A unique and accessible introduction to the field of phonetics through real-life applications and practical examples
The dynamic field of phonetics, the science of the structure and function of human speech, has seen exciting technological innovations and new applications in recent years. Applying Phonetics introduces students to the field through a unique exploratory approach that highlights practical applications and focuses on the diverse ways in which the speech sciences influence daily life. Requiring no prior knowledge of linguistics, this accessible, student-friendly textbook introduces the key concepts in phonetics and explains their relevance to contemporary applications. Even students who have completed introductory linguistics courses will discover plenty of new material in this volume.
Rather than immediately delving into complex theoretical information, the text presents a brief overview of basic concepts and then uses applications—speech synthesis, forensic speech science, language teaching—to explain the details. This unique approach increases student interest and comprehension, clearly demonstrating how speech science is beneficial to society. Engaging, easily-relatable topics include speech anatomy and physiology, the nature of normal and disordered speech development, the origins of speech, and speech applications in forensics, music, drama, film, and business. Written by a respected expert with over 25 years’ experience teaching linguistics and phonetics, this textbook
- Explores the wide-ranging applications of phonetics areas such as accessibility, computer speech, education, the fine arts, and business
- Demonstrates how practical problems have been addressed through phonetics, such as the use of speech analysis for forensic purposes
- Presents real-life case studies that illustrate fundamental phonetics concepts
- Includes exercises and activities, discussion questions, an extensive glossary, further readings, and a companion website
Applying Phonetics: Speech Science in Everyday Life is an ideal text for undergraduate students with no prior knowledge of linguistics, as well as those needing to expand their knowledge of phonetic principles. It will appeal to students in education, computer science, cognitive science, biology, psychology, business, and music.
Table of Contents:
Foreword xii
Acknowledgments xiii
About the Companion Website xiv
Part I What Is Speech? 1
1 Introducing Phonetics: The Science of Speech 3
1.1 speech, language, and communication 4
1.2 the sound structure of speech 8
1.3 phonetics as a field of study 9
2 The Human Vocal Tract 14
2.1 the vocal apparatus 14
2.2 making speech 15
for further reading 24
3 Sound, Spelling, and Phonetic Transcription 25
3.1 why do speech specialists need a phonetic alphabet? 25
3.2 phonetic transcription 28
for further reading 31
4 The Sounds of Language 32
4.1 consonants 32
4.2 vowels 36
4.3 speech sounds in other languages 39
for further reading 41
5 Beyond Segments 42
5.1 syllables 42
5.2 stress 43
5.3 rhythm 46
5.4 intonation 48
for further reading 50
Part II Speech as a Human Phenomenon 51
6 The Origins of Speech 53
6.1 our place in evolution 53
6.2 how special is speech? 58
for further reading 61
7 Speech Across the Lifespan 62
7.1 anatomical development from infancy to the teens 62
7.2 the development of speech perception 65
7.3 childhood speech production 69
7.4 speech in adulthood 73
7.5 aging 75
for further reading 77
8 When Things Go Wrong: Disorders of Speech 78
8.1 cleft lip and cleft palate 78
8.2 stuttering 80
8.3 laryngectomy 81
8.4 aphasias 84
8.5 some additional disorders 85
8.6 the role of speech–language pathologists 85
8.7 transcribing disordered speech 86
for further reading 87
Part III Applying Phonetics 89
9 Machines that Talk 91
9.1 the history of speech synthesis 91
9.2 the nature of synthetic speech 99
9.3 the secret life of text‐to‐speech systems 101
9.4 how good is your speech synthesizer? 107
9.5 the future of synthetic speech 109
for further reading 110
10 Forensic Speech Science 111
10.1 earwitness identification 111
10.2 expert speaker identification: whose speech is on that threatening voicemail? 119
10.3 speaker profiling: what does the sound of a voice tell us about its owner? 126
10.4 disputed utterance analysis: was that really a confession? 128
10.5 other applications 131
10.6 some closing thoughts 131
for further reading 132
11 Pronunciation Teaching 133
11.1 second‐language learning and accented speech 135
11.2 the nature of L2 accents 136
11.3 analyzing L2 speech 138
11.4 L2 accents and communication 141
11.5 pronunciation in second‐language instruction 143
for further reading 151
12 Phonetics for Stage, Screen, and Concert Hall 152
12.1 accents for actors 152
12.2 some applications in vocal music 161
for further reading 167
13 More Applications in Arts and Entertainment 168
13.1 speech and animation 168
13.2 invisible speech: the paradox of ventriloquism 172
13.3 the sounds of constructed languages 173
for further reading 176
14 Phonetics in the Business World (and Beyond) 177
14.1 automatic speech recognition 177
14.2 the surprising story of the vocoder 180
14.3 speech in branding and marketing 182
for further reading 187
15 Ethical Issues 188
15.1 talking about speech 188
15.2 speech science versus speech science fiction 190
15.3 other ethical concerns 192
for further reading 195
Epilogue 196
Appendix 197
Glossary 199
List of Sources 207
Index 217
About the Author :
MURRAY J. MUNRO is Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada, where he has taught linguistics and phonetics for the past 25 years. His published books include Pronunciation (co-edited with J. Levis, 2017) and Pronunciation Fundamentals: Evidence-based perspectives for L2 Teaching and Research (co-authored with T. Derwing, 2015). His research centers on the ways in which linguistics can be used to address practical problems and has appeared in a wide range of journals covering the speech sciences and applied linguistics.
Review :
“…Applying Phonetics is not only one of the most informative introductions to phonetics that I have encountered, it is certainly also one of the most approachable.” - Janine A. E. Strandberg, University of Groningen, LINGUIST List 32.1818
