English Pronunciation for
Communication
A Practical Course for Students of English
By
Wang Guizhen
Faculty of English Language & Culture
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
The Learning of Rhythmic structure in
English Utterances
Hypothesis,two types of meter in the world’s languages,
Stress-timing and syllable-timing
Stress-timing,Equal intervals between prominent syllables
Prototypical languages,English,Dutch,German
Syllable-timing Equal syllable durations
Prototypical languages,French,Spanish
All languages of the world are said to fall into one group or the other
Speech Rhythm
? But no acoustic evidence for meter in speech
Stress-timed languages,intervals between stressed syllables not equal
Syllable-timed languages,successive syllables not equal in length
? Nor are intervals between stressed languages more regular in stressed-
than in syllable-timed languages
? But languages do sound rhythmically different - why?
Empirical evidence?
Speech rhythm
? What is it that makes rhythm language specific?
? Not meter
? Meter is a concept taken from western music which has meter
? Linguists who have proposed that language has meter are from a
European language background
? Alternative hypothesis,Languages sound rhythmically different
because of different levels of acoustic-phonetic variability in the
speech signal variability in vowel durations
Speech rhythm
? If vowel durations highly variable,language sounds ‘stress-timed’
? Languages with vowel reduction,English,Dutch,German
? If vowel durations similar,language sounds ‘syllable-timed’
? Languages such as French and Spanish which do not have vowel
reduction
Low and Grabe 1995,Ramus et al 2000
Speech Rhythm
? Although there is no evidence for meter in speech,there is
an acoustic basis for cross-language differences in speech
rhythm
? But what about the stress-timing/syllable-timing
dichotomy? Linguists proposed that the world’s languages
would fall into two rhythm classes
? Is there evidence for this dichotomy from durational
variability data?
Two rhythm classes?
The following comparisons are required
(1) A comparison of data from languages cited in the
literature as stress-timed and languages cited as
syllable-timed
(2) A comparison of the data in (1) with evidence
from unclassified languages
French
German
Dutch
Spanish
British English
20
30
40
50
60
70
Va
ria
bil
ity
In
de
x
Prototypical languages
French
German
Dutch
Spanish
British English
20
30
40
50
60
70
Va
ria
bil
ity
In
de
x
unclassified
Hitherto unclassified languages
Grabe and Low
Tones in Mandarin
? The syllable ma can have four different meanings,
depending on the pitch level/movement
ma
m
a
am
m
a
high level high rising low falling rising high falling
‘mother’ ‘hemp’ ‘horse’ ‘scold’
I,Stressed-Timed Rhythm
syllable-timed languages, stress-timed languages
An ideal realization from which ‘performance' factors are absent.
The rhythm is both regular and irregular; the regularity is provided by
the strong 'beat' at the beginning of each foot,and the irregularity by
the unequal distribution of time within the foot.
II,Rhythm and Vowel Reduction
English rhythm:
A pattern in which long syllables alternate with short ones.
III,The Distribution of English Stresses
1,Form words are typically unstressed.
2,Content words are normally stressed.
3,Form words are stressed where contrast is expressed.
4,Any word being repeated is usually not stressed.
5,Many stressings are idiomatic.
…
Beats:
? Try saying or listening to the sentences below:
M:\stress.mp3
1 2 3 4
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
1 and then a 2 and then a 3 and then a 4 and then a
Rhythmic patterns,Chinese vs English
English Rhythm
Eg:
I shall have to try and get some cash from our bank at
lunchtime,Then we can let them have the money that they
want as soon as they like,What are they asking us to pay them?
Stressed vs unstressed
Strong forms vs Weak forms
More advanced learners will find that attempts to use them
properly are more likely to improve the naturalness of their speech
than efforts in practically any other area of pronunciation,
Alternation preference
The strategy for learning to use weak forms properly:
1,The essential weak form words must be identified,
2,Establish when they must have their strong forms,when they
must have their weak forms.
Mark out the stressed syllables.
I shall have to try and get some
cash from our bank at lunchtime,
Then we can let them have the
money that they want as soon as
they like,What are they asking
us to pay them?
Mark out the stressed syllables.I shall have to try and get some
cash from our bank at lunchtime,
Then we can let them have the
money that they want as soon as
they like,What are they asking us
to pay them?
