The second topic that we had learned is Introduction to Phonology. Actually, we had learned this topic back when we were in foundation program. But I totally forgot all the symbols and sounds. So, it is a recall for all of us.
There are three keywords that are synonyms with Phonology which are Phonetics, Phonetics Script, and Phonemes. In order to master phonology, we must first explore these three keywords. We also got to carry our dearest Oxford Dictionary all over, all the time in order to explore the phonetics script. Still, we made lots of mistake in our translation.
Besides, we also learned the speech organs. There are words that are unfamiliar to me such as labial, alveolar ridge and palate. Each one of the speech organ is significant for us. Lack of an organ can impair our speech. For example, if we got no front teeth, it is hard for us to utter the word ‘teeth’.
There are three sound production processes which are intonation, phonation and articulation. Each of the process are important to make the word we utters sounds right.
In order to enrich our pronunciation, we had the tongue twister competition among groups. Our group had chosen three texts of tongue twisters:
I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won’t wish the wish you wish to wish.
Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit. Did Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit? If Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit, where’s the buttered biscuit Billy Button bought?
If Freaky Fred found fifty feet of fruit and fed forty feet to his friend Frank, how many feet of fruit did Freaky Fred find?
Our next lesson is on Minimal pairs. A minimal pair is a set of two words that are only differentiated by one tiny sound. If we can distinguish these tiny sounds, it will help us with pronunciation and comprehension. So, each group is required to list down five sets of minimal pairs for initial, medial and final part. The outcome of our group discussion is as below:
INITIAL | MEDIAL | FINAL |
1. Park, bark | Simple, symbol | Cop, cob |
2. Sue, zoo | Buses, buzzes | Peace, peas |
3. Kit, bit | Rocker, robber | Tuck, Tub |
4. Train, brain | Later, labour | Nit, nib |
5. Moon, noon | Dimmer, dinner | Loom, loon |
INITIAL | MEDIAL | FINAL |
1. /pɑːk/, /bɑːk/ | /'sɪmpl/, /'sɪmbl/ | /kaːp/, /kaːb/ |
2. /su:/, /zu:/ | /'bʌsəs/, /'bʌzəs/ | /piːs/, /piːz/ |
3. /kɪt/, /bɪt/ | /'rɒkeə(r)/, /'rɒbeə(r)/ | /tʌk/, /tʌb/ |
4. /treɪn/, /breɪn/ | /'laɪte(r)/, /'laɪbe(r)/ | /nɪt/, /nɪb/ |
5. /muːn/, /nuːn/ | /'dɪmə(r)/, /'dɪnə(r)/ | /luːm/, /luːn/ |
It is hard to do if our pronunciation is not so good. We took a lot of effort by searching throughout dictionaries and the internet. Sometime, words are spelled merely the same and we thought that they are minimal pair but it isn’t! Even words that are spelled exactly the same can be pronounced differently. It is such a head-twister for us. But in the end, we still manage to accomplish the task given. :)
Summing up, I had learned a lot more than I expected from this topic. Now I can explain how sounds are produced and how to produce it accurately. All thanks to Mdm Ira for her guidance and also to my group members for their collaboration. ;)
For more guidance on pronunciation, simply click the link below: http://www.britishcouncil.org/parents-help-pronunciation.htm
Happy Learning! :)
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