COSI 352 Final Exam - Phonology

Stop

A type of consonant sound produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract, followed by a release of air. Examples include sounds like /p/, /t/, and /k/.
Bilabial (b, p), Alveolar (d, t), Velar (g, k), Glottal (-, ?)

Fricative

A type of consonant sound produced by forcing air through a narrow channel in the vocal tract, creating turbulence. Examples include sounds like /f/, /s/, and /v/.
Labiodental (v, f), Linguadental (ð, θ), Alveolar (z, s,), Palatal (ʒ, ∫), Glottal (-, h)

Affricate

A type of consonant sound that begins as a stop and is released as a fricative, creating a combined sound. Examples include /ʧ/ (as in 'chop') and /ʤ/ (as in 'judge').
Palatal (dʒ, t∫)

Glide

A type of consonant sound characterized by a smooth transition from one vowel sound to another, often functioning as a semivowel. Examples include sounds like /w/ and /j/.
Bilabial (w, -), Palatal (j, -)

Liquid

A type of consonant sound that is produced with minimal obstruction to the airflow in the vocal tract. Examples include sounds like /l/ and /r/.
Alveolar (l, -), Palatal (r, -)

Nasal

A type of consonant sound produced with airflow through the nose, resulting in sounds like /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/. It typically occurs when the oral cavity is closed off.
Bilabial (m, -), Alveolar (n, -), Velar (უ, -)

Assimilation (Consonant Harmony)

One sound becomes the same or similar to another sound in the word

Velar Assimilation

Occurs when a non-velar sound changes to a velar sound, like /k/, /g/, or /ŋ/
tack → kack, dog → gog, cup → kuck

Nasal Assimilation

Occurs when a non-nasal sound changes to a nasal sound due to the presence of a neighboring nasal sound
funny → money, incredible → imcredible, ten bucks → tem bucks

Substitution

One sound is substituted for another sound in a systematic way

Fronting

Sound that is typically produced in the back of the mouth is articulated more towards the front (velar → alveolar).
cat → tat, car → tar, gate → date

Stopping

Fricative/affricate is replaced with a stop sound
sip → tip, zoo → do, see → tee, stop → chop

Gliding

Liquids (r, l) are replaced by glides (w, j)
rabbit → wabbit

Deaffrication

Affricate sound is replaced with a fricative
chip → sip, chop → shop

Syllable Structure

Sound changes that affect the syllable structure of a word

Cluster Reduction

A consonant cluster is simplified into a single consonant
stop → top, spoon → poon, truck → tuck, green → reen

Weak Syllable Deletion

Unstressed/weak syllable in a word is deleted
banana → nana, computer → puter, potato → tato

Final Consonant Deletion

Deletion of the final consonant of a word
bus → bu, cat → ca, nose → no