(15/41 – 63% unstressed)
Chinese Rhythm
French Putonghua English
Syllable structure － － +
Duration N 0 +
Vowels N 0 +
Consonants － － +
Intonation － － +
Function of accent － 0 +
Table 1:Components of speech rhythm in Putonghua with reference to French and English
语言
项目 法语 普通话 英语
时长 N O +
音节结构 — — +
语调 — — +
元音 N O +
辅音 — — +
重音的作用 — O +
(语言节律构成要素, 汉语普通话、英语和法语的比较 )
+,表示正值
–,表示负值
0,表示零值
N,未加分析的要素
7, 汉语拼音韵母与国际音标对照
韵母 国际音标 韵母 国际音标 韵母 国际音标
α 单独或零韵尾 [ A] ou [ ou ] i α n g [i α? ]
o [o] α n [an ] u α [ ua ]
e [ ] e n [ n ] u o [ uo ]
i （ 单独做韵母） [ i ] α n g [ α? ] i n g [i? ]
- I （ 舌尖前）和 z c s 相拼 [ ? ] e n g [? ] u α i [ u ai ]
- I （ 舌尖后）和 z h c h sh r 相拼 [ ι ] i α [ ia ] u e i [ u e i ]
u [u ] ie [i ε ] u α n [u ? n]
ü [y] ü e [y ε ] u en [u n ]
er [ ] i α o [i α u ] u α n g [u α? ]
α i [ ai ] iou [ iou ] u en g [u? ]
ei [ ei ] i α n [i ε n ] on g [u? ]
α o [ α u ] in [in ] ü α n [y ε n]
ü n [ yn ] ion g [y? ]
e e
e
e
e
?
表：
[ uη ]
η
八、音位的组合
1,音节及其形成
音节是音位和音位组合构成的最小的语音结构单位,也是听觉上最自然、
最容易分辨的最小的语音单位。例如汉语 wo c h i f α n （ 我吃饭）这样一串声
音，可以划分成三个音节。大多数音节是由两个或两个以上的音位为组合
而成，如汉语普通话的, 饭, / f an /, 英语的 c u p / k ? p/ （ 杯子）等。一个音节
也可以由一个音位构成，如汉语普通话的, 阿, [ a] 。 音节的特性以及音节的
分界，可以依据发音时肌肉紧张程度的变化来解释。, 肌肉紧张度说, 理论
认为，人在发音时，发音器官的肌肉总是交替一紧一松，因而在人们的听
觉上形成一个个语音片段，这就是音节。在汉语普通话中，往往是一个汉
字就是一个音节。（除了儿化，如 hu α r 花儿）
2,汉语普通话音节结构的主要特点
汉语的音节可以分为声母、韵母、声调三个部分。声母指音节开头的辅
音，如普通话, 电, [] 里的 [] 。韵母只音节中声母后面的整个部分，如 [] 里的
[] 。韵母又分为, 韵头,,, 韵腹,,, 韵尾, 三个部分。韵腹是韵母中开口度
最大或听起来最响亮的那个元音，它是韵母的核心。韵头又叫介音，是韵
母中位于韵腹之前的成分。韵尾是韵母中位于韵腹之后的收尾成分。如（）
这个韵母里，（）是韵头，（）是韵腹，（）是韵尾。每一个韵母都必须
有韵腹，但可以没有韵头和韵尾。声调指音节中具有区别意义作用的音高
变化。
/kΛ p/
最 简单的一个音节可以没有声母、韵头和韵尾，但必须有韵腹和声调。
阳平阳平
eechch
晨晨 c henc hen
上声上声
ooααiinn
鸟鸟 nini αα oo
阴平阴平
iitt
梯梯 titi
去声去声
iieell
类类 le i le i
去声去声????
ααu u zhzh
壮壮 z huz hu αα nn ??
阳平阳平
ee??xx学学 xx ????
上声上声
nn??
允允 ?? nn
阳平阳平
uuooii游游 iouiou
阴平阴平
ααuu
蛙蛙 uu αα
阳平阳平
uu吴吴 uu
韵母韵母
韵头韵头 韵腹韵腹 韵尾韵尾
（介音）（主要元音）（介音）（主要元音） 元音元音 辅音辅音 声调声调
声声
母母
结
构
成
分
例
字
n
ü
üün
xüé
ηzhuang
例 1：
? — I need a couple of shirts,grey terylene please.
? — Certainly,sir,I'll just get some out,Would you mind
taking a seat for a moment? I shan't be long.
How many stressed syllables?
How many unstressed syllables?
例 1：
? — I need a couple of shirts,grey terylene please.
