同学们，本栏目是对你们学过的知识和生活中常见问题的归纳。其中，有一些共性问题，也许你会需要哦！

让我来帮你解决常见问题！

Question1: What is IPA? What is the function of IPA? Describe in your own language.

Answer:

The widely used symbols for phonetic transcription of speech sounds are the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It attempts to represent each sound of human speech with a single symbol and the symbols are enclosed in brackets [ ] to distinguish phonetic transcriptions from the spelling system of a language.

Function:

a) It enables linguistics to transcribe speech sounds of languages consistently and accurately.

b) It helps teachers and learners to distinguish the spelling and pronunciation of words.

c) English textbooks and dictionaries generally make use of IPA in transcribing the variants of languages.

Question2: Can you describe the definition of vowels and consonants?

Answer:

Vowels are sounds made with the vocal tract more open than it is for consonants. There is hardly any obstruction of the airflow.

Consonants are sounds produced with a narrow or complete closure in the vocal tract. The air stream is either blocked momentarily or obstructed partially.

Question3: How to describe English consonants?

Answer:

Consonants can be described in terms of places of articulation, manners of articulation and voicing of articulation.

Manners of articulation refer to how the air stream is modified, whether it is completely blocked or partially obstructed. According to manners of articulation, consonants are classified into stops, nasals, fricatives, affricatives, liquids, and glides.

Places of articulation refer to each point at which the air stream can be modified to produce a sound. According to places of articulation, consonants are classified into bilabial, labiodental, interdental, alveolar, palatal, velar and glottal.

Voicing of articulation refers to the vibrating of the vocal cords when sounds are produced. In terms of voicing of articulation, consonants are divided into voiced sounds and voiceless sounds.