Основы теоретической фонетики современного английского языка

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ  
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ 
Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное  
учреждение высшего образования 
«ЮЖНЫЙ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ» 

 
 
 
 
 
О. А. Рубанова  
 
 
 
 
Основы теоретической фонетики  
современного английского языка 
 
 
Учебное пособие  
для студентов 3 курса 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ростов-на-Дону – Таганрог 
Издательство Южного федерального университета 
2017 

УДК 811.111'34(075.8) 
ББК  81.432.1-1 
         Р82 
 
Печатается по решению кафедры лингвистики  
и профессиональной коммуникации  
Института филологии, журналистики и межкультурной коммуникации  
Южного федерального университета (протокол № 6 от 31 января 2017 г.) 
 

Рецензенты: 

доцент кафедры иностранных языков Академии строительства и архитектуры 

ДГТУ, кандидат филологических наук И. А. Зубкова; 

доцент кафедры межкультурной коммуникации и методики преподавания  

иностранных языков ЮФУ, кандидат филологических наук М. В. Самофалова 
 

 

 

 

 
Рубанова, О. А. 
Р82 
 
Основы теоретической фонетики современного английского 
языка : учебное пособие / О. А. Рубанова ; Южный федеральный 
университет. – Ростов-на-Дону ; Таганрог : Издательство Южного 
федерального университета, 2017. – 126 с. 
 
 
ISBN  978-5-9275-2458-7 
 
 
Цель данного учебного пособия – систематизировать элементы фонетической теории и дать на этой основе более полные знания обо всех компонентах 
фонетического строя современного английского языка. 
Для студентов 3 курса профиля «Перевод и переводоведение», обучающихся по направлению образования «Лингвистика», и других профилей, обучающихся по направлению образования «Филология». 
Публикуется в авторской редакции. 
 
УДК 811.111'34(075.8) 
ББК 81.432.1-1 
 
ISBN  978-5-9275-2458-7 
© Южный федеральный университет, 2017 
© Рубанова О. А., 2017  
 
 

Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………………..8

Module 1. General notion about phonetics………………………..…..10

Phonetics as a branch of linguistics. The subject matter of phonetics………….10

Phonetics and phonology……………………………………………………….10

The historical development of phonetics……………………………………….11

The connection of phonetics with other branches of linguistics………………..11

The connection of phonetics with non-linguistic sciences……………………..14

Branches of phonetics………………………………………………………..…15

Module 2. Main trends in the phoneme theory………………….…....18

The development of the phoneme theory by Russian schools of linguistics …..18

The development of the phoneme theory by foreign schools of linguistics……21

Module 3. Speech sounds of English…………………………………..25

The phoneme. The three aspects of the phoneme………………………………25

The functional aspect of speech sounds………………………………………..25

Allophones. The classification of allophones. ……………………………..25

The invariant of the phoneme ……………………………………………...28

Types of transcription………………………………………………………….29

Methods used in phonetics……………………………………………………..30

Methods of phonetic investigation……………………………………....30

Methods of phonological analysis.……………………………………....31

Differences in the articulation bases of the English and Russian vowels and con
sonants………………………………………………………………………….34

Module 4. Syllabic structure of English words ……………………....37

The definition and main features of the syllable…………………………….....37

The classification of syllables……………………………………………….....38

Theories of syllable formation and syllable division…………………………..39

Functions of syllables…………………………………………………………..41

Modification of sounds in speech. Juncture. Assimilation……………………..42

Module 5. Accentual structure of English words……………………..46

The definition and main features of word stress……………………………......46

The classification of word stress……………………………..…………………46

Functions of word stress………………………………………………………..50

English word stress tendencies ………………………………………………...51

Module 6. Intonation of English……………………………………….54

The definition and main features of intonation………………………………...54

Theoretical approaches to intonation of foreign schools of linguistics………..55

British approaches to intonation………………………………………...55

Recent theoretical approaches to intonation in Europe…………………56

Modern American approaches to intonation……………………………57

The components of intonation………………………………………………....58

Sentence stress…………………………………………………………..59

Melody…………………………………………………………………..61

Rhythm…………………………………………………………………..63

Tempo…………………………………………………………………...66

Pausation………………………………………………………………...67

Timbre…………………………………………………………………...68

Emphatic speech …………………………………………………………….....68

Functions of intonation…………………………………………………………71

Module 7. Territorial varieties of English pronunciation…………....76

The attitude towards Received Pronunciation in the modern society………......76

Regional variants of the English pronunciation Standard………………………77

The main peculiarities of Northern English Pronunciation………………77

The main peculiarities of Southern English Pronunciation………………79

The main peculiarities of Scottish English Pronunciation……………….80

The main peculiarities of Welsh English Pronunciation............................81

The main peculiarities of Northern Ireland English Pronunciation...........82

National variants of Standard English pronunciation…………………………..83

General American. The difference between General American and Re
ceived Pronunciation……………………………………………………………83

