Finesentence mobile logo
Sign in Login / Register

Phonetics Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

๐Ÿ”Š
Add to dictionary

phonetics

[fษ™หˆnetษชks ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

study of speech sounds

Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that studies the sounds of human speech, orโ€”in the case of sign languagesโ€”the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs (phones): their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory perception, and neurophysiological status.

Examples of usage

  • Phonetics helps us understand how speech sounds are produced.
  • The course on phonetics covers topics such as vowel sounds and consonant sounds.
Context #2 | Noun

transcription of speech sounds

Phonetics also refers to the systematic transcription of speech sounds into written symbols. This transcription allows linguists to accurately represent the sounds of a language and analyze their patterns.

Examples of usage

  • The phonetics of English can be challenging to transcribe.
  • Linguists use the International Phonetic Alphabet for phonetic transcription.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'phonetics'

The word 'phonetics' originated from the Greek word 'phลnฤ“,' meaning 'voice' or 'sound.' The modern study of phonetics began in the 19th century, focusing on the scientific analysis of speech sounds. Over time, phonetics has developed into a vital field for understanding language production and perception.

See also: phone, phoneme, phonemic, phoner, phoney, phonically, smartphone, telephone, telephonist.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,893, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.