Allophonic Variation In Plosives: Lateral

Question 1

The label lateral approach and release gives you much of the information you need to work out what types of allophonic variation are described

Answer 1

The approach and release part of the label tells you that we are again thinking about allophonic variation of plosives. The lateral part of the label suggests that the plosive is approached or released in a lateral manner- that is by moving the sides of the tongue

Question 2

You might have surmised, therefore, that plosives will be laterally approached or released

Answer 2

When they are adjacent to a lateral consonant, which in English can only be l

Question 3

Furthermore, you may have thought back to the fact the plosive and l will have to be homorganic

Answer 3

Consequently, as l is alveolar, only the Acrilan plosives t and d can be laterally approached or released

Question 4

Lateral approach and release: produce the word wed. Concentrate on the d sound and the movements your articulators make to produce it

Answer 4

Can you feel the approach, hold and release phases?

Question 5

Now produce the word well. Concentrate on the l

Answer 5

Again what articulatory movements can you feel?

Question 6

Now think about the word weld. What do you feel?

Answer 6

Specifically, when do you feel the tongue tip approach the alveolar ridge?

Question 7

When d is at the end of wed,

Answer 7

You can feel the tongue tip approaching the alveolar ridge, making firm contact and then moving away again

Question 8

In well, we find a similar sort of articulation for l, in that the tongue tip rises and forms a firm contact with the alveolar ridge

Answer 8

Here, however, the sides of the tongue remain lowered and in wide approximation with the alveolar ridge so that air flows over the sides of the tongue

Question 9

In weld, the tongue tip contacts the alveolar ridge for l and remains there for d. The sides of the tongue change position however

Answer 9

After being lowered for l, they rise for d and make firm contact with the roof of the mouth. Therefore the only change in the articulators between la and d is in the positions of the side of the tongue. As the tongue tip has not risen in the approach to d we say that d is laterally approached

Question 10

Lateral release is much as you would expect given what you already know.

Answer 10

Here a t or a d is followed immediately by an l and is released by lowering the sides of the tongue to a position of wide approximation, so that air can flow over the sides of the tongue. For example in little or huddle, the alveolar plosives are laterally released (so long as the l is syllabic and no schwa occurs before it) as is the d in medley

Question 11

Lateral approach and release are symbolised in transcription by the superscript diacritic small l,

Answer 11

Which occurs to the left of the plosive for lateral approach and the right for lateral release

Question 12

You will notice that plosives can be nasally approached and laterally released as in candle or laterally approached and nasally released as in molten

Answer 12

This is an exception to our rule of thumb where we said that in general, only one variation of manner would occur at a time. This exception is because one variation affects the approach phase and one the release phase of a plosive and therefore the articulations are not incompatible

Question 13

Of course plosives cannot be laterally approached and nasally approached at the same time or laterally released and nasally released

Answer 13

Because they cannot be preceded by a lateral and a nasal simultaneously

Question 14

The plosive will only be nasally and laterally released if they are

Answer 14

Directly followed by a nasal or lateral which is often the case when the nasal or lateral is syllabic, but not if schwa intervenes. This depends very much on individuals pronunciation as we have seen