EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

A. PHYSIOLOGICAL PHONETICS: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF SPEECH

PRODUCTION
1. What is the difference between anatomy and physiology? Discuss.
2. Discuss the concept of "speech organs".
3. Is speech an overlaid function? Discuss and provide three arguments to illustrate
your point.
4. Briefly summarize the implications of current research with regard to the
assumption concerning the existence of an intermediate vocal tract.
5. List and define briefly the three physiological components of speech production.
6. Supraglottal organs: enumerate, describe, and define their roles.
7. Give brief definitions of the following terms relevant to the study of the
supraglottal organs; refer to their function in speech production where relevant:
a. alveolar processes
b. mandible
c. apex, lamina, anterodorsum, posterodorsum, radix
d. alveolar ridge
e. palate
f. velum
g. velic port
h. uvula
i. vocal tract
j. oral cavity
k. nasal cavity
l. pharyngeal cavity
8. The larynx: describe and define its function.
9. List and briefly describe the cartilages of the larynx.
10. Give brief definitions of the following terms relevant to the study of the larynx:
a. hyoid bone
b. epiglottis
c. thyroid cartilage (superior horns, inferior horns, thyrohyoid membrane)
d. cricoid cartilage
e. arytenoid cartilages
f. vocal folds
g. conus elasticus
h. adduct/abduct
i. ventricular folds
j. ventricles of Morgagni2
11. Briefly describe the following phonation types:
a. Voicelessness: (i) nil phonation, (ii) breath phonation, (iii) whisper phonation
b. Voiced phonation: explain the myoelastic-aerodynamic theory of voice
production
c. Creak phonation
d. Combined phonation types: (i) breathy voice, (ii) creaky voice
12. What does the frequency of vocal fold vibration depend on? Discuss.
13. Can the length of the vocal folds be adjusted? Discuss.
B. RESPIRATORY MECHANISM
1. Explain the concept of negative pressure breathing.
2. Define these terms: tidal volume, vital capacity, residual volume.
C. SPEECH MUSCLES
1. The muscles of speech: describe the characteristics of muscle movements in
general.
2. Enumerate and briefly describe the functions of the relevant speech muscles that
make the following articulations possible:
a. nasal vs. non-nasal articulation
b. tongue arching, as for palatal sounds, velar sounds, and high or mid vowels
c. tongue lowering, as for low vowels
d. tongue-tip raising, as for alveolars and dentals
e. tongue width adjustment, as for laterals versus nonlaterals
f. high back articulation, as for high back vowels and velar consonants
g. low back articulation, as for low back vowels and various rhotic sounds
h. lip-spreading, as for [i], [e] and [j]
i. lip-rounding, as for [o], [u], [ß] and [®]
j. jaw opening, as for all speech sounds, especially low (open) ones
D. LARYNGEAL MUSCLES
1. Name and briefly describe those laryngeal muscles that are relevant to the
following functions:
a. vocal fold abduction
b. vocal fold adduction
c. vocal fold tensioning
d. larynx lowering
e. larynx raising

PART TWO
1. Variant forms of a phoneme are called ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐.
2. What are the nasal sounds in English?
3. Distinguish between active and passive articulators?
4. What are the different branches of Phonetics?
5. Give the manner of articulation for the sound /p/.
6. What are the close vowels in English?
7. Distinguish between eggressive and ingressive air‐stream mechanisms.
8. What is IPA?
9. What is intonation?
10. Differentiate between diphthongs and clusters.

SECTION B
Give short answers to any eight questions.(Not to exceed one paragraph)
.
11. How the vocal cords change the quality of sound?
12. What is meant by transcription?
13. What is meant by aspirated plosive? What are the aspirated plosives in Malayalam?14.
How fricative sounds are produced? Give examples from English.
15. Give the phonetic descriptions for the sounds /s/, /h/, /v/and /g/?
16. Distinguish between open syllable and closed syllable.
17. What is meant by free variation?
18. What is meant by phonatory system?
19. What are the functions of vocal cords?
20. Explain the pulmonic air‐stream mechanism.
21. Define Phonemes with examples.
22. Distinguish between phonetics and phonology.

Section C
Write six short essays (Not to exceed 120 words)
23. Explain cardinal vowels with examples.
24. Write a note on diphthongs. Give examples from English.
24. Explain syllables.
25. How many back vowels in English? Indicate their tongue positions.
26. Distinguish between Laterals and fricatives.
27. What are the prosodic features?.
28. Distinguish between phonologically conditioning and morphologically conditioning?
29. What is meant by phonotactis?
30. How the vowels in English are classified?
31. Write the retroflex sounds in Malayalam.

Write any two long essays.

