Professional Communication Multiple Choice Questions on “Types of Phonetics”.
1. Which of these terms refer to the study of speech process?
a) Phonology
b) Phonetic substances
c) Phonetics
d) Semantics
Answer: c
Clarification: Phonetics is the study of speech processes. It includes the anatomy, neurology and pathology of speech. It also includes the articulation, classification and perception of speech sounds. It shouldn’t be confused with Phonology, which is the study of speech sounds of a given language and their function within the sound system of that language; or Semantics, which is a field of Linguistics that is primarily concerned with meaning in various languages.
2. Which of these is not a type of phonetics?
a) Articulatory
b) Personal
c) Acoustic
d) Auditory
Answer: b
Clarification: Phonetics can be divided into three main branches. These are Articulatory phonetics, Accoustic phonetics and Auditory phonetics.
3. Articulatory phonetics is the study of physical properties of speech sounds.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: Articulatory phonetics is the study of the movement of the speech organs while words are being uttered. Acoustic phonetics is the study of physical properties of speech sounds which include frequency and amplitude.
4. Which of these terms refer to the study of hearing and perception of speech sounds?
a) Articulatory phonetics
b) Acoustic phonetics
c) Auditory phonetics
d) Laboratory phonetics
Answer: c
Clarification: Auditory phonetics is the study of hearing and perception of speech sounds. Articulatory phonetics deals with the movement of speech organs whereas Acoustic phonetics deals with the physical properties of speech sounds.
5. Laboratory phonetics is a branch which uses instruments to study sounds.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Laboratory phonetics is experimental phonetics which uses instruments ( both mechanical and electronics) to study sounds.
6. What is the term used for ingressive air-sounds produced?
a) Claps
b) Snap
c) Clicks
d) Beats
Answer: c
Clarification: Normally, speech sounds are produced on egressive pulmonic air-stream during exhilaration. In few cases, ingressive air sounds are also made. Such speech sounds are called clicks.
7. Which of these refer to the sound features of a language?
a) Morphemics
b) Phonetic substances
c) Phonetics
d) Syntax
Answer: b
Clarification: Phonetic substances refer to the sound features of a language, as studied by articulatory, acoustic and auditory phonetics. It is different from Phonetics, which studies the kinds of sounds made by human speech using the speech organs; and also different from Morphemics, which is the synchronic study of words.
8. What does the phonetic symbol d represent?
a) Voiced bilabial plosive
b) Voiceless palatal plosive
c) Voiced alveolor plosive
d) Voiced dental fricative
Answer: c
Clarification: The symbol d refers to Voiced alveolor plosive. The symbol b refers to Voiced bilabial plosive and c refers to Voiceless palatal plosive.
9. What is the full form of IPA?
a) Indian Phonetic Alphabet
b) International Phonetic Alphabet
c) International Phonetic Agreement
d) Indian Phonetic Agreement
Answer: b
Clarification: IPA is International Phonetic Alphabet which provides a uniform international medium for studying and transcribing sounds of all languages of the world. In case of English, it assists in creating international intelligibility in pronunciation.
10. What does the sign / / represent?
a) Phonetic transcription
b) Centralization
c) Voiced bilabial nasal
d) Rising- falling pitch
Answer: a
Clarification: Phonetic transcription is represented by / /. Centralization is represented by “. Voiced bilabial nasal is represented by m.