Detailed Definitions & Examples Môn Ngữ âm - Âm vị học | Đại học Sư phạm Hà Nội 2

lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 NGỮ ÂM ÂM VỊ HỌC
DETAILED DEFINITIONS & EXAMPLES – English Phonetics and Phonology 1. Phonetics Definition:
Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that studies the physical production and perception of
speech sounds. It deals with how speech sounds are articulated (produced), how they travel
through the air (acoustic properties), and how they are received and interpreted by the ear and brain (auditory phonetics). Branches: •
Articulatory phonetics: focuses on how sounds are produced using speech organs. •
Acoustic phonetics: focuses on the physical properties of sound waves (frequency, amplitude, duration). •
Auditory phonetics: studies how sounds are perceived by the listener. Example:
The sound /t/ in top is produced by placing the tongue against the alveolar ridge and releasing
a burst of air — this is studied in articulatory phonetics. 2. Phonology Definition:
Phonology is the study of how sounds function in a particular language. It focuses on the
abstract, mental aspects of sounds (phonemes), their patterns, and rules in a language’s sound
system. Phonology helps us understand why /p/ and /b/ are distinct in English, but may not be in another language. Example:
In English, /p/ and /b/ are two separate phonemes because they can distinguish words (e.g., pat
vs bat), while in Korean, they may be treated as variations of the same phoneme. 3. Phone Definition:
A phone is any single speech sound, regardless of whether it changes meaning. Phones are the
actual spoken sounds that can be recorded and analyzed phonetically. lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 Example:
[ʰp] is a phone – an aspirated /p/ sound that may occur in pin, while [p] (unaspirated) occurs in spin. 4. Phoneme Definition:
A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a language that can distinguish between words. It is
a mental representation of a sound, not a physical sound itself. Example:
In English, /k/ and /g/ are different phonemes because they distinguish words like coat and goat. 5. Allophone Definition:
An allophone is a variation of a phoneme that does not change word meaning. Allophones
occur in specific phonetic contexts and are governed by phonological rules. Example:
The /t/ in top is aspirated [t ], while the /t/ in ʰ
stop is unaspirated [t]. Both are
allophones of the phoneme /t/ in English. 6. Minimal Pair Definition:
A minimal pair is a pair of words that differ by only one sound in the same position and have
different meanings. They are used to identify phonemes in a language. Example:
bit /b t/ vs ɪbeat /bi t/ — the vowel sound differs, showing / / and /i / are separate phonemes.ː ɪ ː 7. Consonants Definition:
Consonants are speech sounds produced by obstructing airflow at some point in the vocal
tract. They are described using three main features: lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 •
Place of articulation: where the airflow is obstructed •
Manner of articulation: how the airflow is obstructed •
Voicing: whether the vocal cords vibrate Example:
/p/ is a voiceless bilabial plosive – no vocal cord vibration, made by both lips, and involves a sudden release of air. 8. Vowels Definition:
Vowels are produced with a relatively open vocal tract, with no significant obstruction of
airflow. They are described using: •
Height: how high the tongue is (e.g., high /i /, low /æ/ː ) •
Backness: how far back the tongue is (e.g., front /e/, back /u /ː )  Lip rounding:
whether the lips are rounded or spread Example:
The vowel /u / in ːfood is a high back rounded vowel. 9. Diphthongs Definition:
Diphthongs are complex vowel sounds that begin with one vowel and glide to another within
the same syllable. They involve a change in tongue position. Example:
The sound /a / in ɪmy starts with /a/ and glides to / /.ɪ lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 10. Syllable Definition:
A syllable is a unit of pronunciation that typically contains a vowel (nucleus), and may also
contain consonants before (onset) and/or after (coda). Syllables are the building blocks of words. Structure:
Onset – Nucleus – Coda Example:
The word plant /plænt/ • Onset: /pl/ • Nucleus: /æ/ • Coda: /nt/ 11. Word Stress Definition:
Word stress refers to the emphasis placed on one syllable within a word. Stressed syllables are
louder, longer, and higher in pitch. English stress patterns affect pronunciation and sometimes meaning. Rules: •
Nouns/Adjectives: often stressed on the first syllable (TAble, HAPpy) •
Verbs: often stressed on the second syllable (reLAX, aRRIVE) Example:
IMport (noun) vs imPORT (verb) 12. Sentence Stress Definition:
Sentence stress is the pattern of stressed and unstressed words in a sentence. In English,
content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) are usually stressed, while function words (articles, prepositions) are unstressed. Example:
“I NEED to BUY a NEW car.”
