Chapter I

Notes

Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Language and linguistics 1.1.1 Phonetics as part of linguistics PHONETICS as a subject of study is nowadays considered to be part of linguistics. But in departments of linguistics in universities it is still a subject with more autonomy than other areas, for various reasons: it is the only section of linguistics which deals almost entirely with the spoken language (the exception being the relationship between sounds and spellings); it is often heavily dependent on instruments and even more dependent on computers than other areas of language study; it depends on data more than other areas of linguistics; and it depends on scaled measurements more than other areas of linguistics. Nevertheless phonetics does overlap with and inform almost all other areas of linguistics. Phonetics informs MORPHOLOGY, particularly inflexions, e.g. the morphophonemic alternations in plural formation in English as illustrated by the /s/ in in cats, the /z/ in dogs, the /rz/ in losses (see § 10.10.4(2)). Phonetics informs SYNTAX, e.g. it highlights word class differences, e.g. between the accent placement in th...