32. Draw the ear?
33. Describe the organs responsible for speech.
34. Distinguish between phone, phoneme and allophone with examples.
35. Write an essay on air‐stream mechanisms

PART C
The term Phonetics is derived from which language?
(a) Latin
(b) French
(c) Greek
(d) Sanskrit

What is Phonetics?
(a) Study of human speech sound
(b) Study of language
(c) Study of Grammar
(d) None of these
Which sounds are produced by forcing the air stream out of the lungs through mouth?
(a) Nasal
(b) Oral
(c) Voiced
(d) Unvoiced

In ___________ sound, air is released through the nose.

(a) Vowel
(b) Oral
(c) Nasal
(d) All of them

How many nasal sounds are there in English language?

(a) 2
(b) 5
(c) 6
(d) 3

Which of the following is an oral sound?

(a) /ŋ/
(b) /m/
(c) /k/
(d) /n/

Which of the following is a nasal sound?

(a) /m/
(b) /g/
(c) /d/
(d) /f/

How many oral sounds are there in English language?

(a) 44
(b) 41
(c) 3
(d) 5

All sounds produced with the vibration of the vocal cords are called _________ sounds.
(a) Voiced
(b) Unvoiced
(c) Oral
(d) Nasal

How many unvoiced sounds are there?

(a) 3
(b) 9
(c) 5
(d) 21

Which of the following is voiced sound? Voiced sound recognition software

(a) /p/
(b) /t/
(c) /n/
(d) /tʃ/

How many sounds are there in English?

(a) 26
(b) 21
(c) 41
(d) 44

There are __________ vowel sounds in English.

(a) 5
(b) 20
(c) 21
(d) 44

Monophthong _____________
(a) is called as a pure vowel
(b) is marked by its steady quality
(c) is a single vowel sound
(d) All of above
How many consonant sounds are there?
(a) 24
(b) 21
(c) 44
(d) 41
In the production of vowel sounds, there is ___________
(a) complete closure of the air passage between speech organs.
(b) no closure of the air passage between any speech organs.
(c) partially closure of the air passage between speech organs.
(d) All of above

Diphthong falls under the category of __________ sounds.

(a) consonant
(b) vowel
(c) both
(d) None
While pronouncing ___________, the passage is either completely or partially closed and
the air passes through the speech organs with the audible friction.
(a) monophthong
(b) diphthong
(c) consonant
(d) vowel

What is false about the consonants from following?

(a) 12 voiced and oral
(b) 3 voiced and nasal
(c) 9 unvoiced and oral
(d) None of them

Bat – Which is the correct symbol for the underlined letter?

(a) /ɑ:/
(b) /ɔ:/
(c) /æ/
(d) /Ʊ/

__________ vowel is presented in the word ‘ghost’.

(a) /eI/
(b) /Ʊə/
(c) /aƱ/
(d) /əƱ/
/j/ is used in which word?
(a) yellow
(b) jug
(c) jam
(d) zebra

/p/ in the word ‘pen’ is ________

(a) nasal and voiced Voiced sound recognition software
(b) oral and unvoiced
(c) nasal and unvoiced
(d) oral and voiced
Which is unvoiced sound among following?
(a) /ʒ/
(b) /ð/
(c) /θ/
(d) /ʤ/

Which is voiced sound among following?

(a) /r/
(b) /w/
(c) /d/
(d) All of them

I am one of the organs of speech. I am located between the roof of the mouth and upper
teeth. My surface is rough and is covered with little ridges. You can feel my shape with
your tongue. Who am I ?
(a) Hard palate
(b) Alveolar Ridge
(c) Uvula
(d) Glottis

Which organ is known as the “roof of the mouth”?

(a) Soft palate
(b) Lips
(c) Hard palate
(d) Teeth

Find the odd one out from the followings.

(a) Respiratory
(b) Phonatory
(c) Pulmonic
(d) Articulatory

Bilabial sounds are produced with the help of __________

(a) lips
(b) tongue
(c) teeth
(d) lungs
What is true about soft palate?
(a) It separates the nasal cavity from oral cavity in order to produce oral sounds.
(b) It is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull.
(c) It is located behind the upper front teeth.
(d) It is used to produce labiodental sound

_____________ is most flexible articulator which can move in many different places and
shapes.
(a) lip
(b) Uvula
(c) Tongue
(d) Hard palate

/θ/and /ð/ are such sounds which can be produced with the help of ________.
(a) lUNGS
(b) Soft palate
(c) Lips
(d) Teeth

The Adam’s apple is generally known as the ___________

(a) Glottis
(b) larynx
(c) lungs
(d) None of these

Which organ is helpful to produce harsh and throaty sounds?

(a) Uvula
(b) larynx
(c) lungs
(d) lips

/θ__t/ - Fill the blank with the correct phonetic symbol.

