LING141 Phonology

Midterm

Stops

-Voice: [p, t, k]

+Voice [b, d, g]

Fricatives

-Voice: [f, θ, s, ʃ]

+Voice: [v, ð, z, ʒ]

Affricates

-Voice: [tʃ]

+Voice: [dʒ]

Nasals

+Voice: [m, n, ŋ]

Approximants

+Voice: [l, ɹ, j, w]

Phonetics

The study of “actual” physical sounds in human speech, focuses on their articulation, acoustic properties, and the physical principles underlying sound production

Phonology

An abstract cognitive system dealing with rules in a mental grammar: principles of subconscious “thought” as they relate to language sound

Allophone

A predictable variant of a phoneme that occurs in specific phonetic contexts. (Appear with a restricted environment)

ex: allophonic rule = aspiration of voiceless stops

Phoneme

The smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word when replaced with another sound. To find a phoneme use minimal pairs, phonemes are NOT predictable. (Appear in more distributions)

ex: doom [dum] boom [bum] = minimal pair, phonemes: /d, b/

*slashes show phonemes

Underlying Form

The basic, abstract representation of a phoneme before any phonological rules are applied, often differing from its surface form.

Obstruents

Have constriction of airflow and include: stops, fricatives, and affricates (+/- voice)

Sonorants

Have less constriction of airflow and include: nasals, liquids, and glides (+voice)

Vowels

Have NO constriction/obstruction EVER, they are always voiced

-back: i, ɪ, e, ɛ, æ and y, ʏ, ø, œ, ɶ

+back: ə ʌ a, u, ʊ, o, ɔ, ɑ and ɯ ɤ

[+/- Syllabic] = Major Class

Form a syllable peak (stress)

can[+]: vowels, syllabic sonorants

cannot[-]: consonants

[+/- Consonantal] = Major Class

Sounds produced with major constriction in the oral cavity

any[+]: stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids

none[-]: vowels, glides, laryngeals

[+/- Sonorant] = Major Class

Allows for spontaneous voicing (no constriction above glottis or constriction so small no extra effort for voicing is needed)

allows[+]: vowels, nasals, liquids, glides, laryngeals

doesn’t allow[-]: fricatives, stops

[+/- Anterior] = Place Feature

At or in front of the alveolar ridge

at/in front[+]: alveolars, dentals, labiodentals, bilabials

not[-]: post alveolars, retroflex, palatals, velars, uvulars, pharyngeals, laryngeals

[+/- Coronal] = Place Feature

Formed with the tip or blade of the tongue raised from neutral position

raised[+]: dentals, alveolars, alveo-palatals, retroflexes

not[-]: labials, labio-velars, palatals, velars, uvulars, pharyngeals, laryngeals

[+/- Continuant] = Manner Feature

Formed with fairly free airflow through the mouth (no complete blocking of the airstream in oral tract)

free[+]: vowels, glides, liquids, fricatives

not free[-]: stops, nasals

Palatals

[ j ]
+high, -back

Velars

[ g ]

+high, +back

Uvulars

[ G ]

-high, -low, +back

Pharyngeals

[ q ]

+low, +back

Laryngeals (glottals)

[ ʔ ]

-high, -low, -back

Complementary Distribution

Two sounds never occur in the same environment, they’re allophones of the same phoneme that occur in mutually exclusive environments

Focus of a Rule

The segment that undergoes changes (the part affected by the phonological rule)

Natural Class of Sounds

A set of segments defined by shared features

ex: [m, n, ŋ] = [+nasal]

Markedness

Unmarked System = common: [p, t, k] voiceless stops, [i, e, a, o, u] basic vowels

Marked System = uncommon: [ʔ] glottal stop, [ɬ] voiceless lateral fricative, [ʒ]

Neutralization

The elimination of underlying phonemic contrast in some context (contrast between phonemes is lost in specific environments)
ex: /t/ and /d/ both becoming tapped [ɾ] in ‘butter’ and ‘ladder’, they lost their previously held contrast of voiceless/voiced