Allophonic Variation of Manner

Question 1

What is double articulation?

Answer 1

The production of two articulations of the same manner but different place (eg. /w/)

Question 2

What is nasalisation and how does it occur?

Answer 2

Addition of opening of velopharyngeal port (ie. lowering of velum) so air escapes through nasal and oral cavity. Usually vowels and approximants.

Question 3

When does nasalisation occur?

Answer 3

In English due to context:

• 1-2 segments before a nasal consonant (eg. “lentil”
• 1 segment after a nasal consonant (eg. “parsnip”)

In French:
- vowels before nasal consonant have nasalisation but no nasal is produced (“un bon vin blanc”)

Question 4

Why does nasalisation occur normally?

Answer 4

Can occur normally in speech for certain sounds or can run right through speech due to pathology or dialect. When the velum is constantly lowered but not the same as normal nasalisation.

Question 5

What are the 3 stages of plosives?

Answer 5

1. Articulators are apart.
2. Complete contact of articulators.
3. Articulators part again and air is released. Loudest stage of plosive.

Question 6

What plosive variations can occur?

Answer 6

1. Nasal approach
2. Lateral approach
3. Nasal release
4. Lateral release

Question 7

What must sounds be for variations of plosives to occur?

Answer 7

They must be homorganic (have the same place of articulation)

Question 8

Variation of plosives:

How does nasal approach occur?

Answer 8

It occurs at phase one of a plosive (so the nasal is before the plosive). Velum moves from lowered to raised.
Symbol= /n/ but small

Question 9

Variation of plosives: When does lateral approach occur?

Answer 9

Occurs at stage 1 of a plosive. Adjacent sounds have to be homorganic. The lateral sound comes first.

Question 10

Variation of plosives: How does lateral approach occur?

Answer 10

• Tongue sides are lowered then raised.
• Shape changes from lateral to flat.
• Eg. /kold/
• Symbol= /l/ but small

Question 11

Variation of plosives: What is nasal release?

Answer 11

• When a nasal follows a homorganic plosive.
• Occurs at phase 3.
• Velum moves from raised to lowered.
• Release phase of plosive does not occur.
• Eg. “topmost”

Question 12

Variation of plosives: What is lateral release?

Answer 12

• Tongue shape changes from flat to lateral.
• Found when a plosive is followed by a homorganic lateral. Usually at syllable boundries.
• Eg. “at last”

Question 13

Variations of plosives: What is inaudible release?

Answer 13

• When the release phase cannot be heard.
• Symbol= top left corner
• Eg. “apt”

Question 14

Variations of plosives:

When does inaudible release occur?

Answer 14

1. When a plosive is produced before another plosive at a different POA (apt).
2. When a plosive is produced before a fricative at a different POA (absent).
3. In a WF position before a pause (stop).

Question 15

Variation of plosives: When does an unreleased plosive occur?

Answer 15

When there are two of the same sounds adjacent to each other. Usually different words (eg. “bookcase”)
Symbol= :

Question 16

Variations of plosives: What is gemination?

Answer 16

When the two sounds merge making it sound longer during an unreleased plosive.

Question 17

Variations of plosives: What is narrow release?

Answer 17

When the release phase of a plosive is narrow it creates a friction noise. This friction has the same voicing as the plosive.
Symbol= small symbol of fricative after plosive.
Eg. “cake” (liverpudlian accent)

Question 18

What can vary about the production of vowels?

Answer 18

Vowel length

Pre-fortis clipping

Question 19

Variations of vowels: Why do vowel lengths differ?

Answer 19

This helps us to distinguish between final sounds in similar words (eg. “meat” and “mead”).

Question 20

Variations of vowels: What do “lenis” and “fortis” mean?

Answer 20

Lenis= weak
Fortis= strong. Can be used to describe a voiceless sound.

Question 21

Variations of vowels: What is pre-fortis clipping?

Answer 21

Sounds are shortened when produced before a voiceless consonant. If there are multiple vowels, the stressed vowel sounds longer.