(‘need’, ‘buy’, ‘new’, ‘car’ are content words and stressed) lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 13. Weak Forms Definition:
Weak forms are unstressed pronunciations of function words in connected speech. They often
involve vowel reduction (e.g., /ə/) and are key to natural English rhythm. Example: •
“to” is pronounced /tu / in isolation, but /tə/ in “going to the store”.ː 14. Intonation Definition:
Intonation refers to the rise and fall of pitch while speaking. It conveys meaning, emotion, and sentence type. Types: •
Falling intonation: used in statements, commands 👉 “He went home.” ↘ •
Rising intonation: used in yes/no questions 👉 “Are you ready?” ↗ •
Fall-rise: used to show doubt or contrast 👉 “Well... I’m not sure.” ↘↗ 15. Rhythm Definition:
Rhythm in speech is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. English is a stress-timed
language, meaning stressed syllables occur at regular intervals. Example:
“I WANT to GO to SCHOOL today.”
Unstressed syllables are compressed to keep timing regular. 16. Assimilation Definition: lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847
Assimilation is a phonological process where a sound changes to become more like a
neighboring sound, often for ease of articulation. Types: •
Progressive: sound changes due to a previous sound 👉 “dogs” /d gz/ (voiced /z/ after voiced /g/)ɒ lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 
Regressive: sound changes due to a following sound
👉 “good boy” /ɡʊb b /ɔɪ •
Reciprocal (mutual): both sounds affect each other 17. Elision Definition:
Elision is the omission of a sound, usually a consonant, to simplify pronunciation in connected speech. Example:
“friendship” → /fr n p/ (elision of /d/)ɛ ʃɪ 18. Linking Definition:
Linking is when an extra sound is added between words to aid flow in speech, especially when
a word ends in a vowel sound and the next begins with one. Example: •
Linking /r/: “law and order” → /l r ənd də/ɔː ɔː •
Linking /w/: “go on” → / ə w n/ɡ ʊ ɒ 19. Intrusion Definition:
Intrusion is the addition of a sound between two words where there is none in spelling.
Common intrusive sounds are /w/, /j/, and /r/. Example: •
"I saw it" → /a s r t/ɪ ɔː ɪ •
"Go on" → / ə w n/ɡ ʊ ɒ 20. Transcription lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847  Definition:
Transcription is the process of writing spoken language sounds using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
Phonemic transcription: /.../ shows phonemes only •
Phonetic transcription: [...] shows detailed pronunciation Example: • Word: nation •
Phonemic transcription: / ne ən/ˈ ɪʃ
1. Phonetics – Ngữ âm học • English:
Phonetics is the scientific study of speech sounds – how they are produced,
transmitted, and perceived. It includes articulatory, acoustic, and auditory phonetics. • Vietnamese:
Ngữ âm học là ngành nghiên cứu khoa học về âm thanh lời nói – cách phát âm, truyền
tải và cảm nhận âm thanh. Gồm ba lĩnh vực: ngữ âm cấu âm, ngữ âm âm học và ngữ âm thính giác. • Example:
The [p] sound in pen is a bilabial plosive (produced by both lips and a burst of air).
Âm [p] trong từ pen là âm tắc hai môi.
2. Phonology – Âm vị học • English:
Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language – how sounds function and
are organized in a particular language. • Vietnamese:
Âm vị học nghiên cứu hệ thống âm thanh của một ngôn ngữ – cách các âm hoạt động,
tổ chức và tương tác trong ngôn ngữ đó. • Example:
/p/ and /b/ are different phonemes in English because they distinguish words like pat and bat.
