Phonology: The Function and Pattering of Sounds Flashcards
Phonology
The component of a grammar made up of the elements and principles that determine how sounds pattern in a language.
Feature (phonological)
The smallest unit of analysis of phonological structure, combinations of which make up segments (e.g., [nasal], [continuant]).
Segments
Individual speech sounds.
Contrast
Segments are said to contrast when their presence alone may distinguish forms with different meanings from each other (e.g., [s] and [z] in the words sip and zip).
Syllable
A unit of linguistic structure that consists of a syllabic element and any segments that are associated with it. (See also Onset, Nucleus, Coda.)
Minimal pair
Two forms with distinct meanings that differ by only one segment found in the same position in each form (e.g., [ʃip] and [ʃip]).
Near-minimal pair
Two forms with distinct meanings that contrast segments in nearly identical environments.
Environment
The phonetic context in which a sound occurs.
Phonemes
Distinctive sounds in a language that contrast with other sounds in that language (e.g., the sounds [i] and [i] as in rich and reach contrast with each other as separate phonemes in English but not in Spanish).
Complementary distribution
The distribution of allophones in their respective phonetic environments such that one never appears in the same phonetic context as the other (e.g., the distribution of long and short vowels in English).
Phonetic representation
What is actually produced in speech after rules have been applied to the underlying representation (i.e., predictable variants, or allophones).
Allophones
Variants of a phoneme, usually in complementary distribution and phonetically similar (e.g., voiced and voiceless l in English).
Phonemic representation
The representation that consists of the phonemes to which allophones belong; predictable phonetic information is not represented.
Phonetic transcription
A type of transcription of sounds in which not only phonemic differences but also phonetic details are recorded.
Free variation
The free alternation of allophones and/or phonemes in a given environment (e.g., sto[p], sto[p]; /ε/conomics, /i/conomics).
Phonemic transcription
A type of transcription of sounds where phonetic details are ignored and only phonemic contrast is recorded.
Sonorant (sound)
A sound that is “singable” in contrast with an obstruent.
Suprasegmental
Above the individual speech sound. (Syllables are suprasegmental.)
Obstruent
Any nonsonorant consonant: fricatives, affricates, oral stops.
Rhyme (R)
The nucleusand the codaof a syllable (e.g., [uts] in the word boots).
Onset (O)
The portion of a syllable that precedes the nucleus (e.g., /spl/ in spleen).
Nucleus (N)
A vocalic element that forms the core of a syllable (e.g., the vowel is the nucleus of the first syllable of Patrick).
Phonotactics
The set of constraints on how sequences of segments pattern.
Coda (Co)
The elements that follow the nucleus in the same syllable (e.g., [ɹf] in surf).
Accidental gaps
Nonoccurring but possible forms of a language (e.g., in English, blork).
Open syllable
A syllable that is not closed by a consonant.
Systematic gaps
Nonoccurring forms that would violate the phonotactic constraints of a language (e.g., in English *mtlow).
Closed syllable
A syllable with a coda (e.g., both syllables in camping).
Natural class
A class of sounds that shares a feature or features (e.g., voiced stops).
Feature (phonological)
The smallest unit of analysis of phonological structure, combinations of which make up segments (e.g., [nasal], [continuant]).
Matrix
A representation of sounds in which all the relevant distinctive features and their values are placed in an array.
Major class features
Phonological features that represent the classes consonant, obstruent, nasal, liquid, glide, and vowel.
Binary feature
A phonetic or phonological feature that can have one of only twovalues (e.g., + or -voice).
[±consonantal]
A major class feature that characterizes sounds produced with a major obstruction in the vocal tract. All nonsonorant consonants (except glottals [h] and [?]), as well as liquids and nassals are [+consonantal]. Glides and vowels are [-consonantal].
[±sonorant]
A major class feature that characterizes all and only the singable: vowels, glides, liquids, and nasals.
[±syllabic]
A major phonological class fea-ture assigned to segments that function as the nuclei of syllables (vowels and liquids).
Manner features
Phonological features that represent manner of articulation: continuant, delayed release, nasal and lateral.
[±delayed release] ([±DR])
A manner feature that refers to the release of the stop in affricate consonants ([t?, t?]).
[±continuant]
A manner feature that characterizes sounds made with free or nearly free airflow through the oral cavity: vowels, fricatives, glides, and liquids.
[±nasal]
A manner feature that characterizes any sound made with the velum lowered.
Laryngeal features
Phonological features that represent results of laryngeal activity (laryngeal state): voicing, aspiration and glottal constriction.
[±lateral]
A manner feature that characterizes a sound made with the sides of the tongue lowered (e.g., varieties of l).
[±spread glottis] ([±SG])
A laryngeal feature that refers to the position of the vocal folds and that distinguishes unaspirated from aspirated sounds. All aspired consonants are [+SG] and all others are [-SG].
[±voice]
A laryngeal feature that distinguishes between voicedand and voiceless sounds.
[±constricted glottis] ([±CG])
A laryngeal feature that characterizes sounds made with theglottis closed (in English, only [?]).
[LABIAL]
A place feature that characterizes sounds articulated with one or both lips.
Place of articulation features
Phonological features that represent place of articulation. These are nonbinary features [LABIAL], [CORONAL] and [DOROSAL] and binary features that are associated to them.
[±round]
A place feature that characterizes sounds made by protruding the lips (e.g., [?], [w]).
[±anterior]
A place feature that characterizes sounds articulated in front of the alveopalatal region (e.g. [+anterior] : intradentals and alveolars; [-anterior] : alveopalatals).
[CORONAL]
A place feature that characterizes sounds made with the tongue tip or blade raised (e.g., [t, d, s, ?]).
[DORSAL]
A place feature that represents sounds produced when the body of the tongue is involved (e.g., vowels and [k, g]).
[±strident]
A place feature of fricatives and affricates characterized by greater acoustic noise (in English, [s, z, ?, ?, t?, d?]).
[±high]
A DORSAL feature that characterizes sounds produced with the tongue body raised.
[±back]
A feature of sounds articulated behind the palatal region in the oral cavity.
[±low]
A DORSAL feature that characterizes sounds made with the tongue body lowered.
[±reduced]
A phonological characteristic of schwa [?], indicating a weakly articulated, unstressed variant of stressed vowels.
[±tense]
A DORSAL feature that expresses the distinction between a tense and a lax vowel.
Surface representation
In phonology, the form that is actually produced by a speaker (also called phonetic representation).
Underlying representation
In phonology, a form from which phonetic forms are derived by rule.
Phonological processes
Same as articulatory processes. Adjustments in articulation that can occur during the production of speech (e.g., deletion, epenthesis, assimilation).
Derivation
The set of steps or rule applications that results in the formation of a phonetic representation from an underlying form in phonology.
Derived (phonology)
Resulting from the application of phonological rules to underlying representations.
Phonological rules
Rules that relate the underlying forms of words to their phonetic forms.
Ordered rule application
In a phonological derivation, an application of rules in which the rules must be applied in a certain order to derive the surface form from the underlying representation.
Ordered rules
Rules that must be applied in a particular order.
Unordered rule application
In a phonological derivation, an application of rules in which the outcome will be the same regardless of the order in which rules are applied.
