I. The Articulatory Aspect.

1) The speech producing mechanism.

2) The classification of English sounds.

3) The Articulatory methods of investigation of English sounds.

II. The Acoustic Aspect.

1) The main acoustic and psychoacoustic sound characteristics.

2) The acoustic classification of English sounds.

3) The acoustic methods of investigation of English sounds.

III. The Perceptive Characteristics of Speech Sounds.

Reading List.

1. Bondarko L.V., Verbitskaya L.A., Gordina M.N. Osnovi Obschey Phonetiky. L., 1991, Parts II, III, IV.

2. Zinder L.R. Obschaya Phonetica. M., 1979, Ch. 2.

3. Maslov Y.S. Vvedeniye v Jazikoznaniye. M., 1987, Ch. 2,3.

4. Vassilyev V.A. English Phonetics. M., 1970, Ch. 3,4.

Assignments:

1. Classify all the consonants of the text according to the manner of their articulation: “Now that she was here is this wonderful room, resting on the brocaded and fringed couch until she was ready to retire, soothed by its tranquil atmosphere, a cup of chocolate in her hand, the candles casting a soft, subdued glow around her, she could feel at peace, almost contented.” (A. Farely “Nigh Treason”)

2. Classify all the consonants of the text according to the active organ of speech: “Along the shoreward edge of the shallows the advancing clearness was full of strange, moonbeam bodied creatures with fiery eyes. Here and there a larger pebble clung to its own air and was covered with a coat of pearls. The tide swelled in over the rain-pitted sand and smoothed everything with a lawn of silver.” (W. Golding “Lord of the Flies”)

3. Classify all the vowels of the text according to their row: “Scarlet sank to the stool, her breath coming so rapidly she feared the lacing of her stays would burst. Oh, what a terrible thing to happen. She had never thought to meet this man again. He picked up her black fan from the counter and began fanning her solicitously, his face grave but his eyes still dancing.” (M. Mitchell “Gone with the wind.”)

4. Classify all the vowels of the text according to the vertical position of the tongue: “Breakfast on Sunday morning was an hour later than on weekdays, and Priscilla, who usually made no public appearance before luncheon, honored it by her presence. Dressed in black silk, with a ruby cross as well as her customary string of pearls round her neck, she presided.” (A. Huxley ”Crome Yellow”)

5. Classify all the consonants of the text according to the presence/absence of the voice and noise/tone conformity: ”With this backwash of wounded bearing conflicting reports and the increase of frightened refugees crowding into the already crowded town, Atlanta was in the uproar. The small cloud on the horizon had blowup swiftly into a large, sullen storm-cloud and it as though a faint, chilling wind blew from it.” (M. Mitchell “Gone with the wind.”)

B. Text to be analysed:

Cinderella.

Once upon a time there lived a young girl called Cinderella. She had a step-mother and two ugly step-sisters who were very unkind to her. One day the Prince invited them to a ball. The ugly sisters went, but Cinderella had to stay at home. As she was sitting by the fireside crying, her fairy Godmother suddenly appeared before her.

The fairy waved her wand and the pumpkin was turned into a golden coach, eight nice became eight lovely horses and some lizards changed into coachmen. Cinderella’s rags were turned into a beautiful dress. “How you can go to the ball”, said her fairy Godmother , “but remember: you mustn’t stay after midnight.”