Phonology - University of Delawareudel.edu/~dlarsen/ling101/slides/Phonologyhandout.pdf · Phonology is the starting point, ... Allophones are phonetic realizations of phonemes. Allophones

Understanding PhonologyDoing Phonology

Summary

Phonology

Darrell Larsen

Linguistics 101

Darrell Larsen Phonology


Summary

Outline

1 Understanding PhonologyBasicsPhonology vs. PhoneticsDistribution of SoundsDistinctive Features

2 Doing PhonologyHow to Solve a Phonology ProblemExample Phonology ProblemWriting Phonological Rules

3 Summary



Summary

BasicsPhonology vs. PhoneticsDistribution of SoundsDistinctive Features

What Is Phonology?

Definitionthe study of the sound systems of languages and the mentalrepresentation of sounds

sound system = inventory of sounds + rules + constraints



Summary


Why DoWe Need Phonology?

to account for how sounds are groups together despite beingphonetically distinct.

to explain regular sound alternations (e.g. aspiration of /p t k/)

to explain how we extend these alternations to novel words

to explain how we extend these alternations to mistakes likespoonerisms



Summary


Why DoWe Need Phonology?

to explain how we pronounce loan words

to explain how we determine what possible words of ourlanguage are

to save storage space

etc



Summary


How Do Phonetics and Phonology Differ?

Phonetics:concerned with actual pronunciationconcerned with articulation

Phonology:focuses on mental representations of soundshas rules mapping mental representations to pronunciations



Summary


How Do Phonetics and Phonology Differ?

Phonetics

The /k/ in call [khAl] and in key[kff

hi] are phonetically distinct.

PhonologyThe /k/ in call and key have thesame mental representation./kAl/→ [khAl]/ki/→ [kff

hi]



Summary


How Do Phonetics and Phonology Differ?Letter Analogy

a A

Pseudo-phoneticsThe symbols above are distinct.

Pseudo-phonologyThe symbols above belong to asingle mental representation ofthe letter ‘a’.



Summary


From Phonology to Phonetics

Phonology is the starting point, while phonetics is the ‘output’of phonology.

Phonological rules change sounds from mentalrepresentations (phonemes) into phonetic forms.



Summary



Letter AnalogyThe single letter ‘a’ is written as 〈a〉 or 〈A〉 in accordance withthe following (simplified) set of rules:

Use 〈A〉 at the beginning of a sentence.Use 〈A〉 at the beginning of a proper noun.Use 〈a〉 elsewhere.



Summary



Actual ExampleThe single phoneme /k/ is pronounced as [k] or [kff] inaccordance with the following (simplified) set of rules:

Use [kff] in front of the vowel /i/.Use [k] elsewhere.



Summary


Phonemes and AllophonesThe Basics

A speech sound in isolation is a phone.

The mental representation of a sound is a phoneme.

Allophones are phonetic realizations of phonemes.

Allophones are generally minimally distinct from phonemes.

A phoneme consists of one or more allophones.

Every speech sound we produce is an allophone of somephoneme.



Summary


Phonemes and AllophonesNotation

Allophones are written between square brackets [ ].

Phonemes are written between forward slashes / /.



Summary


From Phonology to PhoneticsPhonemes & Allophones

Native speakers generally think of sounds at the phonemiclevel.

Phoneme Allophone Example

/t/

[t] ‘stop’[t^] ‘cat’[P] ‘cat’[th] ‘tie’[R] ‘atom’[tS] ‘train’



Summary


Types of Distributions

When comparing the speech sounds of a language, we canclassify their relative distribution as one of the following:

1 contrastive2 complementary3 free variation



Summary


Contrastive Distribution

Two sounds are contrastive when:1 they occur in the same environment, and2 replacing one sound with the other can change a word’s

meaning

QuestionAre [s] and [z] contrastive in English?

Are [k] and [kh] contrastive in English?



Summary


Contrastive Distribution

Two contrastive phones are allophones of different phonemes.

Two non-contrastive phones are allophones of the samephoneme.

QuestionDo [s] and [z] belong to the same phoneme or differentphonemes in English?

How about [k] and [kh]?



