Pronunciation and Tone Mastery
Expert-defined terms from the Professional Certificate in Thai Language Essentials course at LearnUNI. Free to read, free to share, paired with a professional course.
Ablaut refers to the change in the vowel sound of a word, typicall… #
Ablaut refers to the change in the vowel sound of a word, typically to indicate a change in grammatical function, which is essential in the Thai language.
Accents are the distinctive ways of pronouncing words, which can v… #
Accents are the distinctive ways of pronouncing words, which can vary greatly across different regions and cultures, and it is crucial to master accents to achieve native-like pronunciation in the Thai language.
Acoustic phonetics is the study of the physical properties of spee… #
Acoustic phonetics is the study of the physical properties of speech sounds, which helps learners understand how to produce and perceive correct pronunciation in the Thai language.
Affixation refers to the process of adding prefixes or suffixes… #
Affixation refers to the process of adding prefixes or suffixes to a word to change its meaning or grammatical function, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form new words.
Allophone is a variant of a phoneme, or a distinctive sound in a l… #
Allophone is a variant of a phoneme, or a distinctive sound in a language, which can affect the meaning of a word in the Thai language.
Alphabetic writing system is a type of writing system in which each sy… #
Alphabetic writing system is a type of writing system in which each symbol represents a distinct sound, which is used in the Thai language to represent spoken words.
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of… #
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences, which is often used in the Thai language for emphasis or rhythm.
Articulatory phonetics is the study of how speech sounds are produced<… #
Articulatory phonetics is the study of how speech sounds are produced by the human mouth and vocal cords, which helps learners understand how to produce correct pronunciation in the Thai language.
Assimilation is the process by which a sound becomes more like a neigh… #
Assimilation is the process by which a sound becomes more like a neighboring sound, which can affect the pronunciation of words in the Thai language.
Auditory phonetics is the study of how speech sounds are perceived … #
Auditory phonetics is the study of how speech sounds are perceived by the human ear, which helps learners understand how to recognize and produce correct pronunciation in the Thai language.
Bilabial refers to a type of consonantal sound made with both lips … #
Bilabial refers to a type of consonantal sound made with both lips, such as the sound /p/ or /b/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Cadence is the rhythm and flow of language, which can affect the <… #
Cadence is the rhythm and flow of language, which can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence or phrase in the Thai language.
Clitic is a word that is grammatically bound to a neighboring word, but s… #
Clitic is a word that is grammatically bound to a neighboring word, but still retains some independence, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form contractions.
Coda is the final consonant or consonant cluster in a syllable , wh… #
Coda is the final consonant or consonant cluster in a syllable, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Cognate is a word that is similar in both meaning and sound … #
Cognate is a word that is similar in both meaning and sound to a word in another language, which can help learners of the Thai language to recognize and remember new vocabulary.
Consonant cluster is a group of consonants that appear together in a w… #
Consonant cluster is a group of consonants that appear together in a word, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Consonantal sound is a type of sound made by obstructing the flow… #
Consonantal sound is a type of sound made by obstructing the flow of air with the tongue, teeth, or lips, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form consonants.
Diacritic is a mark or symbol added to a letter to change its p… #
Diacritic is a mark or symbol added to a letter to change its pronunciation or meaning, which is used in the Thai language to represent tones and vowels.
Diphthong is a type of vowel sound that changes quality within a s… #
Diphthong is a type of vowel sound that changes quality within a single syllable, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form diphthongs.
Dissimilation is the process by which a sound becomes less like a neig… #
Dissimilation is the process by which a sound becomes less like a neighboring sound, which can affect the pronunciation of words in the Thai language.
Elision is the omission of a sound or syllable in speech, which ca… #
Elision is the omission of a sound or syllable in speech, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Epenthesis is the insertion of a sound or syllable into a word, wh… #
Epenthesis is the insertion of a sound or syllable into a word, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Etymology is the study of the history and development of wo… #
Etymology is the study of the history and development of words, which can help learners of the Thai language to understand and remember new vocabulary.
Fluency is the ability to speak a language smoothly and coherently … #
Fluency is the ability to speak a language smoothly and coherently, which is an essential skill for learners of the Thai language to master.
