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| | '''Phonology''' is the study of the organization and use of sounds in natural languages.<ref>[http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsPhonology.htm Phonology, from LinguaLinks Library]</ref> Phonologists describe and categorize the sounds of speech using the [[IPA|international phonetic alphabet]], a system of symbols used to unambiguously represent individual speech sounds in all the world's languages. | | '''Phonology''' is the study of the organization and use of sounds in natural languages.<ref>[http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsPhonology.htm Phonology, from LinguaLinks Library]</ref> Phonologists describe and categorize the sounds of speech using the [[IPA|international phonetic alphabet]], a system of symbols used to unambiguously represent individual speech sounds in all the world's languages. |
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| | + | The phoneme is the sound, while it can have many different representations by characters of that sound in the language. For example, the phoneme "j" (IPA nomenclature, the same as the old affricate /dʒ/) is expressed in English by the characters "Y" (as in "yes"), "i" (as in "onion"), and "j" (as in "hallelujah")<ref name="EP">https://englishphonetics.net/english-phonetics-academy/the-44-sounds-of-english-based-on-the-IPA.html</ref> Meanwhile, the other "j" sound has five different expressions: j, g, ge, dge, and d.<ref>https://ortongillinghamonlinetutor.com/five-ways-to-spell-the-j-sound-in-the-english-language/</ref> |
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| | + | There are 44 sounds (phonemes) in English, while only 24 in Spanish, 34 in French, 46 in German, and 49 in Italian.<ref name="EP"/> |
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| | ==Terms used in phonology== | | ==Terms used in phonology== |
| | A '''phoneme''' is the smallest unit of sound whose change can change the meaning of what is said.<ref>[http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/phonemeterm.htm Definition of phoneme]</ref> In English there are 44 phonemes: | | A '''phoneme''' is the smallest unit of sound whose change can change the meaning of what is said.<ref>[http://grammar.about.com/od/pq/g/phonemeterm.htm Definition of phoneme]</ref> In English there are 44 phonemes: |
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| | == Alternative grouping == | | == Alternative grouping == |
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| − | There are alternative groupings of the 44 sounds,<ref>https://timeforphonics.co.uk/what-are-the-44-phonemes-in-the-english-language/</ref> and some use a total of 42. Regional accents can result in variations on these sounds in English. | + | There are alternative groupings of the 44 sounds,<ref>https://timeforphonics.co.uk/what-are-the-44-phonemes-in-the-english-language/</ref> and occasionally it is described as a smaller total of 42. Regional accents can result in variations on these sounds in English. |
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| | ==Examples== | | ==Examples== |
| | The sound represented by /æ/ is the "a" in "sat...past...fan...camera"<ref>https://www.americanenglishsounds.net/aelig-sat-past.html</ref> It is slightly different from the "a" in "cat" and "bat". | | The sound represented by /æ/ is the "a" in "sat...past...fan...camera"<ref>https://www.americanenglishsounds.net/aelig-sat-past.html</ref> It is slightly different from the "a" in "cat" and "bat". |
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| | + | == See also == |
| | + | *[https://englishphonetics.net/english-phonetics-academy/the-44-sounds-of-english-based-on-the-IPA.html Superb table of the 44 English phonemes and their character equivalents] |
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| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| | <references/> | | <references/> |
| | [[Category:Linguistics]] | | [[Category:Linguistics]] |
| | [[Category:Phonics]] | | [[Category:Phonics]] |