This work presents a new stance on the presentation of basic phonetic skills for students of linguistics, using examples drawn from a wide-range of languages. Continuum Critical Introductions to Linguistics present core areas of linguistics from refreshing new perspectives. This book takes a new stance phonetics and will interest students of linguistics. Using examples drawn from a wide-range of languages Ken Lodge introduces the key aspects of phonetics, examining the difference between speech and writing, the physiology of speech production, basic and detailed articulation, and acoustic phonetics. The book contains a practical guide to transcriptions from sound recordings, and a section on applications of phonetics to fields of study such as language variation and accent. A Critical Introduction to Phonetics provides comprehensive coverage of all the key areas of the subject, and contains chapter summaries to help the reader navigate the text. Critical thinking is prompted throughout, and this will be essential reading for students on introductory phonetics courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Continuum Critical Introductions to Linguistics are comprehensive introductions to core areas in linguistics. The introductions are original and approach the subject from unique and different perspectives. Using contemporary examples and analogies, these books seek to explain complicated issues in an accessible way. The books prompt critical thinking about each core area, and are a radical departure from traditional, staid introductions to the subject. Written by key academics in each field who are not afraid to be controversial, each book will be essential reading for undergraduate students.