Formal language is a type of language used in formal situations, s… #
Formal language is a type of language used in formal situations, such as business or academic settings, which is commonly used in the Thai language to show respect and politeness.
Fricative is a type of consonantal sound made by directing air thr… #
Fricative is a type of consonantal sound made by directing air through a narrow channel, such as the sound /s/ or /z/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Gemination is the lengthening of a consonant sound, which can affe… #
Gemination is the lengthening of a consonant sound, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Glide is a type of vowel sound that moves from one quality … #
Glide is a type of vowel sound that moves from one quality to another, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form diphthongs.
Glottal stop is a type of consonantal sound made by blocking the f… #
Glottal stop is a type of consonantal sound made by blocking the flow of air with the glottis, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form consonants.
Homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word, but has… #
Homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word, but has a different meaning, which can be confusing for learners of the Thai language.
Idiom is a phrase or expression that has a non #
literal meaning, which is commonly used in the Thai language to add color and interest to speech.
Inflection is the process of changing the form of a word to indicate g… #
Inflection is the process of changing the form of a word to indicate grammatical function, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form verbs and nouns.
Intonation is the rise and fall of pitch when speaking, which can… #
Intonation is the rise and fall of pitch when speaking, which can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence or phrase in the Thai language.
Juncture is the boundary between two sounds or syllables , w… #
Juncture is the boundary between two sounds or syllables, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Labial refers to a type of consonantal sound made with the lips , s… #
Labial refers to a type of consonantal sound made with the lips, such as the sound /p/ or /b/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Labiodental refers to a type of consonantal sound made with the lower<… #
Labiodental refers to a type of consonantal sound made with the lower lip and upper teeth, such as the sound /f/ or /v/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Larynx is the voice box, which contains the vocal cords and is res… #
Larynx is the voice box, which contains the vocal cords and is responsible for producing speech sounds, which is essential for speaking the Thai language.
Lateral refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing ai… #
Lateral refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air around the sides of the tongue, such as the sound /l/, which is commonly used in the Thai language.
Lexicalization is the process of adding new words to a language, which is… #
Lexicalization is the process of adding new words to a language, which is essential for the growth and development of the Thai language.
Linguistic relativity is the idea that the language we speak influences t… #
Linguistic relativity is the idea that the language we speak influences the way we think and perceive the world, which can affect the way learners of the Thai language understand and interpret new information.
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, which includes the study… #
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, which includes the study of phonetics, phonology, grammar, and semantics, and is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Loanword is a word that is borrowed from another language, which can help… #
Loanword is a word that is borrowed from another language, which can help learners of the Thai language to recognize and remember new vocabulary.
Manner of articulation refers to the way in which a sound is produced , su… #
Manner of articulation refers to the way in which a sound is produced, such as by blocking or directing air, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, which is… #
Metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, which is commonly used in the Thai language to add color and interest to speech.
Minimal pair is a pair of words that differ by only one phoneme , which ca… #
Minimal pair is a pair of words that differ by only one phoneme, which can help learners of the Thai language to recognize and produce correct pronunciation.
Morpheme is the smallest unit of language that carries meaning , wh… #
Morpheme is the smallest unit of language that carries meaning, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Morphology is the study of the structure of words and how they are… #
Morphology is the study of the structure of words and how they are formed from morphemes, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Nasal refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air… #
Nasal refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air through the nose, such as the sound /n/ or /m/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Neologism is a new word or expression that is coined to describe a… #
Neologism is a new word or expression that is coined to describe a new concept or idea, which can help learners of the Thai language to stay up-to-date with current language usage.
Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it describes, which is com… #
Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it describes, which is commonly used in the Thai language to add color and interest to speech.
Orthography is the study of the writing system of a language, whic… #
Orthography is the study of the writing system of a language, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Palatal refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing ai… #
Palatal refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air over the palate, such as the sound /j/ or /ʃ/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Paradigm is a set of words that inflect in a similar way, which is essent… #
Paradigm is a set of words that inflect in a similar way, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Pharyngeal refers to a type of consonantal sound made by constricting<… #
Pharyngeal refers to a type of consonantal sound made by constricting the pharynx, which is commonly used in the Thai language.
