PHONETICS: How many sounds does the English language use?

Question

How many sounds does the English language use? What are those sounds? For instance, if you wanted to create a phonetic alphabet, with one character being used for one sound, and no cross-over (ie... a one-to-one relationship), how many characters would that alphabet need? I've got a chart that says whether the 'h' is a glottal stop, etc... and I have the little chart that shows where vowels are voiced (looks like a semi-collapsed trapezoid).Is there a comprehensive source for this on the internet?

THANKS!!!

Answer 1

Oh, this is such a hard question. I must say. English has a MULTITUDE of sounds (also known as phonemes)

What makes it even more interesting is that many vowel phonemes differ from region to region, even though each dialect has mroe or less the same number of vowel sounds. So the number of required phonemes doesn't match the number of phonemes that exist in the entire English speaking world.

I don't know if I'm helping. Once a friend told me that the englsih language has around 30 consonants and 20 vowels, not iincluding dipthongs? I don't know how correct that is. I'm ntoe ven sure if I've got the numbers right, but that would be my rough guess as well.

I think this chart sums it up quite well, but I don't know how accurate it is since I just skimmed through it. I doubt it covers regional differences such as specific vowels used in Australian English, British English, etc. But take a look anyways:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA_chart_for_English

Hope that helps ;)

Oh by the way, I know what you eman about the trapezoid things... I'm not even sure how to read them. =( Some day I'll ask someone how they work.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
PHONETICS: How many sounds does the English language use?
How many sounds does the English language use? What are those sounds? For instance, if you wanted to create a phonetic alphabet, with one character being used for one sound, and no cross-over (ie... a one-to-one relationship), how many characters would that alphabet need? I've got a chart that...

Answer 3

In standard English there are 23 consonants and 12 vowels. Any standard work on phonetics will list then for you. The vowels are the sounds in the words:
pit peat pet pat part, pot putt put port boot pert and the unstressed vowel schwa

The consonants are
p b t d k g
f v s z sh zh th dh
ch j
m n ng
w l r h

The glottal stop is not a phoneme in standard English.
American English has fewer vowels - part, pot and putt sound the same to many Americans.

Answer 4

If you do a search on the term 'phoneme' you will find many sites with this information. I have a link to one in my source section.
You may find different lists, because there are several English speaking countries, with slight variations.

Answer 5

I think over 80. The consonants as mentioned, then ay, ee, igh, ow, oo, oo, ou, oy, or, ar, ea, oa, o-e, a-e, u-e, i-e, oi. It goes on and on and on to tion, cious, tious.