S2 - RP v. GA

Question 1

What are realizational differences ? Give some examples.

Answer 1

They are specific allophonic realizations of certain phonemes that are different from one another. It is written between [ ].
Examples : GOAT words, yod dropping, flapping / tapping, dark ‘l’ v. clear ‘l’, /æ/-tensing.

Question 2

What are systemic differences between RP and GA ? Give some examples.

Answer 2

They are realizational differences that are so frequent and widespread that it is reflected at the phonemic level, aka the system itself changes. It is written beween / /.
Examples : LOT words, Glide Cluster Reduction.

Question 3

What are distributional differences between RP and GA ? Give some examples.

Answer 3

They are the differences that are done because of a difference in the system or a difference specific allophonic realizations. The system does NOT change. It is written between / /.
Examples : BATH words, THOUGHT words, /ɪ/ vs. /aɪ/.

Question 4

What is rhoticity ?

Answer 4

In RP, when /r/ appears in coda position, it is never pronounced.
In GA, /r/ is pronounced in all positions, in all contexts.

Examples : RP is non-rhotic —> /ˈnevə/ and GA is rhotic —> /ˈnevər/

Question 5

Give an example of rhoticity.

Answer 5

/ˈkɑː/ vs. /ˈkɑːr/ /ˈpɔː/ vs /ˈpɔːr/ /ˈbetə/ vs /ˈbetər/

Question 6

What are the CLOTH words lexical set ?

Answer 6

There are no /ɒ/ vowel in the GA system. Words that have /ɒ/ in RP but can have either /ɑː/ or / ɔː/ in GA.
Example : RP: /ˈpɒt/ v. GA: /ˈpɑːt/ RP: /ˈlɒft/ v. GA: /ˈlɔːft/

Question 7

Give an example of a word part of the LOT word lexical set.

Answer 7

RP: /ˈpɒt/    GA: /ˈpɑːt/
RP: /ˈʤɒb/   GA: /ˈʤɑːb/
RP: /ˈgɒt/   GA: /ˈgɑːt/
RP: /əˈkrɒs/   GA: /əˈkrɔːs/
RP: /ˈstɒp/   GA: /ˈstɑːp/
RP: /ˈlɒft/   GA: /ˈlɔːft/

Question 8

What is the Glide Cluster Reduction ?

Answer 8

The phoneme /ʍ/ is used by a number of GA speakers in wh-words like when, which, what, where, why. This is when there is NO glide cluster reduction.

Question 9

Give an example of a word with no Glide Cluster Reduction.

Answer 9

when, why, what, …

Question 10

What is the BATH words lexical set ?

Answer 10

In RP, < a > is pronounced /ɑ:/ in words belonging to the BATH lexical set, i.e. when < a > appears before /s/, /f/, /θ/, /ns/, /nt/, /nʃ/. GA speakers have a short /æ/ in these words instead.< a >

Question 11

Give an example of a word that is part of the BATH words lexical set.

Answer 11

Examples : dance, can’t, ranch, sample, brass, glass, path, grasp, master, ask, task, calf, plant.
Dancer = RP: /ˈdɑːnsə/ GA: /ˈdænsər/
Exceptions: gas, astronaut, pastel, maths, athlete, ant, mantle, ample (/æ/)

Question 12

What is the THOUGHT words lexical set ?

Answer 12

In RP, the same long vowel as in NORTH (/ɔː/) is found in the THOUGHT words. On the contrary, in GA, the vowel in THOUGHT (/ɑ:/) is the same as the vowel in the LOT and PALM words. The vowels /ɑ:/ and /ɔː/ are not distributed in the same lexical sets, in the same words.

Question 13

What is the /ɪ/ vs. /aɪ/ difference in GA and RP ?

Answer 13

In certain words, RP will have /ɪ/ and GA will have /aɪ/ (ex: vitamin, dynasty, privacy, simultaneous, anti), whereas in others, RP will have /aɪ/ and GA will have /ɪ/ (ex: globalization, civilization, urbanization, director).

Question 14

Give an example of the /ɪ/ vs. /aɪ/ difference in GA and RP.

Answer 14

RP /ɪ/ and GA /aɪ/
ex: vitamin, dynasty, privacy, simultaneous, anti

RP /aɪ/ and GA /ɪ/
ex: globalization, civilization, urbanization, director

Question 15

What is the GOAT words lexical set ?

Answer 15

In RP, some words have /əʊ/ and while they have /oʊ/

Example :
RP: /ˈgəʊ/ GA: /ˈgoʊ/
RP: /ˈnəʊ/ GA: /ˈnoʊ/
RP: /prəˈməʊʃən/ GA: /prəˈmoʊʃən/

Question 16

Give an example of a words that is part of the GOAT words lexical set.

Answer 16

RP: /ˈgəʊ/ GA: /ˈgoʊ/
RP: /ˈnəʊ/ GA: /ˈnoʊ/
RP: /prəˈməʊʃən/ GA: /prəˈmoʊʃən/

Question 17

What is Yod Dropping ?

Answer 17

This phenomenon refers to the pronunciation of words like tune, dune without the /j/ sound between the initial consonant and the tense vowel /uː/ in GA. The yod is said to be “dropped/deleted” in GA after an alveolar consonant (/s, z, l, t, d, n/) or /θ/ ex: nude, suitable, enthusiasm.

Question 18

Give an example of yod dropping.

Answer 18

RP: /ˈtjuːn/   GA: /ˈtuːn/
RP: /ˈnjuː/   GA: /ˈnuː/
RP: /ˈstjuːdnt/   GA: /ˈstuːdnt/
RP: /əˈsjuːm/   GA: /əˈsuːm/
RP: /ˈdjuːti/   GA: /ˈduːti/

Question 19

What Flapping / tapping & glottaling

Answer 19

GA is that /t/ and /d/ may undergo tapping/flapping, that is to say that they are no longer realized as simply [t] and [d] but as a flap/tap ([ɾ] or [t̬]). In RP, not only is the realization [ɾ] very rare, but in similar contexts, /t/ can be pronounced as a glottal stop [ʔ]. This is also often the case of a /t/ in final position (as in the sequence “is it”).

Question 20

Give an example of flapping / tapping & glottaling.

Answer 20

RP: /ˈwɔːtə/ GA: /ˈwɔːt̬ər/ | RP: [ˈwɔːʔə] GA: [ˈwɔːɾər]
RP: /ˈbʌtək/ GA: /ˈbʌt̬ək/ | RP: [ˈbʌʔək] GA: [ˈbʌɾək]
RP: /ˈbetə/ GA: /ˈbet̬ər/ | RP: [ˈbeʔə] GA: [ˈbeɾər]
RP: /ˈpɒtə/ GA: /ˈpɑːt̬ər/ | RP: [ˈpɒʔə] GA: [ˈpɑːɾər]

Question 21

What is the difference between a dark ‘l’ and a clear ‘l’ ?

Answer 21

in GA /l/ is often dark when pronounced (all syllabic positions) & realized as [ɫ] (in both onset and codas)
However, RP is the contrary, the pronunciation of /l/ is clear in onset position (start of word/syllable) & realized as [l], but dark in coda position (end of word/syllable) & realized as [ɫ]

Question 22

What is /æ/-tensing ?

Answer 22

the realization of /æ/ in GA is different —> when there is a closed syllable ending with a nasal consonant (man, dance, half, bath, mad, can’t, prance, can) /æ/ becomes closer & lengthened OR diphthongized resulting in an [eə] allophone.
It is only a phonetic difference.