Ch. 3 | Exercise 2

Chapter 3
English Phonology, Phonotactics, and Suprasegmentals

Exercise 3.2
Phonological Processes

1.

Write the word indicated by each transcription and identify the phonological process or change responsible for each pronunciation.

Example:

Transcription

Word

Phonological Process

[əphizmənt]

appeasement

aspiration
a.

[twuθbrʌʃ]

b.

[sĩmfəni]

c.

[kɝɫi]

d.

[əphɔɪntmənt]

e.

[ræp̚tʃər]

f.

[pr̥ɛri]

g.

[tɑɾər]

h.

[ɑk̚təpʊs]

i.

[pæŋkeɪk]

j.

[bɪlɪtḷ]

k.

[k̟ɪtʃən]

l.

[hɛl̪θi]

m.

[tuzdeɪ]

n.

[lɑ̃ndri]

o.

[laɪtnnɪŋ]

p.

[kʌtləs]

q.

[pl̥ʊrəl]

r.

[bɛɫoʊ]

s.

[pæn̪θər]

t.

[daɪdʒɛstʃən]

u.

[maɪɾi]

v.

[lwɔɪtər]

w.

[ɑp̚tɪməl]

x.

[g̟ɪtɑr]

y.

[hɑrdņ]

2.
a.

Write a rule for the unreleasing of stops.

b.

Write a rule for the monophthongization of [ɪu].

3.

An advantage of distinctive features (discussed in Exercise 2.7) is that they enable us to recognize natural classes of sounds, sets of sounds all sharing a certain feature or features, for example, all sounds sharing the feature [+NASAL] or [+BACK]. Since natural classes behave the same way in respect to phonological processes and rules as well as nondistinctive variation, we are able to capture generalizations by the use of features. We are often able to supply the motivating force for variants or changes as well.

Try to express the 12 rules given in the section on Phonological Processes in the text in terms of distinctive features.

1.

Word

Phonological Process

a.

toothbrush

labialization

b.

symphony

nasalization

c.

curly

velarization

d.

appointment

aspiration

e.

rapture

unreleased/palatalization

f.

prairie

devoicing

g.

totter

flapping

h.

octopus

unreleased

i.

pancake

velarization

j.

belittle

syllabic consonant

k.

kitchen

fronting

l.

healthy

dentalization

m.

Tuesday

monophthongization

n.

laundry

nasalization

o.

lightning

nasal release

p.

cutlass

lateral release

q.

plural

devoicing

r.

bellow

velarization

s.

panther

dentalization

t.

digestion

palatalization

u.

might

flapping

v.

loiter

labialization

w.

optimal

unreleased

x.

guitar

fronting

y.

harden

syllabic consonant
2.
a.

Cstop → C̚/ — Cstop, — #

b.

(c) [ɪu] → [u]/ C alveolar —

3.
1.

[+CONSONANTAL] → [+LABIALIZED] / —[+ROUND]

2.

[+CONSONANTAL, +SONORANT] → [+SYLLABIC]/[+CONSONANTAL, –SONORANT] — #, [+NASAL] — #

3.

[+CONSONANTAL, +ANTERIOR, +CORONAL] → [+DENTALIZED]/ — [+INTERDENTAL]

4.

[+SONORANT] → [–VOICE]/[–VOICE, +CONSONANTAL] —

5.

[+BACK, +CONSONANT] → [–BACK, –ANTERIOR]/ — [–BACK, +VOCALIC]

6.

[+VOCALIC] → [+NASALIZED]/ — [+NASAL]

7.

[+VOCALIC, –BACK] → [+RETRACTED]/ — [+LATERAL]

8.

[+CONSONANTAL, –CONTINUANT, –NASAL, –DELAYED RELEASE, –VOICE] → [+ASPIRATED]/ # — [+VOCALIC, +STRESS]

9.

[+LATERAL] → [+VELARIZED]/ — [+SONORANT, +CONTINUANT]

10.

[+CONSONANTAL, –SONORANT, +ANTERIOR, +CORONAL] → [–ANTERIOR]/ — #[–CONSONANTAL, –VOCALIC, +HIGH, –BACK]

11.

[+VOCALIC, –TENSE] → [+REDUCED]/[–STRESS]

12.

[+REDUCED} → Ø/ — #[+SONORANT, +ANTERIOR]