Pronunciation
Encyclopedia
Pronunciation refers to the way a word or a language
is spoken, or the manner in which someone utters a word. If one is said to have "correct pronunciation", then it refers to both within a particular dialect
.
A word can be spoken in different ways by various individuals or groups, depending on many factors, such as: the area in which they grew up, the area in which they now live, if they have a speech
or voice disorder, their ethnic group
, their social class
, or their education
.
. The branch of linguistics
which studies these units of sound is phonetics
. Phones which play the same role are grouped together into classes called phoneme
s; the study of these is phonemics or phonematics or phonology
. Phones as components of articulation are usually described using the International Phonetic Alphabet
(IPA).
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
is spoken, or the manner in which someone utters a word. If one is said to have "correct pronunciation", then it refers to both within a particular dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
.
A word can be spoken in different ways by various individuals or groups, depending on many factors, such as: the area in which they grew up, the area in which they now live, if they have a speech
Speech disorder
Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorders where 'normal' speech is disrupted. This can mean stuttering, lisps, etc. Someone who is unable to speak due to a speech disorder is considered mute.-Classification:...
or voice disorder, their ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, their social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
, or their education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
Linguistic terminology
Syllables are counted as units of sound (phones) that they use in their languageLanguage
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
. The branch of linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
which studies these units of sound is phonetics
Phonetics
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs : their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory...
. Phones which play the same role are grouped together into classes called phoneme
Phoneme
In a language or dialect, a phoneme is the smallest segmental unit of sound employed to form meaningful contrasts between utterances....
s; the study of these is phonemics or phonematics or phonology
Phonology
Phonology is, broadly speaking, the subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the sounds of language. That is, it is the systematic use of sound to encode meaning in any spoken human language, or the field of linguistics studying this use...
. Phones as components of articulation are usually described using the International Phonetic Alphabet
International Phonetic Alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet "The acronym 'IPA' strictly refers [...] to the 'International Phonetic Association'. But it is now such a common practice to use the acronym also to refer to the alphabet itself that resistance seems pedantic...
(IPA).
See also
- Wikipedia:IPA for English — the principal key used in Wikipedia articles to transcribe the pronunciation of English words
- Wikipedia:Pronunciation respelling key — a secondary key for pronunciation, which mimics English orthography
- Wikipedia:United States dictionary transcription — another secondary key, more familiar to users of traditional US dictionaries
- Wiktionary:Pronunciation - entries in the English Wiktionary may contain a Pronunciation section
External links
- Forvo — All the words in the world pronounced by native speakers. See also ForvoForvoForvo.com is a website that allows access to, and playback of, pronunciation sound clips in many different languages in an attempt to facilitate the easier learning of languages. Forvo.com was first envisioned in 2007, and came to fruition in 2008. Forvo.com is owned by Forvo Media SL, who are...
. - Inogolo — American English audio pronunciation guide
- Sounds Familiar? — Listen to examples of regional accents and dialects from across the UK on the British Library's 'Sounds Familiar' website
- Howjsay — Enter a word to hear it spoken. Over 146,133 words in British English with alternative pronunciations.