Phonology Key Vocabulary Flashcards
Spectrogram
Allows you to see all the frequencies that combine to produce a sound. Spectrograms of audio can be used to identify spoken words phonetically.
Narrow Transcription
A close transcription, indicating precise details of the sounds. It captures as many aspects of a specific pronunciation as possible and ignores as few details as possible. Using the diacritics provided by the IPA, it’s possible to make very subtle distinctions between sounds.
Complementary Distribution
The relationship between two different elements of the same kind in which one element is found in one set of environments and the other element is found in a non-intersecting set of environments. It allows us to predict for every English word, which of the two allophones it will contain.
Minimal Pair
A pair of words which differ in only one sound, but have different meanings. Example: /f/ and /v/ in fan and van, or the /e/ and /ɪ/ in desk and disk.
Released Consonant
A release of air that has been built up.
Unreleased Consonant
A stop with no audible release, also known as an unreleased stop or an applosive, is a stop consonant with no release burst.
Free Variation
An alternative pronunciation of a word (or of a phoneme in a word) that doesn’t affect the word’s meaning.
Neutralisation
The elimination of a phonemic distinction in a particular phonological context. Example: The words “medal” and “metal” and “ladder” and “latter” cannot be distinguished by pronunciation alone.
Final Devoicing
Occurrence of a voiced phoneme with a voiceless allophone in word-final position.
Velarised
Secondary articulation of consonants by which the back of the tongue is raised toward the velum during the articulation of the consonant.
Aspiration
A stop that is produced with an extra “breath of air”
Prevocalic Slot
Onset of a syllable, usually includes more than one consonant.
Voiced Alveolar Flap
A sound in which the tongue very quickly taps the alveolar ridge once.
Intervocalic
A consonant that occurs between two vowels.
t/d Flapping
A process in which the contrast between the two phonemes is neutralised in a particular phonetic context:
Non-rhotic speakers
Pronounce /r/ only if it is followed by a vowel sound in the same phrase or prosodic unit as a “linking and intrusive r. The r-sound cannot occur in word-final position.
Rhotic speakers
Articulate /r/ in all positions, such as word-final position.
Constituents
The elements that make up a syllable.
Syllabic Consonants
Consonants that occupy the central part of the syllable.
Nucleus
Sometimes called peak, it’s the central part of the syllable, most commonly a vowel. Also filled with a diphthong, or a syllabic consonant.
Coda
Comprises the consonant sounds of a syllable that follow the nucleus. Postvocalic slot/Not Obligatory.
Cognates
Words that have a common etymological origin; often inherited from a shared parent language, but they may also involve borrowings from some other language.
Syllabification
The division or structure of words into syllables, either in speech or in writing.
Maximal Onset Principle
Principle determining underlying syllable division. It states that intervocalic consonants are maximally assigned to the onsets of syllables in conformity with universal and language-specific conditions.
Sonority Sequencing Principle
Principle stating that sounds preceding the nucleus must rise in sonority, and sounds following the nucleus must fall in sonority.
