PODCAST · arts
Glossonomia
by Eric Armstrong & Phil Thompson
Glossonomia, Conversations on the Sounds of Speech is a podcast by Eric Armstrong and Phil Thompson. Each week we talk about a different vowel or consonant sound in English.
Episodes
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Episode 44: Diacritics Part 2
In Part Two of this series on Diacritics, Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong discuss the intricacies of diacritic symbols and what they mean when applied to vowel and consonant symbols of the IPA. The guys follow along with the list of diacritic marks on the Wikipedia page for the International...
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Episode 43: Diacritics Part 1
Though Phil and Eric had intended to cover all the diacritical marks in the IPA in this podcast, they just couldn’t do it. In fact, Eric’s recorder stopped recording after 45 minutes, though they kept talking for 15 more minutes... so this is merely an introduction to diacritics, not an…
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Episode 42: square and start
In this episode, Phil and Eric tackle two of the “centering diphthongs” (aka the r-colored diphthongs in rhotic accents), square and start. Much of the episode is spent tackling the very subtle possibilities of vowel quality where these lexical sets might be realized, and the fun that one can…
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Episode 41: Schwee & Schwoo
This week we delve deeper into the topic of weaken vowels that behave similarly to schwa /ə/, namely the weakened forms of the /i/ and /u/ vowels [usually realized as somewhere in the range of [i̽] or [ɨ], [ʊ] or perhaps [ɵ], sometimes known—controversially—as “schwee” and “schwoo.” We even chat...
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Episode 40: Consonant Clusters
We’re tackling strings of consonants in this episode! Phil and Eric talk about clusters of consonants and how they “work” for us. Eric refers to J.C. Catford’s book A Practical Introduction to Phonetics quite a bit!
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Episode 39: choice
Phil and Eric managed to do an episode on the Lexical Set choice this week, in spite of Phil’s never-ending cold and Eric’s dogs (who wanted to go out when they were in, and in when they were out...) Phil talks a bit about the history of the set, we talk about its representation in the IPA and we...
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Episode 38: Non-Pulmonic Consonants & Other Symbols
We tackle the consonants that don’t conveniently fit within the Pulmonic Consonant chart of the IPA — the Non-pulmonics and the so-called “Other Symbols” area. Many of these consonants are a review of things we’ve covered elsewhere in the podcast series, but it’s always nice to tidy things up, to...
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Episode 37: mouth
Phil and Eric tackle the mouth lexical set, and compare it, briefly to the price set. We reference Robbie Burns’ To a Mouse, and talk about how it evolved through the Great Vowel Shift from an /u/ vowel, to its present location, in the range of /æʊ/—/aʊ/—/ɑʊ/. Eric touches on Canadian Raising…
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Episode 36: Non-English Pulmonic Consonants
Eric and Phil tackle the entire Pulmonic Chart of the IPA, focusing on the Non-English sounds. We move quickly, and don’t focus on what languages you might here these consonants. Instead we focus on how to make them and points to remember when teaching them. If you do want to know what language…
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Episode 35: price
After a YEAR on hiatus, Phil and Eric return to Glossonomia with an episode about the lexical set price. We cover the history of the /aɪ/ sound, how it evolved from the /i/ sound we hear in fleece words today. We also dig deep into concepts such as smoothing, Canadian Raising, price allophony…
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Episode 34: Fricatives
Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong work their way across the Pulmonic Consonant Chart, focusing in on the Fricative row. Though they do cover English fricatives [θ ð f v s z ʃ ʒ], they go into much greater depth on the non-English sounds [ɸ β ʂ ʐ ç ʝ x ɣ χ ʁ ħ ʕ ʜ ʢ h ɦ ]. (note that they...
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Episode 33: R Vowels, part deux
Today, Phil and Eric finish off our four part trifecta on R, with a deep discussion of linking r, instrusive r, triphthongs and other R-ful tidbits to delight and enthral you.
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Episode 32: Affricates
In this Episode, Phil and Eric talk about the consonant sounds known as Affricates. The sounds, which begin with a stop and release into a fricative, are important in English, as there are two affricates we use on a regular basis: /tʃ/ and /dʒ/. Phil and Eric also discuss non-English affricates,...
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Episode 31: R Vowels
In this episode, Phil and Eric start to unpack the overstuffed suitcase known as rhotic vowels, or r-colored vowels. They cover things like what a rhotic vowel is, the possible use of syllabic consonant R [ɹ̩] rather than using vowel r’s, the difference between rhotic-schwa (aka “schwar,”...
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Episode 30: R Consonants
After our overview episode last week, Phil and Eric look in greater detail at the full range of R consonant variation. We follow the Rhotic Consonants page on wikipedia as a means of tracking the various possible articulations. You can follow along, too! We cover: • Trills • Alveolar [r] • Uvular...
