English Phonetics and Phonology - Week 4: Consonant System Review

Introduction: Hello everyone and welcome to the Week 4 of the course English Phonetics and Pholology for the Bachelor's in English Teaching at ULACIT term IIIC 2023. This week we review our understanding of the English consonant system by making short presentations based on the assigned reading. 

Today's Goals: 

• Demonstrate theoretical knowledge of the English consonant system.
• Review the 24 consonant phonemes of English.
• Produce a phonetic transcription of simple sentences.

Guiding Questions: 

• In what places and manners can consonants be articulated?
• How do I write a phonetic transcription?
• Which English consonants are most difficult for Spanish native speakers to pronounce?

Task 1: /ˈkɑnsənənt ˈsɪstəm riˈvju/

Let's review what we have learned about the English consonant system by sharing your presentation. Share your screen and your assigned information. Avoid reading. Instead, explain in your own words the important information using your visual presentation as a guide. 

Task 2: /ɑʊɚ trænˈskrɪpʃənz/

Last week you chose three quotes from a movie, tv series, or famous character and transcribed them. Now you will share your transcriptions. Consider your teacher's examples. Try to read them in standard English. Then play the video to reveal the original quotes. This will be challenging because it also includes transcriptions of the vowels sounds which we haven't learned yet. 

• /ai hɚd jʊɚ dæd wɛnt ˈɪntu ʌ ˈrɛstəˌrɑnt ænd eit ˈɛvriθiŋ ɪn ðʌ ˈrɛstəˌrɑnt ænd ðei hæd tʌ kloʊz ðʌ ˈrɛstəˌrɑnt/

• /tu ˈælkəˌhɑl ðʌ kɑz ʌv ænd səˈluʃən tu ɑl ʌv laifs ˈprɑbləmz/

• /hai lisə hai supɚ nɪnˈtɛndoʊ ˈtʃɑlmɚz aim ˈlɚndɪŋ/

• /I herd jur dad went into a reɛsterant and eat evriθiŋ in ðe rɛstrɑnt and ðey had to kloz ðe restrant/

• /to alkahol ðe kɑuz ov and soluʃion to ɑl ov lifs problemz/

• /hi lisa hi super nintendo tʃɑlmerz Im lerndɪŋ/

Now share your own! Follow the instructions below.

• Onecopy/paste the transcriptions into the chat. 
• I'll try to read them in standard English.
• Then you can copy/paste the standard English version.
• We compare the transcriptions and standard English and look for any areas of improvement.

References: 

Carley, P., Mees, I., & Collins, B. (2018). English Phonetics adn Pronunciation Practice. Routledge.