English 351: Introduction to Linguistics

Study Sheet for Test #2

No long essay on this test--the phonology problems will take its place. There will be some matching and short answer sections regarding terminology, like last time.

File 1:
phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics

File 2:
broad vs. narrow transcription

File 3: Phonology terms:
phoneme
allophone
complementary distribution (LF 113)
contrastive distribution (LF 112)
free variation (115)
minimal pair (112)

phonological rules
natural class (118)
obstruents (118)
sonorants (118)
sibilants (118)
underlying forms / surface forms (same as phonemic forms / phonetic forms, LF 116)

conditioning environment (117)
Classification of Phonological Rules (also called 'processes') (111-115):
    assimilation
    dissimilation
    insertion
    deletion
    metathesis -- changing the order of phonemes, usually an exchange of two sounds: AAVE <ask> --> [æks], <grasp> --> [græps]
    strengthening (fortition) -- AAVE fricative stopping before nasals: <isn't> --> [Idn], <wasn't> --> [wUdn]
    weakening (lenition) -- AAVE final stop devoicing: <bad> --> [bæt]

neutralized distinction -- When two phonemes share an allophone in a specific environment, one cannot identify in that environment which phoneme is being represented. In English the word "ladder" and the word "scatter" share the same intervocalic sound (the flap). What is the phonemic representation for those sounds? We have no way of knowing. The phoneme /d/ has an alveolar flap as an allophone intervocalically, and the phoneme /t/ also has that allophone in that same environment. Though the two phonemes ?t/ and /d/ are normally distinctive, in this particular environment the distinction is neutralized. (see also Germanic final devoicing)
phonotactic constraints (LF 103)
How would you go about identifying the phonotactic constraints of an unfamiliar language?
Given a string of English sounds, identify it as possible English or not possible English.

Implicational Laws (124)

Phonology Problems:
A. Given a set of IPA signs, identify whether the set is a natural class, and if it is, identify its 
defining features. For example:
1.  [d, t, s, z, l, r, n] is a natural class of alveolars in English.
2.  [i, e] is a natural class of front tense vowels in English.
3.  [b, s, t, y] is not a natural class -- these sounds share no features that are exclusive to this set

B. Given two words in IPA transcription, identify whether they are a minimal pair or not.

C. Phonology Problem:

DIRECTIONS. Give phonological analyses for the indicated sounds in each of the following data
sets: By examining the distribution of the target sounds, determine (1) if they represent DIFFERENT
PHONEMES or (2) if they are VARIANTS OF ONE PHONEME. In the latter case, (3) determine if they
are PREDICTABLE or FREE variants and, if so, give the RULE(S) that relate(s) them to one another.
Be prepared to justify your reasoning. All examples are in broad phonetic transcription. [scroll down for answers]

A. Finnish: (a) [s] vs. [z] and (b) [t] vs. [d].
1. [ku:zi] 'six'
2. [kadot] 'failure'
3. [kate] 'cover'
4. [katot] 'roofs'
5. [kade] 'envious'
6. [ku:si] 'six'
7. [li:sa] 'Lisa'
8. [madon] 'of a worm'
9. [maton] 'of a rug'
10. [ratas] 'wheel'
11. [li:za] 'Lisa'
12. [radan] 'of a track'

B. English: long vowels (indicated with a following [:]) vs. short vowels.
1.  [hæt] 'hat'
2.  [hæ:d] 'had'
3.  [gæs] 'gas'
4.  [jæ:z] 'jazz'
5.  [met] 'mate'
6.  [me:d] 'made'
7.  [rost] 'roast'
8.  [ro:z] 'rose'
9.  [hup] 'hoop'
10. [tu:b] 'tube'
11. [kip] 'keep'
12. [ki:l] 'keel'


























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Finnish Answer:
[s]/[z] are in free variation because varying them does not change meaning in items 1,6 or 7,11.
[t]/[d] are two separate phonemes (contrastive distribution) because of minimal pairs 2,4 and 3,5.

English Answer:
/V/ --> [V:] / _C[+voice]
(this is an example of fortition)
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