/p/ và /b/ là hai âm vị khác nhau vì chúng phân biệt từ pat và bat. 3. Phone – Âm thanh lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847  • English:
A phone is any actual speech sound, regardless of whether it changes word meaning. Vietnamese:
Âm thanh (phone) là bất kỳ âm nào được phát ra, không cần biết nó có làm thay đổi nghĩa của từ hay không. • Example:
[p ] is an aspirated phone in ʰ pin
[p ] là âm bật hơi trong từ ʰ pin
4. Phoneme – Âm vị • English:
A phoneme is the smallest sound unit that can distinguish meaning in a language. • Vietnamese:
Âm vị là đơn vị âm thanh nhỏ nhất có thể làm thay đổi nghĩa của từ. • Example:
/s/ vs / / → ʃsip /s p/ ≠ ɪship / p/ʃɪ
/s/ và / / là hai âm vị khác nhau.ʃ
5. Allophone – Biến thể của âm vị • English:
Allophones are different realizations of the same phoneme that do not change word meaning. • Vietnamese:
Biến thể âm vị là các dạng phát âm khác nhau của một âm vị nhưng không làm thay đổi nghĩa của từ. • Example:
[t ] in ʰtop vs [t] in stop — both are allophones of /t/
Hai cách phát âm của /t/ nhưng nghĩa từ không thay đổi.
6. Minimal Pair – Cặp tối thiểu • English: lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 
A minimal pair is two words that differ by only one sound and have different meanings. • Vietnamese:
Cặp tối thiểu là hai từ chỉ khác nhau bởi một âm duy nhất và có nghĩa khác nhau. Example: bit /b t/ vs ɪ beat /bi
t/ː Chỉ khác ở âm / / và /i /.ɪ ː
7. Consonants – Phụ âm • English:
Consonants are sounds made with partial or total obstruction of airflow. • Vietnamese:
Phụ âm là những âm được tạo ra với luồng hơi bị cản trở một phần hoặc hoàn toàn. • Example:
/b/ is a voiced bilabial plosive – âm tắc hai môi, hữu thanh.
8. Vowels – Nguyên âm • English:
Vowels are produced with an open vocal tract, without obstruction of airflow. • Vietnamese:
Nguyên âm được phát ra khi luồng hơi không bị cản trở, đường phát âm mở. • Example:
/i / in ːsee is a high front unrounded vowel.
/i / là nguyên âm cao, trước, không tròn môi.ː
9. Diphthongs – Nguyên âm đôi • English:
Diphthongs are vowel sounds that involve a glide from one position to another. • Vietnamese: lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 
Nguyên âm đôi là âm gồm hai âm vị nguyên âm kết hợp, tạo nên sự chuyển động của lưỡi. • Example:
/a / in ɪmy, /ə / in ʊgo
10. Syllable – Âm tiết • English:
A syllable is a unit of pronunciation with a vowel sound at its core. Vietnamese:
Âm tiết là đơn vị phát âm cơ bản, thường có một nguyên âm làm trung tâm. • Example:
Word cat /kæt/ = one syllable
Từ cat có một âm tiết.
11. Word Stress – Trọng âm từ • English:
Word stress is the emphasis placed on one syllable of a word, making it more prominent. • Vietnamese:
Trọng âm từ là nhấn mạnh vào một âm tiết trong từ, làm cho nó nổi bật hơn. • Example:
TAble – stress on first syllable.
12. Sentence Stress – Trọng âm câu • English:
Sentence stress highlights important words in a sentence (typically content words). • Vietnamese:
Trọng âm câu là nhấn mạnh các từ quan trọng trong câu, như danh từ, động từ chính, tính từ. • Example:
“I WANT to GO to SCHOOL.” lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 
13. Weak Forms – Dạng yếu • English:
Weak forms are unstressed versions of function words in connected speech. • Vietnamese:
Dạng yếu là cách phát âm không nhấn của các từ chức năng trong lời nói liên tục. • Example:
“to” → /tə/, “and” → /ənd/ or /ən/
14. Intonation – Ngữ điệu English:
Intonation is the variation in pitch during speech. It can express emotion, sentence type, or attitude. • Vietnamese:
Ngữ điệu là sự thay đổi cao độ trong lời nói để biểu đạt cảm xúc, loại câu hoặc thái độ. • Example:
“Are you ready?” ↗ (rising intonation – câu hỏi)
15. Rhythm – Nhịp điệu • English:
English has a stress-timed rhythm, where stressed syllables occur at regular intervals. • Vietnamese:
Nhịp điệu trong tiếng Anh là dạng nhịp dựa trên trọng âm – các âm tiết nhấn xảy ra đều đặn. • Example:
“I WANT to GO to SCHOOL today.”
Các âm tiết không nhấn bị rút ngắn.
