Phonetics Sample Test FILLED OUT                                                             Summer
2011


1 Explain what the  redundancy effect  is. It is the fact that regular speech offers more cues for
understanding than necessary. In other words, certain features are redundant and it doesn’t matter
if they are absent in limited input (such as the noise of traffic).


2a Spell the transcribed expression: [Èr�k«n Èr«UÂ] rock ’n‘ roll

2b Spell the transcribed expression, tick the correct and cross the incorrect transcription:

     [  `Int«ÈneISn«Â ÈtreId]X   or    [  `Int«ÈnQSn«Â ÈtreId]√ international trade

2c Transcribe the spelt expression: an impressive personality


     [«nImÈpres«vpÎùs«ÈnQl«ti]

2d Transcribe the expression  K. Tomkova will read:

     [lUkÈf�ùw«dt«DiùIgÈzQm]


3 Mark main stresses in the following words:   unÈknown, well-Èknown, aÈdo, Èfemale, imÈportant,
Èappetite, proÈjectile, to preÈsent a Èpresent, to reÈbel

  aÈgainst the Èlaw, phoÈtography, photoÈgraphic, acÈclimatize, aquamaÈrine,

 Èeducated, Èconstipated, objecÈtivity, apotheÈosis, ineÈxactitude,

   adÈministrative, Ècannibalism, ariÈstocracy, inferiÈority, electrifiÈcation,

   meteoroÈlogical, cereÈmoniously, indiÈstinguishable, intelligiÈbility,

   uniÈlateralism, industrialiÈzation, internationaliÈzation, Ègrasshopper,

   Èfire-extinguisher, easy-Ègoing, postÈgraduate, second-Èhand, archÈbishop,

   downÈstairs, blackÈcurrant.


4 Give a phonetic description of all the sounds of the word determined. Transcribe the word.

   Do not forget about its main stress. [dIÈtÎùmInd]


Vowels

      diphthongs

                Monophthongs


      type of

                horizontal

                position of tongue

                                  The degree of openness

                                  = vertical pos. of tongue

                                                           labialization

                                                           yes - no

                                                                        quantity,

                                                                         reduction

I


                front

                                  closed

                                                           no

                                                                        reduced

Îù


                mid

                                  mid

                                                           no

                                                                        long














Consonants


 type (real ....)

                 place of articulatiom

                                      manner of articulation

                                                            tension, sonority

                                                                             aspiration


                                                                             yes - no

d

 real

                 alveolar

                                      plosive

                                                            voiced, lenis

                                                                             no

t

 real

                 alveolar

                                      plosive

                                                            voiceless, forte

                                                                             yes

m

 nasal

                 bilabial

                                      nasal plosive

                                                            voiced, lenis

                                                                             no

n

 nasal

                 labiodental

                                      nasal plosive

                                                            voiced, lenis

                                                                             no

5 Explain these expressions and give a fitting example in English:
  * phonologically relevant stress means that the stress alone may change the meaning of a word
and/or its part of speech, e.g. to present a present; a career x a carrier.
  * articulatory difference between consonants and vowels: obstructions to produce consonants, no
obstructions to produce vowels.
  * affricate: a combination of a plosive and fricative, e.g. /tS/, /dZ/
  * juncture: where one word finishes and another begins; in English, smooth liaison is preferred
to a glottal stop; frequent use of linking and intrusive r’s.