Section 10_15

Key Concepts in Phonology

1. Phonemes and Allophones

• Definitions:

  • Phonemes:

    • Abstract mental units

    • Contrastive

    • Unpredictable occurrences

  • Allophones:

    • Surface representations

    • Non-contrastive

    • Predictable occurrences

• Minimal pairs:

  • Illustrates differences between phonemes and allophones.

2. Types of Allophones

• Basic Allophone:

  • Identical to the phoneme

  • Follows phonological rules, e.g., A → B / C__D

  • Can occur in wider, more complex environments

• Restricted Allophone:

  • Derives from rules, e.g., A → B / C__D

  • Appears in more restricted environments

3. Understanding Natural Classes

• Definition:

  • A natural class is a group of sounds sharing articulatory or auditory properties, distinct from others in a language.

• Phonological Rules:

  • Often target entire natural classes rather than singular sounds.

4. Examples of Natural Classes

• Place of Articulation:

  • Bilabial: p, b

  • Labiodental: f, v

  • Alveolar: t, d

  • Palatal: ʃ, ʒ

  • Velar: k, g

  • Glottal: ʔ

• Manner of Articulation:

  • Stops: p, b, t, d

  • Fricatives: f, v, s, z

  • Nasal Consonants: m, n

5. Types of Natural Classes

• Obstruents:

  • Consonants produced with obstructed airflow (stops, fricatives, affricates).

• Sonorants:

  • Sounds produced with relatively unobstructed airflow (nasals, liquids, glides, vowels).

• Labials:

  • Bilabial and labiodental sounds (e.g., p, b, f, v, m, w).

• Sibilants:

  • High-pitched, hissing sounds (e.g., s, ʃ, z).

6. Formulating Phonological Rules

• Rule Notation:

  • General structure: A → B / C__D

  • Interpretations:

    • A becomes B when appearing between C and D

    • A follows C or precedes D

7. Steps for Phonological Analysis

• Check for minimal pairs:

  • If found, they exhibit contrastive distribution.

• List phonetic environments for each sound.

• Assess the overlap of environments:

  • If they overlap: contrastive distribution

  • If they do not, they are in complementary distribution, necessitating a rule definition.

8. Example: Spanish [d] and [ð]

• Phonetic environments:

  • [d] occurs: #__r, #__o, #__i

  • [ð] occurs surrounding vowels

• Conclusion:

  • /d/ → [ð] / V__V

  • These sounds are allophones of the same phoneme.

9. Important Reminders for Assessments

• Quiz 3: Know how to:

  • Recognize and characterize natural classes in English

  • Differentiate between allophones and phonemes

  • Identify minimal and near-minimal pairs

  • Understand contrastive vs complementary distribution

• Homework 2: Similar knowledge areas as Quiz 3, with emphasis on phonological rules and predicting sound patterns.