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Episode 29: R Overview
We’ve been moaning about this one, and now we have to face it: we’re tackling the category of sounds that have an R quality, and this episode gets Phil and Eric talking about vowel and consonant R, similarities to semi-vowels, trills, taps, fricatives, approximants, and even the lowered third...
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Episode 28: goat
We’re going to get your goat with this episode: Phil and Eric tackle the lexical set goat, that mirrors the set in last episode, face. They discuss the sound of the diphthong and monophthong versions and the history of both the phone and even the letter shape.
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Episode 27: face
Phil and Eric face the music on this one: they tackle the ticklishly intriguing face lexical set, and discuss diphthongs, monophthongs and other phthings, er, things related to the set! And Eric manages to avoid making his lame joke about dip-thongs (something about small European bathing…
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Episode 26: Laterals
Dark and Light (or is it “clear”?) /l/ forms the core of this episode, where Phil and Eric tackle all the elements of the “el” sounds in English and the world’s languages.
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Episode 25: dress
In our silver anniversary episode, Phil and Eric talk about the lexical set dress, and all the various vowels that are associated with it. That includes [e] or is it [ɛ]? The guys try to uncover the history behind the choice to use [e], and advocate pretty hard for their preference, [ɛ]. Show...
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Episode 24: Live!
Recorded at the 2011 VASTA Conference in Chicago IL at Roosevelt University, Phil and Eric take the show to their audience. It’s a “show about the show” where we talk about the magic behind the curtain, topic choices, and we take questions from our studio audience. Though we don’t spend much time...
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Episode 23: Nasals
Glossonnnnnnommmmmia is comin’ through the nose this week: we’re talking about Nasals, both consonants and vowels – nasalized vowels, that is. Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong discuss not only English’s 3 nasal consonants, but all the nasals the human mouth can utter. [note: Phil’s…
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Episode 22: thought (& cloth)
In their third and final episode on lot, cloth and thought, co-hosts Eric Armstrong and Phil Thompson not only think about, but actually talk about the thought lexical set. What it is, how to identify it, and its relationship to cloth, lot, and, tangentially, palm. Show Notes At the end of the...
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Episode 21: lot, cloth, (thought)
Hosts Eric Armstrong and Phil Thompson focus on lot-cloth mergers in this unusually short episode. [Recorded in March but not published until May, this (hopefully) marks the end of a long hiaitus!] Often we have either lot-cloth separate from thought, or we have cloth-thought separate from lot....
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Episode 20: lot, cloth, thought
Great Scott! Hosts Phil & Eric think awfully hard on the sounds of the lexical sets lot, cloth, thought. A set up for the trifecta (tetrafecta?) of our next few shows, in this episode we talk through the sounds typically associated with these lexical sets, particularly in “standard” accents like...
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Episode 19: Esh & Ezh
In thish show, Phil and Eric talk their way around the shounds of "sh" and "zh", [ʃ] and [ʒ], post-alveolar fricatives. This pair of consonants provide ample room for discussion of how the sounds are made, compared to similar sounds in the mouth. Show Notes: - compared to /s/ and /z/, the airflow...
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Episode 18: trap, bath & palm Part IV
In this Episode, hosts Phil and Eric dig down deep into the sound of the palm lexical set. After a LOOOONG Hiatus, we're back, and exploring the sound of the ɑː vowel.
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Episode 17: trap, bath & palm Part III
Phil and Eric are in fine form in this third (but, not final, alas...) part of their trilogy on the three lexical sets known as trap, bath & palm. We set out to do three things: correct an error regarding bath "prime," discuss features of trap, most notably the feature called "Asc Tensing"…
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Episode 16: trap, bath & palm Part II
We're back at it, back in the bath lexical set, exploring the realm of trap, bath and palm. Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong continue on from Episode 15 with more on these lexical sets. Show Notes: • a quick review of what a Lexical Set is • how to recognize words in the bath lexical set…
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Episode 15: trap, bath & palm
We're starting Season Two off with a bang! After a season away (i.e. summer), we're diving into the vowels found in the three lexical sets known as trap, bath & palm. The vowels associated with these sets, frequently /æ/, /a/ and /ɑ/, are explored fairly briefly... ok briefly FOR US... and we set...
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Episode 14: s & z
So, zis iz eet! Our show about those two hissy consonants, /s/ and /z/. Phil and Eric chat their way through a discussion of sibilance, and spend a lot of time talking about so-called-gay-speech, and other aspects of what may be perceived as the continuum of masculinity/femininity in speakers,...
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Episode 13: foot
Goodness! It's our lucky thirteenth episode, and Phil and Eric tackle the /ʊ/ vowel and the lexical set foot. We talk about symbols used to represent it in phonetic notation, spellings of the sound, the history of the sound, splits and mergers in various accents of English, and interesting...
