What is Phonology

1. 11. 2016

FO1BE WS 16/17 (NSK): What is Phonology?

https://elearning.fp.tul.cz/mod/page/view.php?id=24004&inpopup=1

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FO1BE: Phonetics and Phonology WS
2016/2017 (NSK)

1. 11. 2016

FO1BE WS 16/17 (NSK): What is Phonology?

https://elearning.fp.tul.cz/mod/page/view.php?id=24004&inpopup=1

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WHAT IS PHONOLOGY?

/

wɒt ɪz fӘˈnɒlӘʤi/

Phonology /fӘˈnɒlӘʤi

/ is the study of the distinctive sounds of a particular language.

Another term, which used mainly by American linguists, is phonemics.

This course wil  examine the phonology of the English language, particularly the individual
phonemes of Received Pronunciation.

Received Pronunciation

English is spoken by more than 300 mil ion people. There are many varieties of English –
British, American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South –African to take just the main
examples.

The variety of English examined in this course is the English pronunciation of educated
speakers of the language. It is recognised, used and taught al  over the world, not just in
Britain. It shows no regional variation. It has often been viewed as a prestige variety of
English.

This type of standard English is often referred to as Received Pronunciation (RP). It can
have a number of other names such as Standard English, British English, the Queen’s
English, Oxford English or BBC English.

Most speakers of English al  over the world wil  understand RP.

There are some differences between RP and Standard American English pronunciation
(SAE) but these cause no difficulties in understanding.

For example, RP uses the phoneme /ɒ/, whereas most Americans would use another

phoneme which does not exist in RP, namely /

ɑ/.

The RP pronunciation of hot is /hɒt/

The SAE pronunciation is /hɑt/

Another difference is that speakers of RP do not have an /r/ sound before a consonant.
There is an /r/ sound in SAE.

Examples: farm /fɑːm/ ‖

/f ɑːrm/

car /kɑː/ ‖

/kɑːr/

The symbol ‖ separates Standard British English, (or RP), from Standard American English.
which are on the left, and right, of the paral el lines respectively.

A good English dictionary wil  give you both alternatives if there is a difference in
pronunciation.

Last modified: Saturday, 28 September 2013, 9:20 PM

1. 11. 2016

FO1BE WS 16/17 (NSK): What is Phonology?

https://elearning.fp.tul.cz/mod/page/view.php?id=24004&inpopup=1

3/3

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