? Certainly,sir,I'll just get some out,Would you
mind taking a seat for a moment? I shan't be long.
（ Unstressed syllables 20/36,55.5%）
? 例 2：
? 大妈：我可不去开会！人家说什么，我老听不懂。
? 四嫂：也没什么难懂的。反正说的都离不开修沟，修沟反正是
好事，好事反正就得拍巴掌，拍巴掌反正不会有错儿，是不是？
老太太？
（选自老舍剧作, 龙须沟, 第三幕第二场片断）
北京话口语里的轻声比普通话的轻声要发达得多
普通话口语里的轻声比书面语的轻声要发达得多
? 例 2：
? 大妈：我可不去开会！人 家 说什 么,我老听 不 懂。
? 四嫂：也没什 么 难懂 的 。反正说 的 都离 不 开修沟，修沟反 正 是
好事，好事反 正 就得拍巴 掌,拍巴 掌 反 正 不会有错 儿,是 不 是？
老太 太？
（共 65个音节，轻声音节 15个，占 23%）
（选自老舍剧作, 龙须沟, 第三幕第二场片断）
北京话口语里的轻声比普通话的轻声要发达得多
普通话口语里的轻声比书面语的轻声要发达得多
类别 例子
語氣助詞 " 啊,嗎,吧,呢 "等等 。 去吧, 好嗎
結構助詞 " 的,地,得 "。 你的筆, 慢慢地, 寫得好
名詞或代詞的後綴 " 們,子,頭,麼 "。 他們, 桌子, 木頭, 什麼
動態助詞 " 著,了,過 "。 看著書, 吃了飯, 去過上海
動詞重疊的第二個音節及夾在重疊動詞當中的
" 一 "或 " 不 "。 看著, 想一想, 去不去
動詞後面的某些結果補語 。 打開, 站住, 關上
名詞後面的某些方位詞 。 桌上, 地下, 家里
動詞後面的趨向補語 出去, 進來, 跑出來
作賓語的人稱代詞 " 我, 你, 他 "。 請你去叫他
? 据厉为民（ 1981）的统计，在收词五万
多条的, 现代汉语词典, （ 1979年版）
里，轻声词在 32540个双音节词语中只占
6.65%（ 2164个），而以轻声作为最小
音差构成辨义对立的则不足 1%。（王理
嘉,1998）。根据林焘 (1992)的计算，平
均每六、七个音节就可能出现一个轻音
音节。统计数据出现的差异很可能是语
体不同所致。
The rhythmic patterns of Chinese and English
Syllable-timed Stress-timed
French Putonghua Spanish English
Fig,1,Chinese Putonghua on the rhythmic scale in relation to French,Spanish and English
Fig 2,Duration for,里头” (litou),meaning,inside” Fig 3,Duration for,拿来” (nálai),meaning,to fetch it”
Who’s coming to the birthday par - ty?
By a non-native speaker of English.
Who’s coming to the birthday par - ty?
By a native speaker of English.
Syllables din ner par ty
Native
speakers
0.125 0.075 0.103 0.052
Non-natives 0.123 0.143 0.199 0.168
Table 2,Syllable length for,dinner party” in,Who’s coming to the dinner party?”
Time unit, sec
T i m e u n i t, se c
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
din- ner par- ty
Native speakers
Non-natives
Fig,6,The average syllable lengths for,dinner party” in,Who’s coming to the dinner party?”
F i g 9, E n g l a n d wa s a t wa r wi t h Am e r i c a, ( By n o n - n a t i v e s p e a k e r o f En g l i s h )
F i g 10,Engl and w as at w ar w i t h A m er i ca,( B y nat i v e s peak er of Engl i s h)
was at war
Fig:,was at war” in the sentence,England was at war with America”,
-- (By non-native speaker of English)
was at war
Fig:,was at war” in the sentence,England was at war with America”,
-- (By native speaker of English)
Amptitude
Amptitude
When Margaret Thatcher came to power in May nineteen seventy nine,
Britain was a very different place to today,The trades unions were a
political force to be reckoned with,government was involved in
everything from generating power to making cars and many people
looked to the state to provide their every need,Much of that changed
during her eleven years in power,She neutered the labour movement,
oversaw the privatisation of large swathes of the economy,and
encouraged people to take more responsibility for their own lives.
Much of this was fiercely resisted but is now political orthodoxy in
Britain.
