The Pronunciation of English

More about the book

This book presents and investigates the phonological system of English, the world's most widespread language. It is designed for both current and prospective English teachers who need a comprehensive understanding of its sound system, as well as linguistics students familiar with English seeking to grasp phonology. The text covers essential aspects of English phonology and engages readers through numerous exercises that encourage discovery, formulation of general statements, and application of concepts. It addresses various topics, including English varieties, consonants, vowels, syllable structure, allophonic variation, phonotactic constraints, rhythm, intonation, mobile accents, stress placement, and the effects of casual speech on pronunciation. The chapter on vowels provides a general inventory and specific inventories to tackle dialect differences. Additionally, the phonotactics chapter is the most thorough published, offering explanations for phenomena like the diverse forms of regular plural noun endings. By covering not only American and British English but also other prominent variants, this guide serves as a comprehensive introduction to English pronunciation today.