Module 8. Phonostylistics. Functional styles…………………………..89

Phonostylistics as a part of phonetics, its aim. Functional style. The differentia
tion of functional styles…………………………………………………………89

Extralinguistic factors influencing distinguishing functional styles……………90

The list of questions to be prepared for seminar classes……………..95

The list of questions for the final grading in Theoretical phonetic…102

A Sample of practical assignments for the final grading in Theoretical 

phonetics………………………………………………………………………105

Компетентностный подход в изучении курса «Основы теоретиче
ской фонетики современного английского языка».......................................109

The list of works consulted……………………………………………120

Internet resources……………………………………………………...124

Предисловие

Данное учебное пособие предназначено для студентов 3 курса про
филя «Перевод и переводоведение», но может быть также использовано 

студентами других профилей, обучающихся по направлению образования 

Филология.

Учебное пособие построено на основе модульно-компетентностного 

подхода. В пособии выделяется набор основных компетенций лингвисти
ческого и экстралингвистического характера, которым должны овладеть 

студенты, в ходе работы над данным теоретическим курсом. Применение 

компетентностного подхода в изучении теоретической дисциплины спо
собствует повышению качества образования, так как четко определенные 

компетенции  дают возможность ясно сформулировать результаты обуче
ния.

Материал учебного пособия разбит на восемь модулей. Модули 

включают в себя весь программный теоретический материал, позволяющий 

ознакомить студентов с современным состоянием науки о фонетическом 

строе английского языка, показать студентам роль российских и зарубеж
ных лингвистов в развитии фонетической науки и решении ее проблем.

Содержание и структура данного учебного пособия отражают важ
ные современные подходы в преподавании фонетических дисциплин, а 

именно, социолингвистический, этнолингвистический и коммуникативный 

подходы. Данное учебное пособие поможет студентам систематизировать 

элементы фонетической теории и дать на этой основе более полные знания 

обо всех компонентах фонетического строя современного английского 

языка.

В данном пособии звуки речи описаны и как артикуляционные, и как 

функциональные единицы. Это дает возможность студентам повторить 

нормативный курс и связать теорию с практикой живой речи. Материал 

модулей отвечает самым последним тенденциям, особенно это касается ма
териала о произносительных нормах таких региональных и национальных 

вариантов Стандартной нормы Британского произношения, как южный и 

северный 
английский 
варианты, 
шотландский, 
уэльский, 
северо
ирландский, Стандартный Американский вариант.

Introduction

Theoretical Course of English Phonetics, according to the requirements 

of the state education standard, is an indispensable element in the teaching stu
dents who major in linguistics and philology. According to the state standard 

Theoretical Course of English Phonetics is an integral part of the general course 

in the theory of the language.

The aim, objectives and main topics of the course.

The aim of the course is to systematize the elements of the phonetic theory 

and give the students on this basis better, more detailed knowledge about all the 

components of the phonetic level of the English language.

The aim in question is achieved due to the realization of the following ob
jectives:

- to acquaint the students with the present condition of English phonetics, 

to show the students the role played and the success achieved by Russian and 

foreign linguists in developing phonetic science and solving its problems;

- to discuss with the students the latest theories and views on the problems 

of English phonetics, and also modern tendencies in oral speech from the point 

of view of its phonetic aspect;

- to refresh and to enlarge the students’ knowledge of phonetics which 

they gained while studying the course of practical phonetics;

- to teach the students to look for, to find and to analyze the necessary in
formation in the scientific literature;

- to form the skill of the students to compare phonetic phenomena of Eng
lish and of  their mother tongue;

- to help the students to acquire the basic knowledge of the phonetic theory 

in order to improve their speech skills, to give the students the opportunity to 

connect theory with practice; 

- to develop the skill of the students to make their own practical conclu
sions on the basis of the theoretical material.

Module 1. General notion about Phonetics 

1. Phonetics as a branch of linguistics. The subject matter of Phonet
ics.

The term phonetics comes from the Greek word “pho netico s” and 

means “pertaining to voice and sound”. Phonetics is not a separate independent 

science. It is a branch of linguistics, like the other branches, such as lexicology 

and grammar. These linguistic sciences study language from three different 

points of view. Phonetics studies the sound system of the language, that is, seg
mental phonemes, word stress, syllabic structure and intonation. Phonetics is 

concerned with human noises by which the thought is actualized or given audible 

shape:  the nature of these noises, their combinations and their functions in rela
tion to the meaning. Phonetics is primarily concerned with expression level, that 

is, phonetics formulates the rules of pronunciation for separate sounds and sound 

combinations. However, phonetics is obliged to take into consideration the con
tent level as well because phonetics is concerned only with such sounds pro
duced by a human vocal apparatus which carry organized information of lan
guage, that is, meaningful sound sequences regarded as speech.

So, neither linguistic theory, nor linguistic practice can do without phonet
ics and no language description is complete without it (Leontyeva, 2002, p. 10; 

Вертоградова, Рубанова, 2016, с. 7).

