Distinctive Features

Question 1

[+syll]

Answer 1

Constitute a syllable nucleus around which segments may be gathered to form a syllable: vowels, as in [bæt], and syllabic consonants as in [bɔtl̩], [ps̩t]

Question 2

[-syll]

Answer 2

Non-syllabic consonants, including glides and nonsyllabic laterals and nasals, eg in [læm]

Question 3

[+cons]

Answer 3

Produced with a sustained constriction that is at least equal to that required for a fricative (in the central line of the oral cavity): stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids (laterals, rhotics), tap, trill. Some pharyngeal fricatives/approximants depending on the degree of frication.

Question 4

[-cons]

Answer 4

vowels, glides, glottal fricatives and glottal stop

Question 5

[+son]

Answer 5

Articulation is sufficiently open that the air pressure inside and outside the mouth is approximately equal: vowels, approximants (glides, liquids), nasals, glottal fricatives and glottal stop. Most sonorants are typically but not necessarily voiced.

Question 6

[-son]

Answer 6

aka obstruents: other stops and fricatives

Question 7

[+cor]

Answer 7

Involving tip or blade of tongue: laminal and apical sounds.

Question 8

[+ant]

Answer 8

Coronal sounds produced at the alveolar ridge or forward: alveolars, dentals (& linguo-labials?).

Question 9

[-ant]

Answer 9

Coronal sounds produced behind the alveolar ridge: post-alveolars.

Question 10

[+dist]

Answer 10

Coronal sounds produced with a greater area of constriction: laminals.

Question 11

[-dist]

Answer 11

Coronal sounds produced with a lesser area of constriction: apicals.

Question 12

[+lab]

Answer 12

Articulation involves one or both lips: bilabials, labiodentals, rounded vowels, glides and other consonants

Question 13

[+rnd]

Answer 13

Produced with lip-rounding or protrusion: rounded vowels, [w], labialised consonants. All [+round] sounds are automatically [+labial].

Question 14

[-rnd]

Answer 14

Produced without lip-rounding or protrusion.

Question 15

[+dors]

Answer 15

Involving body of tongue as articulator: palatals, velars, uvulars; all vowels.

Question 16

[+hi]

Answer 16

Produced with tongue body raised from neutral position: high vowels and glides, palatalised and velarised sounds.

Question 17

[-hi]

Answer 17

All other dorsal sounds.

Question 18

[+lo]

Answer 18

Produced with tongue body lowered from neutral position: low vowels (and possibly pharyngeals).

Question 19

[-lo]

Answer 19

All other dorsal sounds.

Question 20

[+ba]

Answer 20

Produced with tongue body moved back from neutral position: back and central vowels and glides, velars, uvulars, velarised and uvularised sounds.

Question 21

[-ba]

Answer 21

All other dorsal sounds.

Question 22

[+cont]

Answer 22

Constriction in the oral cavity is not narrow enough to completely block oral airflow: vowels, glides and fricatives. Probably also rhotics and lateral approximants.

Question 23

[-cont]

Answer 23

Nasal consonants and stops.

Question 24

[+str]

Answer 24

Continuants produced with high-intensity frication: fricatives and affricates eg [f] [v] [s] [ʃ] [χ] [ʁ] [ɬ] [ɮ]

Question 25

[-str]

Answer 25

All other [+continuant] sounds.

Question 26

[+lat]

Answer 26

Produced with a lateral airstream: lateral approximants and fricatives (& possibly lateral clicks).

Question 27

[+nas]

Answer 27

Produced with nasal airflow: nasal and nasalised consonants, nasalised vowels and glides.

Question 28

[+tns]

Answer 28

Produced with greater/sustained articulatory effort. Mostly restricted to vowels.

Question 29

[+ATR]

Answer 29

Produced with the tongue root in an advanced position. A single property may well underlie both ATR and [tense].

Question 30

[+CP]

Answer 30

Produced with a constricted pharynx: pharyngeals.

Question 31

[+voi]

Answer 31

Produced with (relatively greater) voicing.

Question 32

[-voi]

Answer 32

Produced with no (or relatively little) voicing

Question 33

[+SG]

Answer 33

Vocal folds held apart: aspirated consonants, voiceless sonorants and glottal fricatives.

Question 34

[+CG]

Answer 34

Constricted Glottis: vocal folds drawn together preventing voicing: ejectives, implosives, glottalised/laryngealised sounds and [ʔ].