But she didn't win all the arguments,The National Health Service has
been spared from comprehensive privatisation and a policy of ever
smaller government and lower taxes has been abandoned by her
Conservative party,One thing that hasn't changed however is the
argument over Britain's place in Europe,It still divides the
Conservatives and could yet be the undoing of Britain's current Prime
Minister Tony Blair.
轻声的使用
乙：你读过老子 （ laozi） 的文章吗？
甲：你这话问得既没礼貌, 又不谦虚 。
乙：我怎么没礼貌, 不谦虚了？
甲：只有自以为了不起的人才自称, 老子, ！ 我比你岁数大, 你怎
么
在我面前称自己, 老子,？ 这就是没礼貌 ！ 你写了那么两篇文
章, 就自以为是, 张口闭口就是, 老子的文章,, 这就是不谦虚 ！
乙：我想你大概误会了 。 我说的这个, 老子, 不是我, 是中国古代
的一个思想家 。
甲：噢 ！ 你说的是道家的创始人老子 （ laozǐ） 啊 ！
乙：对 ！ 我说的就是他 ！
甲：那你应该念成 laozǐ,这个, 子, 不能念轻声 。
乙：是吗？ 我还以为, 子, 在词的后面都念轻声呢 ！
甲：那可不对 !“子, 在词的后面不念轻声的多着呢 ！
乙：那你给我说说, 还有哪些不念轻声？
甲：比如说, 你下星期要参加田径比赛 。
乙：对 ！ 我参加 100米赛跑 。
甲：和男的比呀, 还是和女的比呀？
乙：废话 ！ 我是男的, 当然和男的比 ！
甲：所以, 你应该说：, 我参加男子 100米赛跑 。,,男子, 的
,子, 也
不能念轻声 。
乙：那一女子, 的, 子, 也不念轻声了？
甲：你真聪明 ！ 还有, 你有几个兄弟呀？
乙：我们家哥儿仨, 我行大 。
甲：那你就是长子 （ zhangzǐ） 。
乙：噢 ！ 行大就是, 长子,？ 我过去一直把这两个字念成
changzi。
甲：肠子？ 还肚子呢 ！
乙：不念轻声的还有哪些？
甲：多了 ！ 才子, 弟子, 电子, 分子, 瓜子, 孔子, 棋子, 鱼
子, 败家子 …… 这些词里的, 子, 都不能念轻声 。
乙：看来你对轻声很有研究 。
甲：哪里, 还差得远呢 ！ 刚学汉语的时候, 因为不会用轻声, 闹
了不少笑话 。
甲：有一次, 我在街上问路, 见到一位老人, 我想跟他问路, 可
又不知道怎么称呼才好 。
乙：你就叫他, 同志, 。
甲：哎 ！ 那多不亲热呀 ！ 我想起我们的口语课本里有一课就是问
路, 课文里用的称呼是, 大爷 （ da yé）,, 大小, 的, 大,,
,爷爷 奶奶, 的, 爷,, 所以我就向老人打招呼说, 大爷
（ da yé） ！,
乙：老人答应了？
甲：哪儿呀 ！ 老人回头瞪了我一眼：, 你叫谁 ‘ 大爷 （ da yé） ’
呢？, 一扭头, 走了 。
乙：他怎么走了？
甲：我也纳闷哪 ！ 怎么回事？ 我挺有礼貌地和他打招呼, 他怎么
生气了？ 回来我一问别人, 敢情这称呼有两种读音：有礼貌
地称呼老人, 应该叫大爷 （ da ye） 。 中国人管那种光吃饭不
干活的叫大爷 （ da yé） 。 你想, 我追着人家一个劲儿叫大爷
（ da ye）, 人家能不生气吗？
乙：是得生气 。
甲：还有一次, 为了这轻声, 我挨了一回骂 。
乙：怎么？ 不会用轻声还挨骂？
甲：那是刚到中国的时候 。 句子后面的语气词我总是念不好, 念
不出轻声来, 一念就好像四声 。, 你好吗, 我老是说成, 你
好吗 （ mò）,,, 你是中国人吧, 的, 吧, 字, 我也念成
bà,结果, 挨 了一回骂 。
乙：怎么挨骂了？
甲：那天, 邻居家的一只猫跑到我家来了 。 我怕邻居找不到猫着
急, 就赶紧抱着猫给邻居送去 。 一进邻居家的门, 我就把猫
递过去说：, 这是你的吧 （ bà）？, 邻居一听火儿了：, 它
是你 的爸 ！ 你爸才是猫呢 ！,
乙：好家伙 ！ 连爸爸一块儿挨骂 ！
Communication
A Practical Course for Students of English
By
Wang Guizhen
Faculty of English Language & Culture
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
The Learning of Rhythmic structure in
English Utterances
Hypothesis,two types of meter in the world’s languages,
Stress-timing and syllable-timing
Stress-timing,Equal intervals between prominent syllables
Prototypical languages,English,Dutch,German
Syllable-timing Equal syllable durations
Prototypical languages,French,Spanish
All languages of the world are said to fall into one group or the other
Speech Rhythm
? But no acoustic evidence for meter in speech
Stress-timed languages,intervals between stressed syllables not equal
Syllable-timed languages,successive syllables not equal in length
? Nor are intervals between stressed languages more regular in stressed-
than in syllable-timed languages
? But languages do sound rhythmically different - why?
