Vowels part two

Question 1

What is a merger?

Answer 1

A sound change where two or more sounds are replaced by a single sound, meaning phonemic distinctions are lost.

Question 2

What happens when merging happens?

Answer 2

Phonemic distinctions are lost.

Question 3

The two types of mergers:

Answer 3

Uncontitioned merger: all phonemic contrasts are lost

Conditioned merger: only some phonemic contrasts are lost.

Question 4

An example of unconditioned merger:

Answer 4

Cot-Caught:

Popular in North American English.

Question 5

An example of conditioned merger:

Answer 5

Pin-Pen

Popular in Texas

Question 6

What are the PRAAT steps?

Answer 6

Step 1: Open PRAAT and load the file.
Step 2: Open a SPECTOGRAM by selecting the file from the box.
Step 3: Locate an example of the vowel that you need.
Step 4: Zoom in on the whole word by selecting it and pressing the [sel] button.
Step 5: Find the approximate midpoint of the vowel where the formants appear to be quite stable.
Step 6: Click the F1 key for a measurement of the [F1] value and then click F2 for a measurement of the [F2] value.
Step 7: Rinse and repeat!