2. Phonetics and phonology.

The term “phonology” comes from the Greek words “phone” – sound and 

“logos” – learning. N.S. Trubetzkoy introduced this term into linguistics and op
posed it to phonetics. Phonetics, in his opinion, is a purely biological science, in
vestigating all physiological and physical properties of speech sounds without 

paying any attention to their functions in a language. Phonetics studies the prop
erty of the sound itself and investigates its articulatory and acoustic characteris
tics. 

Phonology is a branch of linguistic science dealing with the functional 

(linguistic, social) aspect of speech sounds. Phonology states vocal features and 

investigates them functioning in the language. Phonology studies the linguistic 

function of speech sounds, that is, the function – to be the material for meaning
ful units: morphemes, words. 

But as the sound matter of language is a complex unity of four aspects (ar
ticulatory, acoustic, auditory and functional), we should underline the insepara
ble interconnection of phonetics and phonology, which have common object of 

investigation, though viewed from different points (Рубанова, 2010, с. 5).

3. The historical development of phonetics.

Phonetics began long before there was either grammar or linguistics. An
cient objects, drawings and written documents show that voice and speech al
ways fascinated men. Written documents and evidences from ancient civiliza
tions point out that people were aware of speech, its origin and abnormalities 

even in those times.

In India more than 2000 years ago a science of phonetics flourished.

The investigation of the work of speech organs in production of speech 

sounds began in the 17th century and was determined by the necessity to teach 

deaf and dumb people. In 1886 International Phonetic Association was founded. 

It stated phonetic symbols for sounds of many existing languages, including 

English. Many Russian and foreign linguists contributed to the development of 

phonetics by developing various theories (Leontyeva, 2002, p. 10-11). 

4. The connection of phonetics with other branches of linguistics.

Phonetics is an essential part of the language because it gives language a 

definite form – the vocabulary and grammar of a language can function only 

when lexical and grammatical phenomena are expressed phonetically. So phonet
ics is closely connected with other branches of linguistics such as grammar, lexi
cology and stylistics.

1) Grammar and phonetics. Phonetics helps to pronounce correctly sin
gular and plural forms of nouns, the past tense forms and past participle forms of 

English regular verbs. For example:

[s] is pronounced after voiceless consonants (tips, clocks);

[z] is pronounced after voiced consonants and vowels (bags, boys);

[Ιz] is pronounced after sibilants (свистящие, шипящие) (dishes).

Another manifestation of connection between phonetics and grammar is 

sound interchange. Vowel alternations help 

- to distinguish the tense forms of irregular verbs. For example: ring – rang 

– rung;

- to distinguish singular and plural of some nouns. For example: man 

[mæn] – men [men], foot [fu:t] – feet [fi:t];

- to distinguish between nouns and verbs, adjectives and nouns, verbs and 

adjectives. For example: bath [bα:θ] – to bathe [beΙð], hot [hɒt]– heet [hi:t], to 

moderate [eΙ] – moderate [Ι].

Phonetics is also connected with grammar through its intonation compo
nent. Sometimes intonation alone can serve to single out the communicative cen
tre of the utterance. For example:

 He came home. (Not Mary.)

 e  came home. (So you can see him now.)

He 'came home. (He is at home but you said that he was going to the 

club.)

In affirmative sentences the rising nuclear tone can serve to show that it is 

a question. For example:

He 'came  home.

He 'came  home?

(O’Connor, 1977, p. 260-263; Leontyeva, 2002, p. 13-16).

2) Lexicology and phonetics. It’s only due to the position of stress we can 

distinguish certain nouns from verbs. For example:

'object – to ob'ject;

'transfer – to trans'fer;

'abstract – to ab'stract.

Homographs can be differentiated only due to pronunciation, because they 

are identical in spelling. For example:

bow [bəU] – bow [baU] (лук – поклон);

row [rəU] – row [raU] (ряд – ссора);

wind [wΙnd] – wind [waΙnd] (ветер – виток);

sewer [səUə] – sewer [sju:ə] (швея – сточная труба).

Due to the position of word stress we can distinguish between compound 

words and word groups. For example:

'blackbird – 'black 'bird;

'blackboard – 'black 'board;

'tallboy – 'tall 'boy.

Phonetics is also connected with lexicology trough onomatopoeia – a spe
cial means of word formation. Onomatopoeia ('ɒnəmætЗU'pi:ə) is a combination 

of sounds which imitate sounds produced in nature (wind, sea, thunder etc.), by 

things (machines, tools etc.), by people (sighing, laughter, patter of feet, etc.) and 

by animals. For example:

crash, clang, bang, clap, smack, tinkle, buzz, cuckoo, roar, rustle, crow, 

splash (Leontyeva, 2002, p. 17).

3) Stylistics and phonetics. Phonetics is connected with stylistics through 

intonation and its components: melody, sentence stress, rhythm, pausation, tim
bre which serve to express emotions, to distinguish between different attitudes 

on the part of the author and speaker.