Empirical evidence?
Speech rhythm
? What is it that makes rhythm language specific?
? Not meter
? Meter is a concept taken from western music which has meter
? Linguists who have proposed that language has meter are from a
European language background
? Alternative hypothesis,Languages sound rhythmically different
because of different levels of acoustic-phonetic variability in the
speech signal variability in vowel durations
Speech rhythm
? If vowel durations highly variable,language sounds ‘stress-timed’
? Languages with vowel reduction,English,Dutch,German
? If vowel durations similar,language sounds ‘syllable-timed’
? Languages such as French and Spanish which do not have vowel
reduction
Low and Grabe 1995,Ramus et al 2000
Speech Rhythm
? Although there is no evidence for meter in speech,there is
an acoustic basis for cross-language differences in speech
rhythm
? But what about the stress-timing/syllable-timing
dichotomy? Linguists proposed that the world’s languages
would fall into two rhythm classes
? Is there evidence for this dichotomy from durational
variability data?
Two rhythm classes?
The following comparisons are required
(1) A comparison of data from languages cited in the
literature as stress-timed and languages cited as
syllable-timed
(2) A comparison of the data in (1) with evidence
from unclassified languages
French
German
Dutch
Spanish
British English
20
30
40
50
60
70
Va
ria
bil
ity
In
de
x
Prototypical languages
French
German
Dutch
Spanish
British English
20
30
40
50
60
70
Va
ria
bil
ity
In
de
x
unclassified
Hitherto unclassified languages
Grabe and Low
Tones in Mandarin
? The syllable ma can have four different meanings,
depending on the pitch level/movement
ma
m
a
am
m
a
high level high rising low falling rising high falling
‘mother’ ‘hemp’ ‘horse’ ‘scold’
I,Stressed-Timed Rhythm
syllable-timed languages, stress-timed languages
An ideal realization from which ‘performance' factors are absent.
The rhythm is both regular and irregular; the regularity is provided by
the strong 'beat' at the beginning of each foot,and the irregularity by
the unequal distribution of time within the foot.
II,Rhythm and Vowel Reduction
English rhythm:
A pattern in which long syllables alternate with short ones.
III,The Distribution of English Stresses
1,Form words are typically unstressed.
2,Content words are normally stressed.
3,Form words are stressed where contrast is expressed.
4,Any word being repeated is usually not stressed.
5,Many stressings are idiomatic.
…
Beats:
? Try saying or listening to the sentences below:
M:\stress.mp3
1 2 3 4
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a
1 and then a 2 and then a 3 and then a 4 and then a
Rhythmic patterns,Chinese vs English
English Rhythm
Eg:
I shall have to try and get some cash from our bank at
lunchtime,Then we can let them have the money that they
want as soon as they like,What are they asking us to pay them?
Stressed vs unstressed
Strong forms vs Weak forms
More advanced learners will find that attempts to use them
properly are more likely to improve the naturalness of their speech
than efforts in practically any other area of pronunciation,
Alternation preference
The strategy for learning to use weak forms properly:
1,The essential weak form words must be identified,
2,Establish when they must have their strong forms,when they
must have their weak forms.
Mark out the stressed syllables.
I shall have to try and get some
cash from our bank at lunchtime,
Then we can let them have the
money that they want as soon as
they like,What are they asking
us to pay them?
Mark out the stressed syllables.I shall have to try and get some
cash from our bank at lunchtime,
Then we can let them have the
money that they want as soon as
they like,What are they asking us
to pay them?
