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Phonetics: meaning, definitions and examples

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phonetics

 

[ fəˈnetɪks ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

study of speech sounds

Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that studies the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—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

Translations of the word "phonetics" in other languages:

🇵🇹 fonética

🇮🇳 ध्वनिविज्ञान

🇩🇪 Phonetik

🇮🇩 fonetik

🇺🇦 фонетика

🇵🇱 fonetyka

🇯🇵 音声学

🇫🇷 phonétique

🇪🇸 fonética

🇹🇷 fonetik

🇰🇷 음성학

🇸🇦 علم الأصوات

🇨🇿 fonetika

🇸🇰 fonetika

🇨🇳 语音学

🇸🇮 fonetika

🇮🇸 hljóðfræði

🇰🇿 фонотика

🇬🇪 ფონეტიკა

🇦🇿 fonetika

🇲🇽 fonética

Etymology

The word 'phonetics' originated from the Greek word 'phōnē,' 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.