Segmental and Suprasegmental Modifications

These flashcards cover key concepts related to phonetics and phonology, focusing on segmental modifications, stress, intonation, and speech production.

What is Regressive Assimilation?

It is a type of assimilation where a segment is modified in anticipation of an upcoming phoneme, also known as anticipatory assimilation.

Give an example of Progressive Assimilation.

The word 'beads' is pronounced as /bidz/ which shows how the phoneme is modified due to the preceding phoneme.

What is Elision in speech production?

Elision is the omission of a phoneme during speech production,

Define Hapology.

Hapology is the deletion of an entire syllable in a word, such as saying /pɹɑlɪ/ for 'probably'.

What is Vowel Reduction?

Vowel Reduction is when the full form of a vowel becomes more like the mid-central vowel /ə/ in connected speech, or when a tense vowel is replaced with a lax vowel.

What do stressed syllables in multisyllabic words indicate?

Stressed syllables are higher in pitch, louder in volume, and longer in duration.

What is the function of pauses in connected speech?

Pauses are used to emphasize key words and phrases or to take a breath and think about what to say next.

Explain the concept of External Juncture.

External Juncture refers to a pause that connects two intonational phrases, for example: 'Yes, I would like to go,/ but I can’t'.

What is a Tonic Syllable?

A Tonic Syllable is the syllable that receives the greatest pitch change in a particular intonational phrase.

Describe the difference between Rising and Falling Intonation.

Rising intonation typically indicates uncertainty and is common in questions, while falling intonation indicates completeness and finality of statements.

what is an example of Elision

for example, 'exactly' may be spoken as /əɡzæklɪ/.

What is Epenthesis?

is the addition of one or more phonemes to a word, often to make its pronunciation easier.

What is Metathesis?

is the rearrangement of sounds or syllables in a word, resulting in a change of pronunciation.

What is an example of methathesis

spaghetti → /pəsɡɛɾɪ/

animal → /æmɪnl/

An example of Epenthesis

“we own” /wi(j)oʊn/

“Amsterdam” /æmpstɚdæm/

Syllable Word Stress

Higher in Pitch Louder in Volume Longer in Duration Multisyllabic Words can have: Primary Stress Secondary Stress

Example of Syllable word stress

ˌmainˈtain ˌ

,inˈclude

ˈpayˌroll

Word Stress in Sentences

Sentences often end by stressing the last word BUT not always

● Content Words

● Function Words

You may change which word is stressed, based on content or what the person needs to hear

Example of Word Stress in Sentences

I want to ‘go

I want to go ‘fishing

‘Bob bit Bill

Intonation

Changes in Pitch Can be used to indicate:

Statement or fact

Question

Exclamation

Mood

Example of Intonation

You know that ↘

↘You know that?↗

Tempo

describe the durational aspect of connected speech.

Durational of Individual Phonemes from longest to shortest

● Diphthongs

● Vowels

● Glides and liquids

● Nasal, fricatives, affricates

● Stops

Pauses and Junctures

Pauses used to emphasize key words and phrases or to take a breath, thinking about what to say next

Juncture used to indicate the way in which syllables and words are linked together in connected speech.

What are the different types of junctures

External juncture

open internal juncture

closed internal juncture.

External Juncture

term given to a pause that connects two intonational phrases.

Example of External Juncture

“Yes, I would like to go, but I can’t” would be transcribed as [jɛs ǀ aɪ wʊd laɪk tə ɡoʊ ǀ bət aɪ kænt ǁ ]

Open Internal Juncture

necessary to indicate the presence of a pause between words in the same intonational phrase because the transition between syllables may become blurred.

Example of Open Internal Juncture

“I scream” and “ice cream.” [aɪ + skrim]. To show “I Scream” not ice cream [aɪskɹim]

Closed Internal Juncture

No pause is needed to distinguish meaning

Example of Closed Internal Juncture

Ice cream would be a closed internal juncture [aɪskɹim] where the meaning is clear without any pauses, unlike "I scream."