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Phonetics
Is the science which studies the characteristics of human speech sounds, the sounds
produced by people when speaking, talking, discussing
This science provides methods for the description of sounds, for their classification and also
for their transcription
In order to classify something you need a criterion, which means that first we describe
sounds and then we classify them
Phonetics has three branches:
1. Articulatory Phonetics
2. Acoustic Phonetics
3. Auditory Phonetics

1. Articulatory Phonetics
Studies the way in which sounds are made or produced and technically articulated
by the vocal cords
2. Acoustic Phonetics
Studies the physical properties of speech sounds, that is why acoustic phonetics
borrows its terminology from physics and from the sub branch of physics called
acoustic
3. Auditory Phonetics
Studies the perception of sounds or more exactly the perceptional response to
speech sounds

Phonetics uses terminology which is in part borrowed from anatomy, physiology (refers on
how organs work) and from physics
EAR Auditory nerve Brain
Speaker --- Articulatory Phonetics
Sounds --- Acoustic Phonetics
Hearer --- Auditory Phonetics
Each of the three branches of Phonetics correspond more or less to the three stages of
communication


LEC Brozba Curs 1 Miercuri, 16.10.2013