Q.No. 17 (4 × 1 = 4 Marks)
Meaningful speech sounds are the basic raw material for any language. These sounds are represented by symbols in writing. We refer to these symbols as ‘alphabet’.
Most of the Indian languages have a fixed relationship between the sounds and their symbols. In other words, one symbol always stands for one sound and vice versa. Therefore we find absolutely no problem while reading or writing Indian languages once we learn the alphabet of that language.
The same is not the case with English. One letter may stand for many sounds. Example Q as / k / in car, as / s / in century as /t/ in change. One sound is also represented by various letters. Ex : / f / is represented by ‘ph’ in philosophy, by ‘f in fan, by ‘gh’ in rough. This results in a lot of problems for the learners, particularly for foreign learners in writing the spelling and pronouncing the written words.
A way out of this problem is a set of forty four symbols, called phonetic symbols. Each of these symbols stands for one sourid only. Learning these symbols arms us with the necessary weapons to war against the problems in pronounciation and spelling.
Study the following forty four phonetic symbols carefully and learn to identify and use them. Phonetic symbols are always placed between two Slant lines.
Vowels
Consonants
Writing the symbols that represent the sounds in a word is called phonetic transcript. In many examinations phonetic transcription is given and the examinee is asked to write the spelling of those words.
Exercises
Exercise – A
Read the words and fill in the spaces with the appropriate vowel symbol. The first one is done for you. If necessary, don’t hesitate to use a dictionary.
Exercise – B
Read the words according to the vowel symbols mentioned.
| /ɪ/ | /i:/ | /u/ | /u:/ | /ɒ/ | /ɔ:/ |
| bit | beat | wood | wooed | pot | port |
| fit | feet | look | fluke | wad | ward |
| rich | reach | should | shoed | cod | cord |
| filled | field | soot | suit | don | dawn |
Exercise – C
Go through the words and identify the sounds the end with. The first one is done for you.
| Word | /t/ /d/ /id/ | Word | /s/ /z/ /iz/ |
| rounded | /id/ | rounds | /z/ |
| packed | /t/ | packs | /s/ |
| wished | /t/ | wishes | /iz/ |
| matched | /t/ | matches | /iz/ |
| flogged | /d/ | flogs | /z/ |
| played | /d/ | plays | /z/ |
| planted | /id/ | plants | /s/ |
| worked | /t/ | works | /s/ |
Exercise-D
Read the following words. You will notice that in some words the letters ‘th’ are pronounced as /θ/ and in some others, as /ð/ and in some others, as 161. Write the sound you noticed. The first one is done for you.
the /ð/ this /ð/ through /θ/ then /ð/
thus /ð/ thought /θ/ thick /θ/ mother /ð/
Exercise – E
We get confused with the sounds /w/ and /v/. The sound /w/ is pronounced with rounded lips. The sound /v/ is pronounced with the articulation of front upper teeth and lower lip and with more force.
Now, pronounce the words aloud.
wheel ventilator
worst verse
wet veto
Exercise – F
Read the following transcriptions and write the words in ordinary spelling. The first one is done for you.
Exercise – G
Pronounce the following words and transcribe them in the column my transcription Later, consult a dictionary and make necessary corrections.
Exercise – H
Words with short vowels are entirely different from their long counterparts. Understanding the difference is vital for pronunciation. Read the words in the following table and write a few more words from your text.
| /ɪ/ | /i:/ | /ɪ/ | /i:/ | /ɪ/ | /i:/ ‘ | /ɪ/ | /i:/ |
| knit | neat | hid | heed | rim | ream | bid | bead |
| kill | keel | rid | read | lid | lead | din | dean |
| sit | seat | kin | keen | bin | bean/been | fill | feel |
| grit | greet | hit | heat | grid | greed | chit | cheat |
Write the following transcriptions using ordinary English spelling.
Exercise – 1
Answer:
i) purpose
ii) accomplish
iii) beautiful
iv) question
v) faith
vi) miserable
Exercise – 2
Answer:
i) speak
ii) constantly
iii) attention
iv) unfortunate
v) want
vi) individual
Exercise – 3
Answer:
i) transgression
ii) nervy
iii) harbinger
iv) recognize
v) strive
vi) pesticide
Exercise – 4
Answers:
i) provide
ii) literate
iii) frustration
iv) imagination
v) fear
vi) adamant
Exercise – 5
Answer:
i) stretch
ii) incredible
iii) plant
iv) condition
v) hospital
vi) entire
Exercise – 6
Answer:
i) education
ii) husband
iii) pension
iv) recently
v) mountain
vi) close
Exercise – 7
Answer:
i) desperate
ii) lull
iii) impelled
iv) resistance
v) pride
vi) faint
Exercise – 8
Answer:
i) success
ii) effort
iii) excitement
iv) worry
v) previous
vi) athletic
Exercise – 9
Answer:
i) acquaint
ii) attic
iii) horizontal
iv) gridiron
v) curb
vi) vengeance
Exercise – 10
Answer:
i) emphatic
ii) appearance
iii) mention
iv) gentleman
v) tremble
vi) sleep