Summary


Contrastive DistributionMinimal Pairs

Minimal pairs provide evidence that two phones are incontrastive distributionA minimal pair is two words...

1 with the same number of sound segments, and2 which differ in segment only, and3 which have different meanings

Minimal Pairs

[bin] ‘bean’ [min] ‘mean’[m2d] ‘mud’ [T2d] ‘thud’[læf] ’laugh’ [khæf] ‘calf’

NotMinimal Pairs

[sænd] ‘sand’ [stænd] ‘stand’[bin] ‘bean’ [bæm] ‘bam’[khæt] ‘cat’ [khæP]



Summary


Complementary Distribution

Sounds in complementary distribution...1 never occur in the same environment2 occur in predictable environments (with respect to each other)

Sounds in complementary distribution are allophones of thesame phoneme.

Question

Are [p] and [ph] in complementary distribution in English?

How about [t] and [d]?



Summary


Free Variation

Two sounds are free variation when:1 they occur in the same environment, and2 replacing one with the other does not change the meaning

Sounds in free variation are allophones of the same phoneme.

QuestionAre released [b] and unreleased [b^] in free variationword-finally?

Are released [b] and unreleased [b^] in free variationword-initially?



Summary


Crosslinguistic Variation

The distribution of any two sounds is language-specific.

English [su] ‘sue’ Finnish [ku:si] ‘six’[zu] ‘zoo’ [ku:zi] ‘six’

English [pi] - Korean [pi] ‘rain’[phi] ‘pee’/‘pea’ [phi] ‘blood



Summary


Multiple Distributions

The distribution of two sounds may vary depending on theenvironment.

Consider the sounds [t], [t^] and [P] in English

‘cat’ [kæt] [kæt^] [khæP]‘stop’ [stap] *[st^ap] *[sPap]



Summary


Multiple Distributions

A phone may be allophones of more than one phoneme.

E.g., [R] can be an allophone of /t/ or /d/.

‘atom’ [æR@m] cf. ‘atomic’ [@thamIk]‘addict’ [æRIkt] cf. ‘addictive’ [@dIktIv]



Summary


Distinctive Features

A distinctive feature is a feature which, when changed, maycreate minimal pairs.

Any feature may potentially be distinctive.

Which features are distinctive is language-specific.



Summary


Distinctive FeaturesExamples

Voicing, [±voice], is a distinctive feature in English, but not inKorean.

[p] and [b] are contrastive in English.[p] and [b] are in complementary distribution in Korean.



Summary


Distinctive FeaturesExamples

Aspiration, [±aspirated], is a distinctive feature in Korean, butnot in English.

[p] and [ph] are contrastive in Korean.[p] and [ph] are in complementary distribution in English.



Summary

How to Solve a Phonology ProblemExample Phonology ProblemWriting Phonological Rules

Doing Phonology

Given a set of data from a language, how can we determinethe distribution of two sounds in that language?

1 Determine the distribution type (contrastive, complementary,free variation).

2 If complementary distribution, determine distribution of eachallophone.



Summary


Determine the Distribution Type

1 Are there any minimal pairs for the sounds in question?Yes? They are contrastive and allophones of differentphonemes. You are done.No? They are allophones of the same phoneme. Continue tonext step.

2 Are they in free variation?Yes? You are done.No? They are in complementary distribution. Continue to nextstep.



Summary


Determine Complementary Allophone Distribution

To find the distribution of allophones in complementarydistribution...

1 Make a chart of the environment in which each allophone inquestion appears. Exclude duplicate environment.

2 Look for patterns.3 Decide what the phoneme is.4 Write a rule showing the distribution.



Summary


Korean [s] and [S]Determine Distribution Type

Given the Korean data below, determine the distribution of [s]and [S].

First, determine the distribution type.

[son] ‘hand’ [som] ‘cotton’ [Sihap] ‘match, game’[Silsu] ‘mistake’ [sos@l] ‘novel’ [sEk] ‘color’[isa] ‘relocating’ [sal] ‘skin’ [Sipsam] ‘13’[Sinho] ‘signal’ [maSida] ‘drink’ [oSip] ‘50’

They are in complementary distribution. Continue to next step.