(15/41 – 63% unstressed)
Chinese Rhythm
French Putonghua English
Syllable structure － － +
Duration N 0 +
Vowels N 0 +
Consonants － － +
Intonation － － +
Function of accent － 0 +
Table 1:Components of speech rhythm in Putonghua with reference to French and English
语言
项目 法语 普通话 英语
时长 N O +
音节结构 — — +
语调 — — +
元音 N O +
辅音 — — +
重音的作用 — O +
(语言节律构成要素, 汉语普通话、英语和法语的比较 )
+,表示正值
–,表示负值
0,表示零值
N,未加分析的要素
7, 汉语拼音韵母与国际音标对照
韵母 国际音标 韵母 国际音标 韵母 国际音标
α 单独或零韵尾 [ A] ou [ ou ] i α n g [i α? ]
o [o] α n [an ] u α [ ua ]
e [ ] e n [ n ] u o [ uo ]
i （ 单独做韵母） [ i ] α n g [ α? ] i n g [i? ]
- I （ 舌尖前）和 z c s 相拼 [ ? ] e n g [? ] u α i [ u ai ]
- I （ 舌尖后）和 z h c h sh r 相拼 [ ι ] i α [ ia ] u e i [ u e i ]
u [u ] ie [i ε ] u α n [u ? n]
ü [y] ü e [y ε ] u en [u n ]
er [ ] i α o [i α u ] u α n g [u α? ]
α i [ ai ] iou [ iou ] u en g [u? ]
ei [ ei ] i α n [i ε n ] on g [u? ]
α o [ α u ] in [in ] ü α n [y ε n]
ü n [ yn ] ion g [y? ]
e e
e
e
e
?
表：
[ uη ]
η
八、音位的组合
1,音节及其形成
音节是音位和音位组合构成的最小的语音结构单位,也是听觉上最自然、
最容易分辨的最小的语音单位。例如汉语 wo c h i f α n （ 我吃饭）这样一串声
音，可以划分成三个音节。大多数音节是由两个或两个以上的音位为组合
而成，如汉语普通话的, 饭, / f an /, 英语的 c u p / k ? p/ （ 杯子）等。一个音节
也可以由一个音位构成，如汉语普通话的, 阿, [ a] 。 音节的特性以及音节的
分界，可以依据发音时肌肉紧张程度的变化来解释。, 肌肉紧张度说, 理论
认为，人在发音时，发音器官的肌肉总是交替一紧一松，因而在人们的听
觉上形成一个个语音片段，这就是音节。在汉语普通话中，往往是一个汉
字就是一个音节。（除了儿化，如 hu α r 花儿）
2,汉语普通话音节结构的主要特点
汉语的音节可以分为声母、韵母、声调三个部分。声母指音节开头的辅
音，如普通话, 电, [] 里的 [] 。韵母只音节中声母后面的整个部分，如 [] 里的
[] 。韵母又分为, 韵头,,, 韵腹,,, 韵尾, 三个部分。韵腹是韵母中开口度
最大或听起来最响亮的那个元音，它是韵母的核心。韵头又叫介音，是韵
母中位于韵腹之前的成分。韵尾是韵母中位于韵腹之后的收尾成分。如（）
这个韵母里，（）是韵头，（）是韵腹，（）是韵尾。每一个韵母都必须
有韵腹，但可以没有韵头和韵尾。声调指音节中具有区别意义作用的音高
变化。
/kΛ p/
最 简单的一个音节可以没有声母、韵头和韵尾，但必须有韵腹和声调。
阳平阳平
eechch
晨晨 c henc hen
上声上声
ooααiinn
鸟鸟 nini αα oo
阴平阴平
iitt
梯梯 titi
去声去声
iieell
类类 le i le i
去声去声????
ααu u zhzh
壮壮 z huz hu αα nn ??
阳平阳平
ee??xx学学 xx ????
上声上声
nn??
允允 ?? nn
阳平阳平
uuooii游游 iouiou
阴平阴平
ααuu
蛙蛙 uu αα
阳平阳平
uu吴吴 uu
韵母韵母
韵头韵头 韵腹韵腹 韵尾韵尾
（介音）（主要元音）（介音）（主要元音） 元音元音 辅音辅音 声调声调
声声
母母
结
构
成
分
例
字
n
ü
üün
xüé
ηzhuang
例 1：
? — I need a couple of shirts,grey terylene please.
? — Certainly,sir,I'll just get some out,Would you mind
taking a seat for a moment? I shan't be long.
How many stressed syllables?
How many unstressed syllables?
例 1：
? — I need a couple of shirts,grey terylene please.
? Certainly,sir,I'll just get some out,Would you
mind taking a seat for a moment? I shan't be long.
