PHONETIC

I get two definition of phonetic the first, Phonetic is the study of the production, transmission and reception of sound. Thus phonetics is the field of linguistic science which is concerned with how sounds are produce, what kinds of sounds are produced and how these sounds are received and represented via symbol in languages in general.

The second, this level focuses on the smallest unit of structure in language, the phoneme. Linguistic rules at this level describe how sounds are pronounced in various contexts. For instance, there is a rule of voicing assimilation in English that stipulates that when a past tense marker is added to the stem of a verb, the last sound in the stem determines whether the marker is voiced or unvoiced (i.e. whether or not the vocal cords vibrate when the consonant is pronounced).

So Phonetic is basic in Linguistic which study how to pronounce sounds, what  kind of sound are produced, and how sounds are received and represented via symbol in languages in general.

THE PRODUCTION OF SOUNDS

Speech is a product og the breathing process. Breathing incorporates inhalation as well as expiration of air. It is during this expiration of air that movements in the vocal tract and mouth are made, to produce the various types of sounds in any language.

ARTICULATORY ORGANS

The picture above shows the articulatory organs which are involved in the production of sound. the main organs are (taking them from the front of the mouth in term lips, to the back of the mouth) the upper and lower lips, upper and lower teeth, alveolar ridge behind the upper tets, the hard palate after that, the soft palate (velum) and lastly the uvula which is the mobile bit that hangs from the top, moving according to the sound being oral or nasal. On the lower side of the mouth is the most important organ of all-the tongue. This mobile articulator can be devided into three to four segments. The front end isthe tongue tip (apicum) followed by the tongue centre and the tongue back. Below the tongue is its root area also known as the epiglottis. 

LARYNX FUNCTIONS

The larynx can have four basic states in sound production:

·         It may be held tightly closed with the pulmonic air-stream pent up below it (as in the production of a glottal stop /?/).

·         It also may be slightly open with very slight vibratory action of the vocals cords (as in a whisper)

·         The glottis may also be open enough for normal vibration of the vocalcords, producing normal speech sounds.

·         It may also be held wide open so that when the air-stream passes there is audible friction (with no vibration) giving the breath state (as in /h/).

                       

Reference:

Introducing English Linguistic, Charles F Meyer

 A Linguistic Primer for Malaysians, Loga Mahesan Baskaran