Phoneme is a distinctive sound in a language that distinguishes one word… #
Phoneme is a distinctive sound in a language that distinguishes one word from another, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Phonetics is the scientific study of speech sounds, which includes the st… #
Phonetics is the scientific study of speech sounds, which includes the study of articulatory, acoustic, and auditory phonetics, and is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language, which in… #
Phonology is the study of the sound system of a language, which includes the study of phonemes, allophones, and phonological rules, and is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound, which can affect the… #
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound, which can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence or phrase in the Thai language.
Place of articulation refers to the location in the mouth where a sound i… #
Place of articulation refers to the location in the mouth where a sound is produced, such as the lips, tongue, or teeth, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Polysemy is the coexistence of multiple meanings for a single word… #
Polysemy is the coexistence of multiple meanings for a single word, which can be confusing for learners of the Thai language.
Pragmatics is the study of how language is used in context to comm… #
Pragmatics is the study of how language is used in context to communicate meaning, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Prefix is a morpheme that is added to the beginning of a word to c… #
Prefix is a morpheme that is added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning, which is commonly used in the Thai language to form new words.
Prosody is the rhythm and stress of speech, which can affect the <… #
Prosody is the rhythm and stress of speech, which can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence or phrase in the Thai language.
Register is a variety of language that is used in a particular context or… #
Register is a variety of language that is used in a particular context or situation, such as formal or informal language, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Rhotic refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air… #
Rhotic refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air through the bunched-up tongue, such as the sound /r/, which is commonly used in the Thai language.
Semi #
vowel is a type of vowel sound that is produced with a more open mouth position than a vowel, such as the sound /j/ or /w/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Semantics is the study of meaning in language, which includes the… #
Semantics is the study of meaning in language, which includes the study of word meaning, phrase meaning, and sentence meaning, and is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Sibilant refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing a… #
Sibilant refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air through the teeth, such as the sound /s/ or /z/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Syllable is a unit of sound that contains a vowel sound, which is… #
Syllable is a unit of sound that contains a vowel sound, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Syntax is the study of how words are combined to form sentences… #
Syntax is the study of how words are combined to form sentences, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Tone is the pitch or intonation of a sound, which can affect the <… #
Tone is the pitch or intonation of a sound, which can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence or phrase in the Thai language.
Trill is a type of consonantal sound made by vibrating the tong… #
Trill is a type of consonantal sound made by vibrating the tongue or lips, such as the sound /r/ or /ʙ/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Velar refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air… #
Velar refers to a type of consonantal sound made by directing air over the velum, such as the sound /k/ or /g/, which are commonly used in the Thai language.
Vocal cords are the two bands of muscle in the larynx that… #
Vocal cords are the two bands of muscle in the larynx that vibrate to produce speech sounds, which is essential for speaking the Thai language.
Vocalic refers to a type of vowel sound that is produced with a <i… #
Vocalic refers to a type of vowel sound that is produced with a more open mouth position than a consonant, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Voicing refers to the vibration of the vocal cords, which can affe… #
Voicing refers to the vibration of the vocal cords, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Vowel is a type of sound made without obstructing the flow of air,… #
Vowel is a type of sound made without obstructing the flow of air, which is essential for understanding the Thai language.
Vowel harmony is the phenomenon where vowels in a word agree</b… #
Vowel harmony is the phenomenon where vowels in a word agree in quality, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Word order is the arrangement of words in a sentence, which can affect th… #
Word order is the arrangement of words in a sentence, which can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence or phrase in the Thai language.
Xenonym is a word that is borrowed from another language and is used to d… #
Xenonym is a word that is borrowed from another language and is used to describe a foreign concept or idea, which can help learners of the Thai language to recognize and remember new vocabulary.
Yotization is the process of adding a y sound to a word, which can… #
Yotization is the process of adding a y sound to a word, which can affect the pronunciation of a word in the Thai language.
Zipf's law is the phenomenon where the frequency of a word is i… #
Zipf's law is the phenomenon where the frequency of a word is inversely proportional to its rank in a list of words, which can help learners of the Thai language to understand and predict language usage.