16. Assimilation – Đồng hóa lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847  • English:
Assimilation occurs when a sound changes to become more like a neighboring sound. • Vietnamese:
Đồng hóa là hiện tượng một âm thay đổi để giống với âm bên cạnh, giúp phát âm dễ hơn. • Example:
“good boy” → /ɡʊb b / (assimilation of /d/ → /b/)ɔɪ
17. Elision – Lược âm • English:
Elision is the omission of a sound in connected speech to ease pronunciation. • Vietnamese:
Lược âm là hiện tượng bỏ bớt một âm trong lời nói liên tục để phát âm dễ dàng hơn. Example:
“friendship” → /fr n p/ (lược /d/)ɛ ʃɪ
18. Linking – Nối âm • English:
Linking is the insertion of a sound (like /r/, /w/, or /j/) between words in fluent speech. • Vietnamese:
Nối âm là hiện tượng thêm âm nối giữa hai từ để câu nói trôi chảy. • Example:
“I saw it” → /a s r t/ɪ ɔː ɪ
19. Intrusion – Chèn âm • English:
Intrusion is the appearance of an extra sound between words where there is none in the spelling. • Vietnamese:
Chèn âm là hiện tượng thêm âm không có trong chính tả vào giữa hai từ để dễ nói. lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847  • Example:
“Go on” → / ə w n/ɡ ʊ ɒ
20. Transcription – Phiên âm • English:
Transcription uses IPA symbols to write down speech sounds. • Vietnamese:
Phiên âm là cách dùng bảng ký hiệu IPA để ghi lại các âm thanh lời nói. • Example:
teacher → / ti .t ər/ˈ ː ʃ
TOPIC 1: Long, Short vowels, diphthongs and triphthongs 1. Definition 2. Short vowels 3. Long vowels 4. Diphthongs lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 5.
Triphthongs *Definition •
Vowels: Vowels are the speech sounds that are produced without any obstruction to the
flow of air as it passes from the larynx to the lips. •
Vowels are described based on the following criteria: + The height of the tongue
+ The part of the tongue that is raised or lowered + The position of the lips
There are only 5 vowels in English language “a, e, i, u, o”, But there are 20 vowel sounds in total. • Monophthongs (12)
- Short vowels (7) : / /, /e/, /æ/, / /, / /, / / and /ə/ɪ ʌ ɒ ʊ
- Long vowels (5): /i:/, / :/, / :/, / :/ and /u:/ɜ ɑ ɔ
2. Diphthongs (8): / ə/, /eə/, /ə /, /a /, /e /, / /, / ə/, and /a /.ɪ ʊ ɪ ɪ ɔɪ ʊ ʊ
3. Triphthongs (5): /e ə/, /a ə/, / ə/, /ə ə/ and /a ə /ɪ ɪ ɔɪ ʊ ʊ Short vowels -relatively short
-describe in relation to the cardinal vowels • /i/: Mouth-opening : close Tongue: front Lip posture: slightly spread example: bit, pin, fish • /e/: Mouth-opening : mid-open Tongue: front Lip posture: spread example: bet, men, yes •
/æ/: Mouth-opening: near-open Tongue: front Lip posture: spread example: bat, man, gas lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 •
/ /: Mouth-opening: open-midʌ Tongue: central Lip posture: neutral example: cut, come, rush • Mouth -opening: open-mid Tongue: back Lip posture: slightly rounded example: pot, gone, cross •
/ /: Mouth-opening: close-midʊ Tongue: back Lip posture: slightly rounded example: put, pull, push Long vowels lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847
a. Introduction to Long Vowels:
‘Long vowels’ in English are generally longer in duration than short vowels.
Their length, however, depends on the context, such as surrounding sounds and the presence
or absence of stress in a word.
b. Notation of Long Vowels
Long vowels are represented with a vowel symbol followed by a length mark : (e.g., i:, :, u:).ɑ
=> These symbols help differentiate long vowels from short vowels, though the symbols
themselves also indicate distinct sound qualities. c. Comparison of Long and Short Vowels
Long vowels differ from short vowels not only in length but also in quality, which involves:
Tongue shape and position (how high or low, and forward or backward the tongue is).
Lip position (whether the lips are rounded or unrounded). •
Examples of contrasting pairs: Short i vs. Long i: (as in bit vs. beat). •
Short u vs. Long u: (as in put vs. boot). •
Short æ vs. Long : (as in bat vs. bar).ɑ d: The Role of the Length Mark
Although ‘the length mark’ is not essential to ‘distinguish’ vowel sounds, it is ‘a helpful tool’
for learners to remember the length difference.