（ Unstressed syllables 20/36,55.5%）
? 例 2：
? 大妈：我可不去开会！人家说什么，我老听不懂。
? 四嫂：也没什么难懂的。反正说的都离不开修沟，修沟反正是
好事，好事反正就得拍巴掌，拍巴掌反正不会有错儿，是不是？
老太太？
（选自老舍剧作, 龙须沟, 第三幕第二场片断）
北京话口语里的轻声比普通话的轻声要发达得多
普通话口语里的轻声比书面语的轻声要发达得多
? 例 2：
? 大妈：我可不去开会！人 家 说什 么,我老听 不 懂。
? 四嫂：也没什 么 难懂 的 。反正说 的 都离 不 开修沟，修沟反 正 是
好事，好事反 正 就得拍巴 掌,拍巴 掌 反 正 不会有错 儿,是 不 是？
老太 太？
（共 65个音节，轻声音节 15个，占 23%）
（选自老舍剧作, 龙须沟, 第三幕第二场片断）
北京话口语里的轻声比普通话的轻声要发达得多
普通话口语里的轻声比书面语的轻声要发达得多
类别 例子
語氣助詞 " 啊,嗎,吧,呢 "等等 。 去吧, 好嗎
結構助詞 " 的,地,得 "。 你的筆, 慢慢地, 寫得好
名詞或代詞的後綴 " 們,子,頭,麼 "。 他們, 桌子, 木頭, 什麼
動態助詞 " 著,了,過 "。 看著書, 吃了飯, 去過上海
動詞重疊的第二個音節及夾在重疊動詞當中的
" 一 "或 " 不 "。 看著, 想一想, 去不去
動詞後面的某些結果補語 。 打開, 站住, 關上
名詞後面的某些方位詞 。 桌上, 地下, 家里
動詞後面的趨向補語 出去, 進來, 跑出來
作賓語的人稱代詞 " 我, 你, 他 "。 請你去叫他
? 据厉为民（ 1981）的统计，在收词五万
多条的, 现代汉语词典, （ 1979年版）
里，轻声词在 32540个双音节词语中只占
6.65%（ 2164个），而以轻声作为最小
音差构成辨义对立的则不足 1%。（王理
嘉,1998）。根据林焘 (1992)的计算，平
均每六、七个音节就可能出现一个轻音
音节。统计数据出现的差异很可能是语
体不同所致。
The rhythmic patterns of Chinese and English
Syllable-timed Stress-timed
French Putonghua Spanish English
Fig,1,Chinese Putonghua on the rhythmic scale in relation to French,Spanish and English
Fig 2,Duration for,里头” (litou),meaning,inside” Fig 3,Duration for,拿来” (nálai),meaning,to fetch it”
Who’s coming to the birthday par - ty?
By a non-native speaker of English.
Who’s coming to the birthday par - ty?
By a native speaker of English.
Syllables din ner par ty
Native
speakers
0.125 0.075 0.103 0.052
Non-natives 0.123 0.143 0.199 0.168
Table 2,Syllable length for,dinner party” in,Who’s coming to the dinner party?”
Time unit, sec
T i m e u n i t, se c
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
din- ner par- ty
Native speakers
Non-natives
Fig,6,The average syllable lengths for,dinner party” in,Who’s coming to the dinner party?”
F i g 9, E n g l a n d wa s a t wa r wi t h Am e r i c a, ( By n o n - n a t i v e s p e a k e r o f En g l i s h )
F i g 10,Engl and w as at w ar w i t h A m er i ca,( B y nat i v e s peak er of Engl i s h)
was at war
Fig:,was at war” in the sentence,England was at war with America”,
-- (By non-native speaker of English)
was at war
Fig:,was at war” in the sentence,England was at war with America”,
-- (By native speaker of English)
Amptitude
Amptitude
When Margaret Thatcher came to power in May nineteen seventy nine,
Britain was a very different place to today,The trades unions were a
political force to be reckoned with,government was involved in
everything from generating power to making cars and many people
looked to the state to provide their every need,Much of that changed
during her eleven years in power,She neutered the labour movement,
oversaw the privatisation of large swathes of the economy,and
encouraged people to take more responsibility for their own lives.
Much of this was fiercely resisted but is now political orthodoxy in
Britain.
