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Human language is physiologically based---it is
produced by making sounds in the `vocal tract' (or by visual signing
as in ASL). We are primarily interested in ARTICULATORY phonetics,
i.e. a representation of the sounds that the human vocal apparatus is
capable of producing. There also exists a field known as ACOUSTIC
phonetics, which is interested in the physical measurement by
electronic equipment etc. of the sounds as HEARD, not as spoken. The
articulatory phonetician relies on his/her ears and secondarily on
visual or other observations. The acoustic phonetician relies on h.
physical equipment and is not primarily interested in what movements a
speaker makes with h. articulatory equipment.
Harold Schiffman
Fri Jan 17 09:48:04 EST 1997