Sounds are the smallest elements of speech. These are the so-called atoms that make up the molecules of the word. The sounds of speech are divided into two large groups. How these groups are called and how they differ from each other, you will learn from this article.
A bit about phonetics
The word "phonetics" comes from the Greek word phone, which in translation into Russian means "sound". Consequently, phonetics is the science of sounds. But this is not entirely true, the definition requires clarification. Phonetics does not study absolutely all sounds that exist in nature. For example, she is not interested in the barking of dogs, the meowing of cats, the rustling of leaves in the wind, or the music born under the talented hands of a pianist.
Phonetics is the science of the sounds of human speech. Any word consists of sounds. And frozen sounds are letters. We write letters, and we hear sounds.
Scientists thought about how to write out information about sounds in writing if they are available only to our ears. And they came up with transcription, that is, the recording of graphic images of sounds in square brackets.
Speech sounds: vowels and consonants
Have you noticed that some sounds can be sung, while others seem to be stuck in the speech apparatus? It is on this basis that speech sounds are divided into consonants and vowels. For example, say alternately [and] and [th]. Which of these sounds is pronounced freely, and which overcomes the barrier? Which one do you think is the vowel and which is the consonant?
Vowels
So, the sounds of speech are divided into vowels and consonants. The first ones can be easily sung and pulled without visible effort until you have enough breath, because when you exhale they do not meet any obstacles, your lips are open and your tongue is resting.
There are 6 vowels in Russian: [a], [o], [y], [e], [s], [and] and 10 letters that designate them. Why do you think there are 4 more letters? Most often, one letter denotes one sound, but there are four magic letters in which two whole sounds are hidden e - [ye], e - [yo], u - [yu], I - [ya].
Consonants
Say all the consonants that you remember. Is it easy to sing them? Vocal cords during conversation work like strings of a guitar. If they are tense, then voiced consonants are created under the pressure of exhaled air; if they are relaxed, they are in relative peace and produce dull consonants.
Exercises
1. How many sounds in words: son (3), night (3), day (3), vowel (7), learn (4), one (4), fountain (6), island (6), rule (7 ), rose (4), Yana (4), a million (6)?
2. Count in words the vowels and consonants: yourself (2-2), congratulations (4-7), fell (2-2), sultan (2-4), boy (2-4), meeting (2-5) , said (4-4), let's go (2-3), doctor (1-3), homeland (3-3), frost (2-3).
3. How many categories can the sounds of our speech be divided into?
Answer: Speech sounds are divided into two groups: vowels and consonants.