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Phonology: More on allophones and phonemes

Phonology: More on allophones and phonemes. LING 400 Winter 2010. Overview. Review of phonology Data sets Mohawk stops Russian velar stops. Please turn off your cell phone. Phonemic vs. phonetic representations. Phonetic representation directly observable

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Phonology: More on allophones and phonemes

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  1. Phonology:More on allophones and phonemes LING 400 Winter 2010

  2. Overview • Review of phonology • Data sets • Mohawk stops • Russian velar stops Please turn off your cell phone

  3. Phonemic vs. phonetic representations • Phonetic representation • directly observable • contains measurable properties • Phonemic representation • inferred, not observed • abstract, streamlined representation of sound • Levels related by phonological rules

  4. Inferring the phonemic representation • Minimal pairs/sets • sounds in contrast • Complementary distribution • sounds not in contrast

  5. Minimal pair • Two words differing in meaning and only one phonetic property • A minimal pair for voicing in English • [|kɹæbi] crabby vs. [|kɹæpi] crappy • therefore, /p b/ in English • Phonetic difference between pair not due to context • Minimal pairs contain phonemes

  6. Near-minimal pairs/sets • Sometimes not many minimal pairs • [θ], [ð]: [θɑɪ] thigh, [ðɑɪ] thy; ether, either • Sometimes minimal pairs lacking • [ʃ], [ʒ] • none word initially • word medially: [ə|luʃən] Aleutian, [ɪ|luʒən]~[ə|luʒən] illusion • Rule for inferring phonemes from near-minimal pairs • sounds must be in “same environment” or close to it • [phɑɪ], [spɑɪ] not a minimal pair for aspiration in English ([p], [ph] not in same environment)

  7. Complementary distribution of sounds • Predictable aspects of pronunciation can be due to • Influence of neighboring sound • Position within word

  8. Mohawk • Iroquoian family; spoken in Quebec, Ontario, and New York map from www.ssila.org

  9. Mohawk stops • Observation: [p t k b d g] are all sounds of Mohawk • Suspicion: there are no minimal or near-minimal pairs for voicing • Question: Is stop voicing phonemic or predictable?

  10. Mohawk phonetic data of interest: [p t k b d g] [V:] = long vowel, [C̥] = voiceless consonant

  11. Finding patterns in a mass of data • Often useful to • rearrange the data • [p t k] vs. [b d g] • simplify the data • list immediately preceding, following sound/position • Then look for • natural classes of sounds, those sharing some property not shared by other sounds, to right or left • or unique position

  12. Mohawk stop distribution # = word edge • Any natural classes? • [ɑ], [e], [o], [i], [s] • [l], #, [s], [w̥] • [ɑ], [i:], [o], [e], [h], [ɑ:], # • [ɑ], [e], [u:], [e:], [ɑ:]

  13. Summarized contexts • [p t k] and [b d g] are in complementary distribution in Mohawk. • Notice: what precedes doesn’t matter

  14. Writing a phonological rule • Which rule? • Mohawk has /p t k/ and Voicing rule (stops are voiced before vowels). or? • Mohawk has /b d g/ and Devoicing rule (stops are voiceless word finally or before a consonant).

  15. Choose Voicing • Voicing simpler than Devoicing • Voicing: “...before vowels.” • Devoicing: “...word finally or before a consonant.”

  16. Final analysis • In Mohawk, • Stops are voiced before vowels, and voiceless elsewhere. (sentence formulation of rule) • /p t k/  [b d g] / ___ V • (  [p t k] / …) • (‘arrow’ formulation of rule) … = elsewhere

  17. Natural classes

  18. Summary • Determining phonemes • Minimal pairs and near-minimal pairs • Complementary distribution of sounds • Keys to being able to do so • Understanding value of phonetic symbols • Recognizing natural classes

  19. Question • Turn in a broad phonetic (or phonemic) transcription of your first and last names • Transcribe primary stress (if appropriate) • Transcribe [ə] and [ɾ], if either of your names contains these sounds

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