Короткі теоретичні відомості. Definition, [i:] is front, close (narrow variant), unrounded, long.

Definition, [i:] is front, close (narrow variant), unrounded, long.

Articulation. The tongue is in the front part of he mouth. The front of the tongue is rather high in the mouth. The vowel is noticeably diphthongized, especially in open syllables. The tongue glides from a position nearer to the English vowel [i] to a more advanced and high position. The tongue is tense, the side rims of it make a firm contact with the upper teeth. The lips are spread. This vowel may occur in all kinds of syllables.

Definition, [u:] is back, close (narrow variant), rounded, long.

Articulation. The tongue is in the back part of the mouth. The back of the tongue is rather high in the mouth. The vowel is noticeably diphthongized. The tongue glides from a position nearer to [u] to a more retracted and high position. No firm contact is made between the rims of the tongue and the upper teeth. The tongue is tense. The lips are very closely rounded. The mouth is open only very little. The vowel is long. This vowel occurs in all kinds of syllables.

Diphthongs

[ei] – the nucleus of the diphthong is front, mid (narrow variant), unrounded.

Articulation. The nucleus is the vowel [e]. for the glide in the direction of [i] and the mouth gets closer. The lips are spread. The diphthong may occur in all positions in the word, eg aim, plate, say.

[ai] –the nucleus of the diphthong is central, open (broad variant), unrounded.

Articulation. The sounds starts from advanced vowel [A] with the mouth wide open and the lips are neutral. Far the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [i] with the mouth very narrowly open and the lips spread and not rounded. The diphthong may occur in all positions in the word, eg ice, time, fly.

[Oi] – the nucleus of the diphthong is back, open (narrow variant), slightly rounded.

Articulation. The nucleus lies between the sounds [L] and [P]. It starts with the position between back half-open and open. For the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [i], though the tongue rarely reaches there. The lips are slightly rounded for the nucleus changing to neutral for the glide. The diphthong may occur in all positions in the word, eg oyster, voice, toy.

[зu] – the nucleus of the diphthong is central, mid (narrow variant), unrounded.

Articulation. The starting point of the tongue position is similar to that of [з:]; it starts with a central position, between half-close and half-open. For the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [u] there being a slight closing movement of the lower jaw. The lips are neutral for the first element and get slightly rounded for the second. The sound [зu] occurs in all positions of the word, eg open, road, no.

[au] – the nucleus of the diphthong is central, open (broad variant), unrounded.

Articulation. The starting point of the diphthong is between the back and front open positions. The sound starts with the position slightly more retracted than for the nucleus of the diphthong [ai] and more advanced for the vowel [a:]. For the glide the tongue moves upwards in the direction of [u] the mouth gets closer. The lips are neutral for the first element and get slightly rounded for the second. The sound [au] occurs in all positions of the word, eg out, town, now.

Завдання до теми

Read the tongue-twisters:

1. Hassock hassock, black spotted hassock. Black spot on a black back of a black spotted hassock.

2. He threw three free throws.

3. Her whole right hand really hurts.

4. Hiccup teacup!

5. Higgledy-Piggedly!

6. Hi-Tech Traveling Tractor Trailor Truck Tracker

7. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?

8. How many berries could a bare berry carry, if a bare berry could carry berries? Well they can’t carry berries (which could make you very wary) but a bare berry carried is more scary!

9. How many boards Could the Mongols hoard If the Mongol hoards got bored?

10. How many cans can a canner can if a canner can can cans? A canner can can as many cans as a canner can if a canner can can cans.

Контрольні питання

1. How would your fellow-student probably pronounce the English diphthong [ei]?

2. Suppose that a fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [aj] instead of the English diphthong [ei]. Is it a phonological mistake? Keeping in mind what you know about the articulation of [ei] tell him what to do in order to make the diphthong correct.

3. Is the diphthong longer in laid or in late?

4. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [aj] instead of the English diphthong [ai]. What would you tell him to do in order to correct the sound?

5. Give examples to illustrate that [ai] is not equally long in different phonetic contexts.

6. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the diphthong [ai]?

7. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [oj] instead of the English diphthong [ɔi]. Is the mistake phonetic or phonological? What would you recommend to correct the mistake?

8. Give examples where [ di ] is the longest.

9. If the diphthong [di] is too long and too close in the word voice the mistake is called phonetic. Can you explain why?

10. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian sound combination [oy] instead of the English [зи]. Is it a phonetic or phonological mistake? What would you tell him to do in order to change [oy] to [зи]?

11. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the diphthong [зи]?

12. What articulation features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words: bet — bought — boat; got — goat.

13. What advice would you give your fellow-student who makes the glide of the diphthong [au] too strong and close in the words about, shout?

14. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian vowel [и] instead of the nucleus of the English diphthong [is]. Keeping in mind what you know about the articulation of the English diphthong [ia] tell him what to do to change [из] to [is].

15. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words pierce — peace?

16. How would you help your fellow-student if he says beer instead of bear? Is this mistake phonetic or phonological?

17. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words here and hair?

18. Is the diphthong [еэ] longer in pear or in pears?

19. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian [y] instead of the nucleus of the English diphthong [иэ]. What would you tell him to do in order to change [уэ] to [иэ]?

20. What articulatory features of the vowel sounds differentiate the meaning of the words shoe — sure?

21. Give examples to illustrate that the diphthongs [ia, еэ, иэ], are not equally long in different phonetic contexts.

22. What articulation exercises would you recommend for the English centring diphthongs [1э,еэ,иэ]?

Література: [ 2, с. 119 - 125].

Практичне заняття  № 18