A Practical Introduction to Phonetics (Oxford Textbooks in Linguistics)

Rating:
Summary: Warning: Do not use this book when in a library
Review: Next time you come across someone saying 'zzzz' and 'ssss' and 'zzzz' and 'ssss', better think twice before declaring that person nuts - he or she may actually be a student of phonetics having bought Catfords book!

Yes, when Catford says practical, he means practical. And phonetics, at least the articulatory side of it (which this book is all about), deals with producing sounds, not just reading about them.

If you've ever wondered what the strange signs in your average IPA chart actually stand for, then look no further. This book will teach you to produce all, and I mean ALL, the sounds of the phonetic alphabet, from the tips of your lips right down to your vocal folds.

But beware: Do not use this book in public or people might think you're nuts.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant introduction to phonetics
Review: When I first got my copy of Catford's book, I was disappointed: The book simply looked to small!

But when I opened it, I was astonished. It's full of practical exercises that will enable you to familiarise yourself with your speech organs and will teach you to pronounce all the major sounds of the World's languages.

Throughout, Catford refers to major dialects of English, so it should be equally useful whether you're English, Scottish or American.

However, if English is a foreign language to you (as it is to me), some of the exercises may be a little more difficult than they were meant to be, but that's the only flaw I could find in this fine book.

It's amazing that phonetics can be taught so well without a tape or a tutor!