phonetics

[ fuh-net-iks, foh- ]

noun

, (used with a singular verb)

1. the science or study of speech sounds and their production, transmission, and reception, and their analysis, classification, and transcription. Compare acoustic phonetics, articulatory phonetics, auditory phonetics, physiological phonetics.
2. the phonetic system or the body of phonetic facts of a particular language.
3. the symbols used to represent the speech sounds of a language.

phonetics

/ fəˈnɛtɪks /

noun

1. See phonology
   functioning as singular the science concerned with the study of speech processes, including the production, perception, and analysis of speech sounds from both an acoustic and a physiological point of view. This science, though capable of being applied to language studies, technically excludes linguistic considerations Compare phonology

Word History and Origins

Origin of phonetics¹

First recorded in 1835–45; phonetic, -ics

Example Sentences

It was a small step in learning to stick to my guns, but a leap in my comprehension of phonetics.

From The Daily Beast

Almost all French speakers have to do a serious amount of self-study to become conversant, especially when it comes to phonetics.

From The Daily Beast

My endeavour has been to put things very simply, and to make the beginner in phonetics hear for himself.

From Project Gutenberg

Modern writers in their zeal for phonetics seem to have lost their sense of proportion.

From Project Gutenberg

Their influence reaches far beyond the proper sphere of phonetics and invades that of morphology, as we shall see.

From Project Gutenberg

In phonetics, as in vocabulary, we must be careful not to exaggerate the importance of interlinguistic influences.

From Project Gutenberg

She isn't sorry to tally the pet (whose phonetics we employ) "dest wunced round the p on her soulders, only zis wunced."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accent
• diction
• utterance