This introduction to the sounds of Japanese is designed for English-speaking students with no prior knowledge of the language, and includes web-based audio files which demonstrate the sounds and pronunciation described. It explains how speech sounds are produced in Japanese (articulatory phonetics), and the system of sounds in Japanese (phonology). Topics covered include vowels, consonants, syllables, accents, intonations, and phonemics, with a wealth of authentic Japanese examples provided. Clear comparisons with English are given, along with practical pronunciation advice. All the sounds described are demonstrated by native speakers in a set of web-based audio files, and over fifty graded exercises are provided, encouraging students to put their knowledge into practice. It will be an invaluable resource for students of Japanese wishing to improve their pronunciation, as well as those studying Japanese linguistics.
Author(s): Timothy J. Vance
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: xx,263
Contents
List of figures x
List of tables xiv
Preface xvii
1 Phonetics 1
1.1 Speech sounds
1.2 Airstream mechanisms 3
1.3 Phonation 3
1.4 Nasality 4
1.5 Transcription and segments 5
1.6 Length 6
1.7 Suprasegmentals 7
1.8 Vowels 7
1.9 Obstruents 11
1.10 Sonorants 17
1.11 Secondary and double articulations
1.12 Acoustic displays 20
Exercises 24
2 Phonemics 26
2.1 Phonology 26
2.2 Contrast and minimal pairs 26
2.3 Allophones and phonemic symbols 27
2.4 Allophones in complementary distribution 28
2.5 Allophones in free variation 29
2.6 Distinctive features 30
2.7 Redundant features and allophonic rules 32
2.8 Phonotactics 35
2.9 Affricates 37
2.10 Diphthongs 39
2.11 Overlapping and neutralization 42
2.12 Careful pronunciation 46
Exercises 50
3 Vowels 53
3.1 Short vowels 53
3.2 Long vowels 56
3.3 Vowel sequences 61
3.4 Vowel reduction 68
Exercises 70
4 Syllable-initial consonants 74
4.1 Stops 74
4.2 Fricatives 77
4.3 Affricates 82
4.4 Nasals 87
4.5 Liquid 89
4.6 Semivowels 89
Exercises 94
5 Syllable-final consonants 96
5.1 Syllable-final nasals 96
5.2 The mora nasal phoneme 100
5.3 Phonotactics of the mora nasal 104
5.4 Syllable-final obstruents 105
5.5 The mora obstruent phoneme 106
5.6 Phonotactics of the mora obstruent 108
Exercises 112
6 Syllables and moras 115
6.1 Syllables 115
6.2 Moras 117
6.3 Mora timing 121
6.4 Syllables, moras, and accent 123
6.5 Words and music 126
6.6 Extra-long syllables 131
6.7 Vowel-vowel sequences 133
Exercises 138
7 Accent and intonation 142
7.1 Intonation 142
7.2 Pitch accent 143
7.3 Noun and particle accent 154
7.4 Verb accent 162
7.5 Adjective accent 173
7.6 Longer phrases 180
7.7 Compounds 187
7.8 Sentence-final intonation 195
Exercises 198
8 Other topics 206
8.1 Vowel devoicing 206
8.2 Syllable-initial velar nasals 214
8.3 Glottal stops 222
8.4 Alveopalatal obstruents and romanization 225
Exercises 232
Appendices 236
Appendix A Broad phonetic transcription 236
Appendix B Phonemes and allophones 237
Appendix C Hepburn and Kunrei romanization 239
References 245
Index 258