Summary


Korean [s] and [S]Determine Complementary Allophone Distribution

Step 1: Make a chartData[son][som][Sihap][Silsu][sos@l][sEk][isa][sal][Sipsam][Sinho][maSida][oSip]

s S# o # i# o # il u # i# o # io @ a i# E o ii a# ap a

Simplify→

s S# o # i

l u

o @ a i# E o ii a# ap a



Summary



Step 2: Look for patterns on preceding / following sounds.Data[son][som][Sihap][Silsu][sos@l][sEk][isa][sal][Sipsam][Sinho][maSida][oSip]

s S# o # il u a io @ o i# Ei a# ap a

Helpful order for searching:1 C, V, #2 Voicing on consonants3 Vowel features4 Other consonant features



Summary



Step 2: Look for patterns on preceding / following sounds.Data[son][som][Sihap][Silsu][sos@l][sEk][isa][sal][Sipsam][Sinho][maSida][oSip]


[S] appears in front of [i]

[s] does not appear in front of [i]



Summary



Step 3: Decide what the phoneme is.Data[son][som][Sihap][Silsu][sos@l][sEk][isa][sal][Sipsam][Sinho][maSida][oSip]


In general, the allophoneoccurring in the greatest numberof distinct environments is thephoneme.

Here, /s/ will be our phoneme.

[S] and [s] are both allophones of/s/



Summary



Step 4: Write a rule showing the distribution.Data[son][som][Sihap][Silsu][sos@l][sEk][isa][sal][Sipsam][Sinho][maSida][oSip]


Start with ‘opposite’ sound(s)./s/→ [S] / i

Do the ‘same’ sound./s/→ [s] / elsewhere



Summary


When two sounds are in complementary distribution, we canshow the distribution through the use of rules.

Phonologist argue that these rules are psychologically real.

Example 1

V → V[+nasal] / C[+nasal]pre-change becomes post-change when environment



Summary


The rule below says that a vowel becomes nasalized when itoccurs immediately in front of a nasal consonant.

Example 1

V → V[+nasal] / C[+nasal]

‘mom’ /mAm/→ [mAm]

‘mop’ /mAp/→ [mAp] (rule does not apply because [p] is notnasal.)



Summary


In Korean, /p/ becomes voiced intervocalically.

We can write a sound-specific rule as follows:

Example 2

/p/ → [b] / V V

‘idiot’ /papo/→ [pabo]



Summary


In fact, Korean has four voiceless stops /p t c k/, and they allbecome voiced intervocalically.

If we write four sound-specific rules, it doesn’t capture thegeneral pattern.

Instead, we can write rules with features.

Example 3

/+stop/ → [+voice] / V V

The above rule subsumes the following: /p/→ [b], /t/→ [d],/c/→ [é], /k/→ [g]

Note that we only need to write the feature that changes afterthe arrow. Everything else stays the same.



Summary


English voiceless stops /p t k/ become aspirated word-initially(and at the beginning of stressed syllables, which we willignore for now)

Example 4

/-voice, +stop/ → [+aspirated] / #

The # stands for a word boundary. # means ‘at thebeginning of a word’, while # means ‘at the end of a word’.



Summary


Rules come in sets. The final rule is always the ‘elsewhererule’.

Consider aspiration in English. For ease of presentation, I’lluse sound-specific rules for /p/.

/p/→ [ph] / # (i.e. beginning of a word)/p/→ [ph] / [ ...]σ[+stress] (i.e. beginning of a stressed syllable)/p/→ [p] / elsewhere

Thus, ‘pat’ [pæt]→ [phæt], ‘superb’ /supô"b/→ [suphô

"b], and

‘spot’ /spAt/→ [spAt]

(Don’t waste your time trying to understand the stressed-syllable rule. You won’t need such rules in this course.)



Summary

SummaryKeyWords and Concepts

phonology vs phonetics

phoneme vs allophonedistribution types

contrastivecomplimentaryfree variation

minimal pair

distinctive feature

phonological rules

solving phonology problems


Documents

Phonology - University of Delawareudel.edu/~dlarsen/ling101/slides/Phonologyhandout.pdf · Phonology is the starting point, ... Allophones are phonetic realizations of phonemes. Allophones