Phonology, phonetics, prosodics

​​In a nutshell

Phonology, phonetics and prosodics are three areas of study relating to sounds and speech produced in a particular language. In this summary, you will learn the differences between them, and how they influence speech. 

Phonology

Phonology is the study of sounds in a particular language. The sound patterns produced when speaking and the changes that occur in speech sounds are the main subjects of study in phonology. 

When analysing a text, a phonological approach is produced when you centre the attention on how the sounds are related to the meanings.

Example

'All you need is vitamin sea.'

This sentence uses the phoneme 'sea' vs 'c'. In the context of the sentence, 'sea' implies that it is something necessary for a human being in the same way vitamins are necessary. So, the pun that is produced is based off sound. 

Phonetics

Phonetics is the study of the way sounds are produced by the speech organs. Therefore, the focus of phonetics is the specific place in the mouth where a certain sound is produced and how other elements like air flow and breathing influence those sounds. 

Example

breath vs breathe

Both words are spelt with 'th', however, the 'th' sound is pronounced differently in each word due to elements such as the position of the tongue and the vibration of the vocal cords. 

Prosodics

Prosodics is the study of the stress patterns, rhythm and intonation that influence the meaning of language.

Pace

Pace refers to the speed at which you speak.

Intonation

Intonation refers to the pitch of your voice when speaking such as the rise or the fall of the voice.

Example

'Got the keys?' vs 'Got the keys.'

The two sentences are the same but the meaning changes according to the intonation. If the voice pitch rises, the sentence changes into a question, but if the voice pitch stays the same, the sentence is an affirmation.

Stress

Stress is the intensity in volume or emphasis put on the pronunciation of a word or syllable. 

Example

Record (noun) vs Record (verb)

When the word 'record' is a noun, the first syllable is stressed. When 'record' is a verb, the last syllable is stressed.