wk 4 - phonology

Question 1

Contrastive VS Non-contrastive sounds?

Answer 1

CONTRASTIVE =
- replacing sound A with B in the same word -> different meaning
- eg [bin] vs [pin] -> changing [b] to [p] causes a change in meaning = they are a minimal pair = pair of words that differ in exactly one feature & hv diff meanings!!!
- NOT allophones of the same phoneme bcs speakers regard them as 2 separate units

NON-contrastive = opposite

Question 1

Phoneme VS Allophone?

Answer 1

Phoneme:
- cant be heard
- can construct an analysis whr several allophones are related to a single phoneme
- represented by slashes only //

Allophone:
- can be heard
- represented by square brackets only [ ]
- eg: [p] & [ph]: aspirated p/use a burst of air to pronounce - physically different but are variants of the same sound/phoneme! -> allophones of the same phoneme

Question 1

Whats complementary distribution and free variation?

Answer 1

Complementary distribution:
- Both sounds do NOT occur in same phonetic env / sound phonetically similar -> can state a phonetic generalisation over where each sound occurs (eg: word-initially) –> allophones of the same phoneme

Free variation:
- Non-contrastive YET can occur in the same phonetic envs
- allophones of the same phoneme / variants of the SAME sound -> replacing one word with another wont change the meaning of the word = NOT minimal pairs
- NOT in complementary distribution based on phonemic env = can occur in the same phonetic env - not like typical allophones -> use non-phonetic factors to determine the distribution of each allophone (Eg: formality, setting, r/s with speaker)

Question 2

How to do phonemic analysis?

Answer 2

1. Assume no free variation
2. Look for minimal pairs!!
   - if found then stop here
3. For each sound, create a list of environments where it occurs:
   X_Y, # for word initial/boundary

• Are the sounds in complementary distribution?
  -> Yes = cannot predict where each sound occurs = allophones of diff phonemes
  -> No = can predict = choose the less restricted allophone as the phoneme

Parameters to test if they are in CD:
1. Voicing, place, manner:
- eg: occurs before a nasal sound,
- occurs before the end of the word,

2. Height, backness, rounding, tenseness
   - check wk 3
3. Phonotactics
   - language rules on how certain words must be produced in certain env
   - caused by diff sound inventories = diff langs contain diff sounds -> dont know how to pronounce a sound in a new lang -> substitute with a more familiar sound frm their lang
   - unknowingly apply phonotactic constraints of their native lang to new lang
   - eg: [p] is usually aspirated when occurs at the beginning of a word in eng

• eg: [g] cannot occur immed before [n] in eng
• can only be 0-3 consonants at the start or end of a syllable

Question 3

What are the phonotactic constraints and the phonotactic constraints when speaking a new language?

What is the impact of a sound inventory ?

Answer 3

• language rules on how certain words must be produced in certain env
• caused by diff sound inventories = diff langs contain diff sounds -> dont know how to pronounce a sound in a new lang -> substitute with a more familiar sound frm their lang
• unknowingly apply phonotactic constraints of their native lang to new lang
• eg: [p] is usually aspirated when occurs at the beginning of a word in eng
• eg: [g] cannot occur immed before [n] in eng
• can only be 0-3 consonants at the start or end of a syllable