Chapter Ⅰ Introduction 1
Means of Communication 1
The Speech Chain 1
Three Branches of Phonetics 3
English Phonetics 4
The Need for the Study of Phonetics 4
The Phoneme 6
Phonetic Transcription 12
English RP 18
Chapter Ⅱ Organs of Speech 22
Three Important Areas 22
The Larynx 23
The Oral Tract 24
The Nasal Tract 27
Chapter Ⅲ Classification of Speech Sounds 29
Vowels and Consonants 29
In Terms of Articulation 29
In Terms of Sonority 31
In Terms of Function 32
Chapter Ⅳ The English Consonant Phonemes 35
Classification of Consonants 35
The Differences Between Voiced and Voiceless Consonants 40
Plosives 43
Fricatives 55
Affricates 59
Nasals 63
Approximants 66
Frictionless Continuant/r/ 67
Lateral/l/ 68
Semi-Vowels 70
Chapter Ⅴ The English Vowel Phonemes 75
Cardinal Vowels 76
Classiflcation of Vowels 83
Monophthongs 85
Front Vowels 86
Back Vowels 90
Central Vowels 93
Diphthongs 98
The Nature of Diphthongs 98
Types of Diphthongs 100
Closing Diphthongs 100
Centring Diphthongs 107
Difficulties of Chinese Learners in Acquiring Dipnthongs 110
Chapter Ⅵ Syllable Formation and Syllable Division 114
Types of Syllable 115
Syllable Division 115
Chapter Ⅶ Sounds in Connected Speech 118
Assimilation 118
Elision 123
Liaison 124
Suprasegmentals 130
Stress 130
Rhythm 144
Strong and Weak Forms 154
Chapter Ⅷ English Intonation 170
The Nature of Intonation 170
The Importance of Intonation 171
Intonation and Meaning 173
Intonation Notation 73
The Structure of Intonation 174
Two Forms of Intonation 184
Unemphatic Forms 184
Emphatic(or Intensified)Forms 195
Difficulties of Chinese Learners in Learning English Intonation 202
Chapter Ⅸ American Pronunciation and Intonation 211
General American English(GA) 211
Peculiarities of GA Pronunciation 211
Peculiarities of GA Intonation 213
American and British Intonation Differences 216
Practice Material for English Pronunciation 221
Glossary 355
Bibliography 373
Index 375