phonetics

Phonetics: The English consonants /p/ /b/

/p/ /b/

/p/ for pen

  • Regularly spelt with p o pp and but not in the word hiccough /’hikʌp/
  • Sometimes p is in the spelling of the word but it is not pronounced like in psychology that sounds as if it were ‘s’ or cupboard were this letter is silent.
  • Ph usually sounds like British /f/ like: elephant, philology, physics.
  • Some words with this sound are: pen, cap, pupil, puppet.
  • The transcription of these words are: /pen/ /kæp/ /pju:pə/ /pʌpɪl/

 /b/ for boy

  • Regularly spelt with b.
  • The letters ‘b’ and ‘v’ are pronounced in the same way in Spanish. This does not happen in the English language as they have different sounds.
  • Sometimes b is in the spelling but it does not sound like in the words climb and lamb.
  • Some words with this sound are: boy, ball, about, rubber and problem.
  • The transcription of these words are: /bɔɪ/ /bɔː:l/  /ə’baʊt/ /’rʌbə/ /’prɒbləm/

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