Rule Ordering

Question 1

deletion and assimilation in rule writing

Answer 1

banig + in => [baŋg-in]

Deletion Rule: V -> / C_C+
Assimilation Rule: [n] -> /ŋ/ / _ velar

Question 2

Determining rule ordering

Answer 2

Start with a UR (this is what the form would be like if neither rule applied)
Try applying the rules in one order
Try applying in the opposite order
Which one gives the accurate SR

Question 3

Asign a Number for each rule

Answer 3

UR: banig-in

R1: Deletion Rule

R2: Assimilation Rule

SR: baŋg-in

Now that we have the UR and the SR and we have our 2 rules, we randomly assign one to be R1 and the other to be R2 (it doesn’t matter which one you choose)

Deletion Rule: V -> / C_C+

Assimilation Rule: [n] -> /ŋ/ / _ velar

Question 4

Check the Results

Answer 4

UR banig-in

R1: D rule bang-in

R2: A rule baŋg-in

SR baŋg-in

Question 5

English past tense

2 rules:

Answer 5

Voicing assimilation:
[d] -> /t/ / [-voice] + __
Epenthesis:
nothing symbol-> /ɨ/ / [t,d] + __ /e/

Again, we will randomly assign one to be R1 and one to be R2

R1: Assimilation Rule (A rule)
R2: Epenthesis Rule (E rule)

Question 6

Rule ordering Chart

Answer 6

UR sno + d mɪs + d lɪft + d
R1: A rule ——- mɪs + t lɪft + t
R2: E rule ——- ——- ——
SR snod mɪst lɪftɨd

UR sno + d mɪs + d lɪft + d
R1: A rule ——- mɪs + t *lɪftt
R2: E rule ——- ——- ——
SR snod mɪst lɪftɨd

Question 7

Why is this important?

Answer 7

For generative phonology, there is a belief that everything starts with the UR and then rule/changes apply.
If we try to apply the rules to all forms, then we can see where they change the form and where they don’t and how.