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Episode 12: w & ʍ
What the...??? Is it an episode dedicated to all thing dubya? Why yes: in this wepisode, we, Phiw and Ewic, wallow in what is well-know to be one the the most wonderful consonants in English, nay, in the world. We tackle such topics as Voiced Approximants and Voiceless Fricatives, especially...
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Episode 11: goose
Ooooo! It's the goosonomia episoode! Yes, in the eleventh instalment of Glossonomia, Phil and Eric talk for a very long time (1:36) about the [u] vowel. In it, we talk about the evolution of the /u/ sound, and how historical /u/ turned into /aʊ/(as in "house"), while historical /oː/ turned into…
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Episode 10: f & v
This is our "Fava" episode: great with a nice Chianti (you can leave the liver out, Dr. Lecter...) Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong talk their way through the sounds /f/ and /v/ in this episode. As it is our first episode dealing with fricative sounds, we spend quite a while talking through...
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Episode 9: strut & nurse [ʌ ɜ]
Word! Shut. Up. This week, Phil and Eric explore the mid-central vowel space, including [ɘ, ɵ, ə, ɜ, ɞ, ɐ] and even discuss the (completely theoretical at this point) new symbol [a]. Yes, we do explore the strut and nurse lexical sets, too. Show Notes: Phonemes are “the idea of a sound”, the...
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Episode 8b: Interview with Maja
Seeing how his daughter, Maja, was studying Spanish and knew a lot more about seseo/ceceo/distinción than we did, Phil chose to interview her for a short briefing on the ins and outs of the “th” sound ipa [θ] in Spanish.
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Episode 8: “th” [θ ð]
Think about this: hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong are delving into the sounds represented by the spelling “th” this week. In the course of it, they’ll chat about how the sound is rare in the world’s languages, how it’s formed in various varieties of English around the world, and its use in...
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Episode 7: Schwa [ə]
It’s the “Schwapisode” this week! Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong get right into the middle of things (or at least, into the middle of the vowel space) to talk about the mid-central vowel, the most popular vowel in the English language. Show Notes: Schwa, the term:...
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Episode 6: k & ɡ
Episode 6 sees Eric and Phil dissecting the final pair of stop/plosive sounds in English: /k/ and /ɡ/. As always, we work our way around the task of describing the sounds, their history, and usage in the course of about an hour and 10 minutes. Show Notes: Correction: Phil referred to "Findlay" as...
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Episode 5: happy
Eric Armstrong and Phil Thompson whistle a happy tune: this week, we’re exploring the vowel sound found at the end of words like "happy." Show Notes: • for some this is perceived as being an /i/ sound, for others an /ɪ/ sound, and for many (especially around where I live) a sound that is neither…
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Episode 4: t & d
We’re digging into /t/ and /d/ on Glossonomia this week. Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong discuss how we make this cognate pair of consonants, voiceless and voiced alveolar stop/plosives. Today’s Topics include: • the concept of Lenition (softening), in particular, the terms Fortis vs.…
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Episode 3: kit [ɪ]
This is it. Hosts Phil Thompson and Eric Armstrong chat about the phoneme /ɪ/ and the lexical set ‘kit’. On the way, they discuss the history of the vowel, compare it to the /i/ ‘fleece’ vowel, and /ə/ ‘schwa,’ delve into accent variations of ‘kit’, pin/pen in the American South, and the...
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Episode 2: p & b
In this episode, we talk about the stop plosive consonant pair [p] and [b], also known as bilabial plosives, “exploding” consonants made with both lips. In the course of our chat, we talk about twinned or “geminate” consonants, vowels vs. consonants, “the river of speech,” voice onset time (VOT),...
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Episode 1: fleece [i]
In this episode of Glossonomia, Phil and Eric introduce the new podcast and talk through the “ee” vowel (IPA [i]), found in the lexical set word fleece. We cover the history of the sound and its spellings, how the symbol appears in the IPA, and variations commonly heard. The vowel is also known…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Glossonomia, Conversations on the Sounds of Speech is a podcast by Eric Armstrong and Phil Thompson. Each week we talk about a different vowel or consonant sound in English.
HOSTED BY
Eric Armstrong & Phil Thompson
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Glossonomia have?
Glossonomia currently has 45 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Glossonomia about?
Glossonomia, Conversations on the Sounds of Speech is a podcast by Eric Armstrong and Phil Thompson. Each week we talk about a different vowel or consonant sound in English.
How often does Glossonomia release new episodes?
Glossonomia has 45 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Glossonomia?
You can listen to Glossonomia on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Glossonomia?
Glossonomia is created and hosted by Eric Armstrong & Phil Thompson.
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