Here you will get the detailed summary of IGNOU MEG 4 Block 3B – English Phonetics and Phonology-II.
We have provided the summary of all units starting from unit 5 to unit 7.
Introduction
Block 3 (B) of the IGNOU MEG-4 course, titled English Phonetics and Phonology – II, continues the exploration of English speech sounds by focusing on vowels, word stress, rhythm, and intonation. While Block 3 (A) deals primarily with consonants and basic phonetic mechanisms, this block delves deeper into vocalic sounds and prosodic features—elements that play a crucial role in natural, fluent, and intelligible spoken English. These units are especially valuable for those aiming to improve pronunciation, understand speech patterns, or teach English phonology.
Unit 5 – The Vowels of English (Received Pronunciation – R.P.)
This unit introduces and analyzes the vowel system of Standard British English, also known as Received Pronunciation (R.P.).
Key Points:
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English has 20 vowel sounds in R.P.:
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12 pure vowels (monophthongs): e.g., /iː/, /ɪ/, /ʊ/, /ɑː/, /ʌ/
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8 diphthongs (a glide from one vowel to another): e.g., /aɪ/, /eɪ/, /əʊ/, /ɔɪ/
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Vowels are described based on:
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Tongue height (high, mid, low)
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Tongue position (front, central, back)
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Lip shape (rounded or unrounded)
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The unit provides phonetic descriptions and examples of each vowel sound.
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For example: /iː/ as in seat, /æ/ as in cat, /ɔː/ as in thought
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Differences between short vs long vowels, and the significance of vowel length in distinguishing meaning.
This unit helps learners identify and produce vowel sounds accurately and explains why they are essential for correct English pronunciation.
Unit 6 – Word Accent, Stress and Rhythm in Connected Speech
This unit focuses on the prosodic features of English, particularly word stress, sentence stress, and rhythm.
Major Topics:
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Word Stress:
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Every multi-syllable word has one primary stress (e.g., REcord [noun] vs reCORD [verb]).
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Stress is unpredictable in English and must often be learned word-by-word.
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Sentence Stress:
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Stressed words in a sentence are usually content words (nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs).
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Function words (articles, prepositions, auxiliaries) are typically unstressed.
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Rhythm:
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English is a stress-timed language, meaning stressed syllables tend to occur at regular intervals, and unstressed syllables are compressed in between.
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This gives English its characteristic “bouncy” or “musical” rhythm.
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Weak forms and contractions:
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Common in connected speech (e.g., have becomes /əv/ in I should have gone).
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Essential for fluent, natural speech.
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Understanding stress and rhythm helps improve listening comprehension and spoken fluency, making learners sound more natural and less mechanical.
Unit 7 – Intonation
This unit deals with intonation, the variation of pitch while speaking, which can convey meaning, emotion, or structure in speech.
Main Components:
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Tones:
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Falling tone: Common in statements and WH-questions (e.g., Where are you GOing?)
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Rising tone: Common in yes/no questions and uncertainty (e.g., Are you COMing?)
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Fall-rise and rise-fall: Express subtle attitudes like doubt, surprise, or contrast.
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Tone Units (Tone Groups):
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Spoken discourse is broken into intonation units, each with one nucleus (most prominent syllable).
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Example: When I arrived || the train had already left.
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Functions of Intonation:
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Grammatical: Signaling sentence type (question, command, etc.)
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Attitudinal: Conveying speaker’s mood or emotion
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Discourse: Organizing spoken information into manageable parts
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The unit also emphasizes that intonation is not random but follows patterns that native speakers use instinctively. Learners of English must train their ears and practice using these patterns to ensure clear and expressive communication.