ENGLISH PHONOLOGY

English Phonology

English Phonology

Introduction

Language is a very important tool of communication, and it has been used in different forms by different groups of people and in different ages. Language structures our thoughts and expressions in meaningful forms and shapes our social presence. It builds our relationship with the world around us. It helps us in retaining presence in the universe with the help of developing our own unique ideas, opinions, and views; using nothing but, a language. Learning a Second Language has been a matter of discussion since a long time. Many different theorists feel the need and urgency to acquire different languages as time passes and advancements takes place. Learning a second language other than the mother tongue enhances our skills and results in our ability to outperform at work or in school. Learning a second language can actually improve upon a person's interpretive and analytical skills and improve upon his/her efficiency in communicating to different people in all possible situations.

Phonology

Phonology is the branch of linguistics, which studies the sound system of languages, compared to the physical articulation of language (phonics). Among the variety of sounds that can issue a speaker, it is possible to recognize those who represent the 'same' sound, though the ways of pronouncing is different from the acoustic point of view (Gimson, A. C, 2001, p.102).

Each time you issue a word, it is done the same way because each issue depends on the other sounds that surround it. The sounds take on different values depending on the role they occupy in a given context, but there are some features that do not change. On the other hand, the sounds that make up a word are the smallest units that make it different from another. A simple test to prove it is the comparison of what is called 'meaning-carrying segments of so-called minimal pairs': the sounds that make the word can be replaced by others.

Phonology is a subfield of linguistics. While the phonetic and acoustic studies the physiological nature of sounds or allophones, phonology describes the way sounds function in a language or languages in general. An application such as Pronunciation Power allows the student to see a video of native-speaker facial movements without embarrassing stares, to watch an animated sagittal section demonstrating articulatory organs that are otherwise hidden and to view voice wave forms which plot the student's own recorded speech against a target original model. The activities may be repeated without re-winding a tape or requesting the teacher to reiterate (Gussmann, 2002, pp.180-202).

Cyclic Derivations in Present day English

There are no doubts about the changes that occur in all languages, although some are more obvious than others. The changes in language is the result of using the movement of society, the exchange of ideas and thoughts and the combination of multiple factors. Many changes have taken place in the written and spoken English due to changes in different changes taking place. So many people complain about how bad it is spoken and written today, compared to ...