(a) o
(b) /Ʊ/
(c) /ɔ:/
(d) /tʃ/

The correct phonetic transcription for ‘chain’ is ____________

(a) /tʃeIn/
(b) /tʃan/
(c) /chtʃn/
(d) /chæn/

/ʤʌʤ/ is the phonetic transcription of the word __________.

(a) dug
(b) judge
(c) jug
(d) grudge

/ti:tʃ/ is the phonetic transcription of the word ____________.

(a) cheat
(b) tick
(c) teeth
(d) teach

The phonetic transcription of the word ‘journey’ is_____________.

(a) /ʤrni/
(b) /ʤrni/
(c) /jɜːrni/
(d) /ʤɜːni/

/pə’teItəƱ/ is the IPA of the word ____________.

(a) petrol
(b) patellar
(c) potato
(d) petals

The IPA of the word ‘clothes’ is __________ .

(a) /kləƱðs/
(b) /klθðs/
(c) /kloðs/
(d) /kloƱθðs/

/kju:t/ - is the transcription of the word ___________

(a) kedge
(b) cute
(c) coat
(d) cult

The transcription of the word ‘go’ is __________.

(a) /gɔ:/
(b) /gəƱ/
(c) /gƱ/
(d) /goƱ/

The IPA of the word ‘village’ is ____________.

(a) /vileʤj/
(b) /vIlaej/
(c) /vIlIʤ/
(d) /vilaʤ/

/vɜːs/ is IPA of the word ____________.

(a) verse
(b) vase
(c) vas
(d) None

The correct transcription for the word ‘Europe’ is __________.

(a) /yƱərəp/
(b) /yuərəp/
(c) /yƱrop/
(d) none of these
The IPA of the word ‘language’ is _____________.
(a) /læŋgwIʤ/
(b) /leŋgveʤ/
(c) /længwej/
(d) /længwIj/

/ju:njən/ - is the transcription of the word _________.

(a) junior
(b) unjoin
(c) union
(d) join

Give the IPA of the word ‘between’.

(a) /bItwi:n/
(b) /bitvn/
(c) /bIi:twi:n/
(d) None

/jæm/ is the transcription of the word ___________

(a) jam
(b) yam
(c) game
(d) gem
Select the right option.
(a) ocean - /əƱʃən/
(b) ocean - /əosən/
(c) ocean - /əƱsan/
(d) ocean - /əoʃən/

Which option is wrong?

(a) see - /si:/
(b) decision - /dI’sIʒən/
(c) just - /jʌst/
(d) All are right

Which is the right option ?

(a) window - /wIndəƱ/
(b) sugar - /ʃƱgə/
(c) time - /taΙm/
(d) All of them

The Received Pronunciation is called as _______________.

(a) the Queen English
(b) the Oxford English
(c) the BBC English
(d) All of them

Which statement is not true?

(a) British English is being used in United Kingdom.
(b) American English is used in United States.
(c) ‘BrE’ stands for British English.
(d) None of them.

In BrE /ɔ/ in words such as Not, block, cross, stop, college is pronounced _______ in AmE.
(a) /ɑ:/
(b) /o/
(c) /oɔ/
(d) none

The word ‘Asia’ is pronounced as /’eΙʒə/ in British English, whereas it is pronounced

__________in American English.
(a) /’eΙʃi:a/
(b) /’eΙʃə/
(c) /’eΙsi:ə/
(d) /’eΙʃ:ya/

The word glacier is pronounced as /’gleΙʃə/ in ____________ English.

(a) British
(b) Indian
(c) Amercian
(d) All of them
Identify the right statement: (i) English is widely used language for spoken purpose in all
over the world. (ii) Speaking English has become more than a trend or a fashion.
(a) (i)
(b) (ii)
(c) Both
(d) None

RP is the abbreviation of the word _____________.

(a) right pronunciation
(b) received pronunciation
(c) right practice
(d) received practice

Which manner of articulation will the sound be produced with the airflow channeled into
the nasal passages? A. Nasal B. Liquids C. Affricate D. Stops

Phonemes that have alternative phonetic realizations are called ______________. A.

Allophones B. Minimal pairs C. Onset D. Rhyme

Patterns of consonants and vowels for the word "sculpture" = ................... A. CCVCCCV
B. CCVCCCVCV
C. CCVCCVC D. CCVCCV

Patterns of consonants and vowels of "disestablishment" =....... A.

CVCVCCVCCVCCVCC B. CVCVCVCCVCCVCC C. CVCVCCVCCVCCVC

Which of the following words has a lax vowel? A. Script B. Food C. Horse D. Ski
Which of the following choices has a tense vowel? A. Pie B. Neck C. Get D. Shut

What is the characteristic of diphthongs? A. There are 3 vowel sounds. B. There are 2
vowel sounds. C. There are at least 2 vowel sounds and a consonant. D. It is a combination
between one consonant and a vowel.