In most cases, the quality difference between ‘long’ and ‘short vowels’ ensures that the sounds
are ‘distinct’ even without ‘the length mark’.
e. Special Case of æ and :ɑ
The short vowel æ (as in cat) and the long vowel : (as in car) are somewhat similar in quality,ɑ
but æ has unique characteristics that make it stand out. 4, Diphthongs a. Definition
A diphthong is a type of vowel sound that occurs when a speaker glides from one vowel sound
to another within the same syllable. Unlike monophthongs (single, pure vowel sounds),
diphthongs involve a transition between two distinct vowel sounds. For example
In the English word "coin" (/ /), the vowel sound starts as / / and moves towards / /, creating ɔɪ ɔ
ɪ a smooth, blended transition
Standard English pronunciation has 8 diphthong phonemes.
The easiest way to remember them is in terms of three groups divided as in this diagram: lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847 b. Types of diphthongs Falling Diphthongs Closing Diphthongs Centering Diphthong
- Falling Diphthongs: The tongue starts higher and moves lower in the mouth.
Less common in English but appear in other languages.
- Closing Diphthongs: +End in a high vowel sound / / or / /ɪ ʊ
More common in British English : / ə/: near, fear, ideaɪ / ə/: sure, pure, tourʊ
- Centering Diphthongs: +Move toward a central vowel sound like /ə/.
For example: /e /: say, make, rainɪ /o /: go, boat, homeʊ /a /: now, house, cowʊ 5.Tripthongs lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847
Triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and then to a third, all produced rapidly and without interruption.
A union of three vowel letters or sounds pronounced in one syllable, is the most complex EL sound of the vowel type.
These sounds are often a combination of a diphthong (a two-vowel sound) plus an additional
vowel sound as a mid central vowel /ə/. for example Fire” / faiə/
begins with a vowel quality similar to /a:/ goes on a glide towards the central close-mid
ungrounded area( for which we use the symbol I) then ends with a mid central vowel /ə/.
The middle of the three vowel qualities of tripthongs such as / /and / / can hardly be heard ɪ
ʊ and the resulting sound is difficult to distinguish from some tripthongs and long vowels.
There is also the problem of whether a tripthong is felt to contain one or two syllables. For example
“fire”, “hour” - one syllable
“player”, “slower” - two syllables
Triphthongs are most common in varieties of English that have non-rhotic accents (like
Received Pronunciation) and are often found in words with combinations like -ire, -our, or yer.
The tripthongs can be looked on as being composed of the five closing dipthongs described in
the last section, with/ə/ added on the end. /a ə/ (as in fire,liar)ɪ /eiə/ (as in player, prayer)
/ ə/ (as in royal, loyal)ɔɪ
/ə ə/ ( as in lower, mower)ʊ /a ə/ (as in power, hour)ʊ TOPIC 2: consonants
I. Definition of consonants
In English Phonetics and Phonology, consonants are defined as speech sounds that are
articulated with some form of constriction or closure in the vocal tract, which obstructs the
airflow either partially or completely. 1.1. Consonants: Key Features: lOMoAR cPSD| 58794847
1. Articulation: Produced by blocking airflow at points like the lips (/p/), teeth (/θ/), or tongue (/t/).
2. Voicing: Can be voiced (vocal cords vibrate, e.g., /b/) or voiceless (no vibration, e.g., /p/).
3. Place: Where the airflow is blocked (e.g., bilabial, dental, alveolar).
4. Manner: How airflow is modified (e.g., stops, fricatives, nasals). 2. II. Clasification
1. THE POSITION OF ARTICULATION BILABIAL LABIODENTAL DENTAL ALVEOLAR POST - ALVEOLAR PALATAL VELAR GLOTTAL 1.1. Bilabial Sounds:
Definition: Produced by bringing both lips together to obstruct the airflow.
Examples:Voiceless: /p/ as in "pat" Voiced: /b/ as in "bat" Nasal: /m/ as in "mat" Glide: /w/ as in "water"
Bilabial Sounds: The lips are closed together during production (e.g., /p/, /b/, /m/).
1. 2.Labiodental Sounds:
Definition: Produced by placing the bottom lip against the upper teeth.Examples: Voiceless: /f/ as in "fan" Voiced: /v/ as in "van"
Labiodental Sounds: The lower lip touches the upper teeth during production (e.g., /f/, /v/). 1.3. Dental
The tip or the blade of the tongue touches the upper teeth.