Introduction
What is Phonetics ?
Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that examines sounds in a language. Phonetics describes these sounds using the symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The IPA uses a single symbol to desribe each sound in a language. If a letter in a word is silent, there will be no IPA symbol used in the transcriptions?
For whom this course is designed ?
This course is a practical guide to speaking with a neutral English Accent for non-native speakers (those whose first language is not English). It may also interest students of phonetics and English teachers.
This course introduces the concepts, terminology and representations needed for an understanding of how English is pronounced around the world. Assuming no prior knowledge, the course guides readers through the vocal tract and explains how sounds of speech are made.
Which English model is used ?
The model used in this course book is RP (Received Pronunciation) which is a neutral English accent, sometimes known as BBC English.
