Definitions
Phonetics
Accent: The characteristic pronunciation patterns associated with a particular region, social group, or individual speaker.
Allophone: Variant pronunciations of a phoneme that do not change the meaning of a word, occurring in different phonetic contexts.
Articulators: Organs or structures involved in shaping speech sounds, including the tongue, lips, and palate.
Aspiration: A burst of air accompanying the release of a voiceless plosive, as in the initial sound of “top”.
Consonant: A speech sound characterised by constriction or closure at one or more points in the vocal tract, excluding vowels.
Diphthong: A complex vowel sound formed by the combination of two simpler vowel sounds, pronounced within the same syllable.
Fricative Sound: A speech sound produced by forcing air through a narrow channel, causing friction or turbulence.
Glide Vowel: A speech sound that functions as a vowel but glides quickly into or out of another vowel sound.
Glottal Stop: A brief interruption of airflow caused by the closure of the glottis, often heard as a replacement for a consonant sound.
Intonation: The variation in pitch or tone used in speech, which can convey meaning, mood, or emphasis.
Manner of Articulation: The way in which airflow is obstructed to produce a consonant sound, such as stop, fricative, or nasal.
Monophthong: A single, unchanging vowel sound, produced without any glide or change in quality.
Phoneme: The smallest unit of sound in a language that can change meaning.
Phonetics: The study of speech sounds, including their production, transmission, and perception, often involving the analysis of the physical properties of sounds.
Place of Articulation: The point in the vocal tract where a consonant sound is produced, such as the lips, teeth, or back of the throat.
Plosive Sound: A speech sound produced by a sudden release of air after a complete closure in the vocal tract.
Prosody: The patterns of rhythm, intonation, and stress in spoken language, which contribute to its musical and expressive qualities.
Schwa: The most common vowel sound in English, represented by the symbol /ə/, occurring in unstressed syllables and having a neutral or reduced quality.
Semi-vowel: A speech sound that has characteristics of both a vowel and a consonant, such as /j/ in “yes” or /w/ in “we”.
Stop Consonant: A consonant sound produced by a complete closure of the vocal tract, followed by a sudden release of air.
Syllable: A unit of speech that typically contains a vowel sound and may be accompanied by consonant sounds, forming the basic building blocks of words.
Syllabic Consonant: A consonant sound that serves as the nucleus of a syllable, functioning as a vowel.
Syllable Stress: Emphasis placed on a particular syllable within a word when speaking.
Tone: The pitch or sound quality of a spoken syllable, which can convey emotions, attitudes, or linguistic distinctions.
Linking R: The pronunciation of the /r/ sound in certain positions in connected speech, such as between a word ending in a vowel sound and a word beginning with a vowel sound.
Phonetic Transcription: The representation of speech sounds using symbols from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), providing a precise and standardized way to notate pronunciation.
Stress-timed Language: A language in which syllables are pronounced at relatively regular intervals, with stressed syllables occurring at consistent intervals, such as English.
Syllable-timed Language: A language in which syllables are pronounced at relatively equal intervals of time, such as French or Spanish.
Voiced: A sound produced with vibration of the vocal cords, such as /b/, /d/, /g/.
Voiceless: A sound produced without vibration of the vocal cords, such as /p/, /t/, /k/.
Accents
Received Pronunciation (RP):
A standardised British English accent historically associated with the upper classes, education, and clear articulation, often linked to “BBC English” or the “Queen’s English”.
Modern RP:
A more neutral and contemporary form of RP, characterised by less raising of the velar region and reduced voice inflexion. It prioritises clarity over projecting any sense of status or formality.
Standard British English (SBE):
A term for a widely understood British accent, often used interchangeably with Modern RP, but with less emphasis on precise articulation of specific sounds and facial movements.
Neutral English Accent:
The “neutral” accent is commonly used today as a term to avoid referring directly to RP. It generally describes an accent that lacks strong regional features and is widely understood, often perceived as clear and impartial in tone, without specific social or regional associations.
Traditional RP:
An older form of RP linked to the early 20th century, characterised by a refined and formal style of speech, now less common in modern usage.
Upper RP:
A highly formal and prestigious form of Received Pronunciation historically associated with the British upper class and aristocracy, today often perceived as overly refined or affected.
Plummy Accent:
A “plummy” accent is a term used to describe an exaggerated, upper-class British accent, where the speaker’s articulation can sound overly refined, as if they have a plum in their mouth. This results in an excessive raising of the velar region, creating a distinct, somewhat affected tone that is often associated with the British aristocracy. It can be perceived as pretentious or overly formal.
Mockney:
Mockney is an accent often adopted by individuals from an RP-speaking background, typically those who have been privately educated. It involves mimicking features of the Cockney accent, usually as a way to sound more relatable or to distance themselves from the perceived elitism of RP.