QUESTIONS AND TASKS
1. What consonant sounds are called 'fricatives'?
2. What fricatives are bicentral?
3. How are fricatives classified according to the place of articula-
tion?
4. What are the voiced counterparts of [f, 0, s,/J?
5. How are final fricatives pronounced?
6. How does the difference in voicing influence the length of the preceding vowels?
7. Suppose your fellow-student palatalizes fricatives. In what position may this mistake occur? In order to help him to pronounce the correct sounds what would you tell him to do with the tongue?
8. How would your fellow-student probably pronounce the English [â, 0] ? What would you recommend him to do with the tongue to escape the probable errors?
9. What common articulatory features can be traced in the articulation of the English [t, d) and [9, d; s, z] ?
10. What articulatory features of the opposed consonants make
the meaning of the following words different?
pea — fee, head — fed
theme — seem, thought — fought, place — plays
11. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the word they as say îò ñåé. In which case is the mistake phonological?
12. Give your own examples to show that the opposition of the sounds [f — v, â — d, s — z] in word initial or word final position is capable of differentiating the meaning.
13. Suppose your fellow-student pronounces the Russian [x] instead of the English [h]. Keeping in mind what you know about the articulation of the English sound tell him how to change the articulation. Why can we call this mistake phonetic?
OCCLUSIVE-CONSTRICTIVE CONSONANTS (AFFRICATES)
There are only two affricates in English: [tf, <&]. In Russian we have [÷ ö]. They are occlusive-constrictives because a complete obstruction to the stream of air is formed and it is released slowly, with friction, [tf, cfc] are bicentral. They have two narrowings, both flat, the second focus being between the front part of the tongue and the hard palate (front secondary focus).
Placeof Articulation,[tf, as] are palato-alveolar, forelingual apical.
Force of Articulation,[tf] is strong (fortis), [as] is weak (lenis).
Voicing. [as] is fully voiced in word initial position before a vowel or in intervocalic position, eg Jack, pigeon. In word final position it is partly devoiced [as], eg George, [tf] is voiceless in all positions.
Length of Preceding Vowels.Vowels before [tf] are shorter than before [as], eg pitch — ridge.
Palatalization.Since [tf, as] are palato-alveolar, they are slightly palatalized, because the front part of the tongue is raised towards the hard palate, but before front and mixed, close or mid-open vowels they are clearer than before back ones, cf chance — cheese; just — gist. [tf, as] occur in word initial, medial, final positions . [tf] — spelt "ch, tch, ture, tion", eg chair, question, nature, watch [as]—spelt "j, g, dg, gg, dj, de, di, ch", eg jam, gem, margin, adjacent, soldier, edge, age, Norwich
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Fig. 31.
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voice
Fig. 32.
Definition,[tf, cfe] are occlusive-constrictive, forelingual, api-■ .il, palato-alveolar, bicentral; [tf] is strong and voiceless, [as] is w(»ak and voiced. In word final position it is partially devoiced.
Articulation.1. The tip of the tongue touches the back part of the teeth ridge.
2. The front part of the tongue is raised towards the hard palate forming the front secondary focus (a flat narrowing).
3. The soft palate is raised so that the breath is trapped for a short time (because of the complete obstruction between the tongue-tip and the teeth ridge) then the obstruction is released slowly and the friction is heard.
4. The lips are slightly rounded.
Recommendations. 1.Start with Articulation Exercises II, 7; 111, 5—9.
2. Start with [f], make it long — {/:]*; then raise the tongue-tip to the back part of the alveolar ridge and cut off the friction; then say [f] again by lowering the tongue-tip. Do it several times. Try the word cheese, do not make the [f] friction too long. For [as] the friction is very short, it is a weak sound. To articulate [as] one should start with [3:] and practise it in the same way as for [tf].
Comparison with the Russian [÷*].The Russian [÷'] is less energetic, the friction is weaker and is articulated with the blade of the tongue against the teeth ridge.
The Russian [÷*] is always palatalized, there is no non-palatalized counterpart in the Russian language.
Possible Mistakes. 1.Russian learners of English are apt to pronounce the Russian [÷'] instead of the English [tf]. To avoid this one must practise the apical articulation and should not raise the front of the tongue too high. Make more friction when pronouncing the English sound. The word contrast practice is useful: chance — ÷àñ, ÷àøêà, chin — ÷èí, chop — ×îï, choose — ÷óòêèé.
2. When pronouncing the English [as] Russians very often replace it by the cluster [ä + æ]. Òî avoid this one must pronounce [as] as a voiced counterpart of [tf]: John — Äæîí, Jack — Äæåê, Jane — Äæåéí, jazz — äæàç, jeans — äæèíñû.
3. When the students make the final [as] fully voiced (a phonetic mistake) care must be taken to weaken the sound. If it is
The symbol (:] is used to show the length.
completely voiceless (a phonological mistake) they should try to avoid making it fully strong.
The word contrast practice is useful:
rich — ridge, search — surge, fetch — edge