But she didn't win all the arguments,The National Health Service has
been spared from comprehensive privatisation and a policy of ever
smaller government and lower taxes has been abandoned by her
Conservative party,One thing that hasn't changed however is the
argument over Britain's place in Europe,It still divides the
Conservatives and could yet be the undoing of Britain's current Prime
Minister Tony Blair.
轻声的使用
乙：你读过老子 （ laozi） 的文章吗？
甲：你这话问得既没礼貌, 又不谦虚 。
乙：我怎么没礼貌, 不谦虚了？
甲：只有自以为了不起的人才自称, 老子, ！ 我比你岁数大, 你怎
么
在我面前称自己, 老子,？ 这就是没礼貌 ！ 你写了那么两篇文
章, 就自以为是, 张口闭口就是, 老子的文章,, 这就是不谦虚 ！
乙：我想你大概误会了 。 我说的这个, 老子, 不是我, 是中国古代
的一个思想家 。
甲：噢 ！ 你说的是道家的创始人老子 （ laozǐ） 啊 ！
乙：对 ！ 我说的就是他 ！
甲：那你应该念成 laozǐ,这个, 子, 不能念轻声 。
乙：是吗？ 我还以为, 子, 在词的后面都念轻声呢 ！
甲：那可不对 !“子, 在词的后面不念轻声的多着呢 ！
乙：那你给我说说, 还有哪些不念轻声？
甲：比如说, 你下星期要参加田径比赛 。
乙：对 ！ 我参加 100米赛跑 。
甲：和男的比呀, 还是和女的比呀？
乙：废话 ！ 我是男的, 当然和男的比 ！
甲：所以, 你应该说：, 我参加男子 100米赛跑 。,,男子, 的
,子, 也
不能念轻声 。
乙：那一女子, 的, 子, 也不念轻声了？
甲：你真聪明 ！ 还有, 你有几个兄弟呀？
乙：我们家哥儿仨, 我行大 。
甲：那你就是长子 （ zhangzǐ） 。
乙：噢 ！ 行大就是, 长子,？ 我过去一直把这两个字念成
changzi。
甲：肠子？ 还肚子呢 ！
乙：不念轻声的还有哪些？
甲：多了 ！ 才子, 弟子, 电子, 分子, 瓜子, 孔子, 棋子, 鱼
子, 败家子 …… 这些词里的, 子, 都不能念轻声 。
乙：看来你对轻声很有研究 。
甲：哪里, 还差得远呢 ！ 刚学汉语的时候, 因为不会用轻声, 闹
了不少笑话 。
甲：有一次, 我在街上问路, 见到一位老人, 我想跟他问路, 可
又不知道怎么称呼才好 。
乙：你就叫他, 同志, 。
甲：哎 ！ 那多不亲热呀 ！ 我想起我们的口语课本里有一课就是问
路, 课文里用的称呼是, 大爷 （ da yé）,, 大小, 的, 大,,
,爷爷 奶奶, 的, 爷,, 所以我就向老人打招呼说, 大爷
（ da yé） ！,
乙：老人答应了？
甲：哪儿呀 ！ 老人回头瞪了我一眼：, 你叫谁 ‘ 大爷 （ da yé） ’
呢？, 一扭头, 走了 。
乙：他怎么走了？
甲：我也纳闷哪 ！ 怎么回事？ 我挺有礼貌地和他打招呼, 他怎么
生气了？ 回来我一问别人, 敢情这称呼有两种读音：有礼貌
地称呼老人, 应该叫大爷 （ da ye） 。 中国人管那种光吃饭不
干活的叫大爷 （ da yé） 。 你想, 我追着人家一个劲儿叫大爷
（ da ye）, 人家能不生气吗？
乙：是得生气 。
甲：还有一次, 为了这轻声, 我挨了一回骂 。
乙：怎么？ 不会用轻声还挨骂？
甲：那是刚到中国的时候 。 句子后面的语气词我总是念不好, 念
不出轻声来, 一念就好像四声 。, 你好吗, 我老是说成, 你
好吗 （ mò）,,, 你是中国人吧, 的, 吧, 字, 我也念成
bà,结果, 挨 了一回骂 。
乙：怎么挨骂了？
甲：那天, 邻居家的一只猫跑到我家来了 。 我怕邻居找不到猫着
急, 就赶紧抱着猫给邻居送去 。 一进邻居家的门, 我就把猫
递过去说：, 这是你的吧 （ bà）？, 邻居一听火儿了：, 它
是你 的爸 ！ 你爸才是猫呢 ！,
乙：好家伙 ！ 连爸爸一块儿挨骂 ！
