand how words are pronounced. Let's explore the different types of sounds in English:

• Consonants: Sounds produced by obstructing airflow.
• Vowels: Sounds produced without any significant blockage of airflow.
• Diphthongs: A complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel and glides into another.
• Consonant Clusters: Groups of consonants with no vowels between them.
• Stress: Emphasis placed on certain syllables or words.
• Intonation: The rise and fall of voice pitch across phrases and sentences.

Vowels

Vowels can be categorized into two main types:

• Pure Vowels (Monophthongs): Single vowel sounds, e.g., /iː/ as in "see".
• Diphthongs: Combination of two vowel sounds, e.g., /aɪ/ as in "my".

Phonetic Transcription

Phonetic transcription is the visual representation of speech sounds using symbols. It helps in understanding the pronunciation of words.

Examples of Phonetic Symbols

Sound	Symbol	Example
Long "e" sound	/iː/	"see"
Short "i" sound	/ɪ/	"sit"
"a" sound	/æ/	"cat"
"o" sound	/ɒ/	"pot"
"u" sound	/ʌ/	"cup"
Diphthong "ai"	/aɪ/	"my"

Worked Example