Phonemes and Allophones in Phonology

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Questions and Answers

What is the physical representation of a phoneme referred to as?

Phoneme

Sound Type

Allophone

Phone (correct)

When substituting one phoneme for another, what result do you get?

A word with the same meaning

A word with no meaning

A word with a different meaning (correct)

A word with a different pronunciation

What is the term for when two different pronunciations of a sound type are used in different places in words?

Complementary Distribution (correct)

Phoneme Substitution

Allophonic Variation

Phonetic Transcription

What is the pronunciation of the phoneme /t/ when it is word-initial, as in 'tar'?

[t] with aspiration Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for different pronunciations of the same phoneme?

Allophones Signup and view all the answers

How are the different pronunciations of the phoneme /s/ summarized?

Depending on the word context and position in a word Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of substituting allophones of the same phoneme?

A word with a different pronunciation of the same meaning Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the /t/ sound with aspiration, as in 'tar'?

Allophone of /t/ Signup and view all the answers

What is the basic operational test for determining the phonemes in a language?

Changing one sound in a word and observing a change in meaning Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the physically different ways of pronouncing the phoneme /t/?

Allophones Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of the [t] sound in the word 'tar'?

It is aspirated with a stronger puff of air Signup and view all the answers

How do we mark a feature if it is present in a phoneme?

With a plus sign (+) Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the distribution of the phoneme /t/ with and without aspiration?

Complementary distribution Signup and view all the answers

What are the shared features of /p/ and /k/ that make them members of a natural class?

They are both voiceless stops Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of minimal pairs in phonetics?

To identify the differences between two phonemes Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between a phoneme and an allophone?

A phoneme is a sound type, while an allophone is a specific version of that sound Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between phonemes and allophones?

Phonemes are the abstract representation of sounds, while allophones are the physical realization of those sounds Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of feature analysis in phonology?

To describe the possible sequences of phonemes in a language Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for a group of words that are identical in form except for one contrast in one phoneme occurring in the same position?

Minimal sets Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a natural class of phonemes?

/p/ and /k/ Signup and view all the answers

In what position does the phoneme /t/ occur with aspiration?

Word-initially, but never after another consonant in initial position Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the distinctive features that distinguish each phoneme from the next?

Descriptive features Signup and view all the answers

Why can /v/ not be in the same natural class as /p/ and /k/?

Because /v/ has the features [+voice, +labiodental, +fricative] Signup and view all the answers

What is the symbol used to represent the aspirated [t] sound?

[tʰ] Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Phonemes and Allophones

Phonemes are abstract units of sound, while allophones are the physical representations of phonemes in speech.
Allophones are different pronunciations of the same phoneme, and substituting one allophone for another does not change the meaning of a word.
Examples of allophones: [th] and [tʰ] are allophones of the phoneme /t/.

Complementary Distribution

When two allophones of a phoneme are used in different positions in words, they are said to be in complementary distribution.
The [tʰ] pronunciation of the phoneme /t/ with aspiration is used word-initially, but never after another consonant in initial position.

Phone and Allophone

A phone is the physical representation of a phoneme.
Allophones are the different pronunciations of the same phoneme.
Examples:
- The phoneme /s/ has different pronunciations depending on the word context.
- The phoneme /t/ can be pronounced in a number of physically different ways as phones.

Natural Classes

Natural classes are groups of phonemes that share certain features.
Phonemes that have certain features in common tend to behave phonologically in similar ways.
Examples: /p/ and /k/ are both voiceless stops, and /v/ has the features [+voice, +labiodental, +fricative].

Minimal Pairs and Sets

Minimal pairs are two words that are identical in form except for a contrast in one phoneme, occurring in the same position.
Examples: fan and van, bath and math, bat and beat.
Minimal sets refer to a group of words that are identical in form except for one contrast in one phoneme, occurring in the same position.

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Description

Learn about the crucial distinction between phonemes and allophones in phonology, including how substituting one affects word meaning and pronunciation. Understand complementary distribution and its significance in phonological analysis.