Phonological Processes and classification of sounds Flashcards
Assimilation
General Definition: one sound influencing another
2 Types:
1. progressive assimilation (obligatory)
second sound adjusts itself in some way to the sound preceding
e.g. plural suffix -s: if the sound preceding is voiceless it is pronounced as /s/. If the sound preceding is voiced it is pronounced as /z/
2. regressive assimilation (optional, very rapid conversation)
first sound adjusts itself to the sound that follows it
e.g. before /p, b, m/ /t/-> /p/ in “That pig” /d/-> /b/ in “red boat” , /n/ -> /m/ in “one pen”
“regressive/ progressive assimilation with repsect to _________, ________ [] influences preceding/following ________ [] to also make it ___________ “
e.g. “progressive assimilation with repsect to voicing, the voiced [i] influences following plural-suffix -s to also make it voiced [z] “
Coalescence
General definition: two adjacent sounds unite and fuse into one (influence each other)
“formular”:
- alveolar plosive [t] or [d] + semivowel [j] = palato alveolar affricative [tʃ] or [dʒ]
- alveolar fricative [s] or [z] + semivowel [j] = palato- alveolar fricative [ʃ] or [ʒ]
Elision
General definition: sounds are deleted (applies to consonants and vowels)
most common:
Schwa-elision /ə/ /’kwaɪətən/ ->/’kwaɪətn̩/
-> note: n becomes syllabic
“Schwa- elision leads to syllabic consonant formation”
between words, past tense before word beginning with a consonant e.g. calmed down /mdd/ -> /md/
Epenthesis
General definition: inserting a sound into a word
(sound must be homorganic with sound that follows)
“formular” C1 + C2 -> C1 + homorganic plosive + C2
C1= Nasal C2= voiceless Fricative/Plosive
e.g. /ns/-> /nts/ in expanse or dense
homorganic sounds
sounds that have the same place of articulation
Compression
general Definition: two syllables become compressed into one
most common:
/ən/->/n̩/ -> /n/, /θret ən ɪŋ/ -> /θret n̩ ɪŋ/ -> /θret nɪŋ/
/əl/->/syllabic l/ -> /l/, /ræt əl ɪŋ/ -> /ræt syllabic l ɪŋ/ -> /ræt lɪŋ/
/i/ -> /j/ and /u/ -> /w/ before unstressed vowels (e.g in obidient: /ə ‘bi: di ənt/ -> /ə ‘bi: djent/ and genius /’d̠ʒi: ni əs/ -> /’d̠ʒi: njəs/)
Restricted to RP (British English):
/i:/ + /ə/ -> /ɪə/ e.g foreseeable /fɔ: ‘si: ə bsyllabicl/ ->
/fɔ: ‘siə b syllabicl/
/u:/+ /ə/ -> /ʊə/ e.g. cruel /kru: əl/ -> /krʊəl/
note: sometimes new diphthongs are created which are not normally found in English
e. g. Jewish /d̠ʒu: ɪʃ/ ->/d̠ʒʊɪʃ/
combination between two syllables:
/au/+/ə/-> /aə/ e.g. nowadays /’nau ə deiz/ -> /naə deiz/
weakening
general definition: "replacing" of vowels in unstressed syllables with either /ə/ or /ɪ/ affect function (grammatical) words like monosyllabic conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns, determiners, auxiliary verbs)
careful: with auxiliary verbs: if used as a full verb you go with the strong form of the verb (no weakening)
same happens when the emphasis of the sentence lays on the function verb.
Obstruents vs. Sonorants
Obstruents: restriction in the airflow (Plosives, Frivatices, affricates)
-> voicing makes a difference (e.g. /t/ and /d/)
Sonorants: free flow of air (nasals, laterals, frictionless continuants, semivowels, vowels), normally all voiced
-> voicing makes no difference
closing vs. centring diphthongs
closing: rise to a final position [eɪ, aɪ, ɔɪ, əʊ aʊ]
centring: move to central position (ending in ə) [ɪə, eə, ʊə]
allophones vs. free variants
allophones:
- produce a change in meaning
- appear in complementary distribution
- are phonetically similar (eg dark and clear l)
free variants: choice between 2 or more phones in the same segment of a word
careful: they may be free variants for one word, but not for every word
e. g./i:/ and /e/ change meaning in the minimal pairs seat, set and heed, head, but are free variants in the word economics
alveolar sounds
[t], [d], [s], [z], [l], [n]
post-alveolar sounds
[r]
palato-alveolar sounds
[ʃ], [ʒ], [tʃ], [dʒ]
palatal sounds
[j]
velar sounds
[k], [g], [ŋ]
