English Phonetics: A Practical Course

Author: He Guangkeng (Compiler) / Chen Yongpei (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1996-12-01
Features: This book is a tutorial that explains the fundamentals of English phonetics, written in clear and easy-to-understand English. It pays particular attention to describing English pronunciation errors in connected speech while systematically introducing the basic knowledge of English phonetics. Out of the 28 units in the book, 21 units are dedicated to describing English word stress, sentence stress, pauses, weak forms, linking, elision, assimilation, rhythm, and the patterns and usage of three commonly used English intonation patterns. Mastering the phonetic phenomena in connected speech not only helps readers speak more fluently and naturally but also enhances their listening comprehension skills. The book focuses on practicality, hence omitting detailed discussions on the physical analysis of speech, historical changes in pronunciation, and other theoretical topics such as phonology. At the end of the book, there are three appendices: a bilingual appendix of phonetic terminology, a comparative appendix of phonetic symbols used in several common textbooks and dictionaries, and an introduction to the differences between British and American English phonetics. This book is suitable as a textbook for first-year English majors in universities and colleges, as well as for secondary normal schools. It can also serve as a practical reading material for general readers with a certain foundation in English who wish to improve their pronunciation, for self-learners of English, and as a reference book for English teachers.