Phonology and Language Features
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Questions and Answers

In phonology, what is the study of similarities and differences across languages called?

  • Markedness theory
  • Contrastive analysis
  • Typology (correct)
  • Redundancy analysis

When focusing on a specific language, what is a key question regarding its features?

  • Which features are redundant? (correct)
  • Which features are universal?
  • Which features are similar to other languages?
  • Which features are borrowed?

What do we determine when comparing one or two languages phonologically?

  • Which language is more complex?
  • How each language treats a particular feature or combination of features. (correct)
  • Which language has more speakers?
  • Where the languages originated?

How many possible language types arise when considering the contrastive nature of voicing and aspiration?

<p>Six (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many of the possible language types (based on voicing and aspiration) are actually found in the languages of the world?

<p>Five (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which phonological features are used as illustrative examples of contrast in the text?

<p>Voicing and aspiration (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome when both voicing and aspiration are contrastive in a language, according to the text?

<p>About 12 phonemes with no allophones (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest about the relationship between features in a language?

<p>The presence of one distinctive feature can imply that another feature must also be distinctive (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the provided analogy, what determines the different states of water (ice, water, vapour)?

<p>The external temperature. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of allophones, what is a key observation about their distribution?

<p>They seldom appear in the same phonetic environment. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Using the water analogy, how is the 'default' realization of a phoneme determined?

<p>The state that occurs in the widest variety of environments. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the provided content primarily use the water analogy to illustrate?

<p>The concept of phonological rules and allophonic variation. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When writing a phonological rule by studying distributions, which sound is most likely to be considered the 'default' realization?

<p>The one found in a wide range of environments. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where would you not expect to find ice, water, and vapour at the same time?

<p>In the same phonetic context with allophones. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

If a sound has multiple allophones, what can be said about their phonetic distribution?

<p>They are in complementary distribution. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the explanation, what is a feature that allophones and states of water share?

<p>They are variations of the same base element or sound. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In chemistry, how would a chemist represent water when writing a rule?

<p>H2O (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is analogous to describing sounds using features rather than segments?

<p>Describing water as H2O instead of 'water' (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are features that are inherently part of certain segments called in phonology?

<p>Redundant features (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the provided rules, what is the unmarked state for an obstruent?

<p>Voiceless and non-aspirated (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a redundant feature given in the text?

<p>A human having two legs, two arms, and ten fingers (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is considered the unmarked value for a sonorant?

<p>[+voice] (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are some features of a person typically not included in a description, according to the analogy used in the text?

<p>They don't define the person as an individual. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describing a vowel as [+voice] is similar to what?

<p>Describing a friend as having two legs. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feature value is typically assigned to a vowel in its unmarked state?

<p>[-nasal] (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the given rules, a marked feature is often the result of what?

<p>Phonological processes. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the text what would make a vowel, glide, nasal, or liquid unique?

<p>Losing its natural voicing and becoming devoiced. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the loss of natural voicing in a segment represent, in the context of this text?

<p>A unique situation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a rule for unmarked states, as presented in the content?

<p>[+son] → [-voice] (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an allophone?

<p>A variant of a phoneme. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between phonological rules and phonological processes?

<p>Every phonological process produces at least one phonological rule. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the rules assigning unmarked values in Universal Grammar, as presented in the content?

<p>They are universal and not environment specific. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the provided data, under what circumstances does the English plural suffix surface as a voiced [z]?

<p>When preceded by a voiced consonant or a vowel. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary process illustrated by the alternation between [-s] and [-z] in the English plural suffix?

<p>Assimilation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the provided examples, what phonetic feature primarily determines whether the English plural suffix is realized as [s] or [z]?

<p>Voicing (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The suffix [-əz] as seen in words like dʒʌdʒ-əz is described as:

<p>Not an example of voicing assimilation. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the underlying process that causes assimilation according to the text?

<p>A process of co-articulation between segments (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Based on the data, what category of sounds primarily occur before the [-s] allomorph of the plural suffix?

<p>Voiceless consonants (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the data provided, what is the main purpose of analyzing the different surface forms of the plural and third-person singular suffixes?

<p>To determine the underlying phoneme, and the different allophones. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms best describes the relationship between the sounds [s] and [z] in the context of plural and third-person singular suffixes in the text?

<p>Complementary distribution (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key difference in the representation of ētō between linear segmental phonology and autosegmental phonology?

<p>Autosegmental phonology represents ētō with a final floating H tone, while linear phonology does so as a M. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of ētō, what is the primary reason that final lowering does not apply?

<p>The word ends in a floating H tone, not a M tone. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When ɸēɸlē follows ētō, why does the first M of ɸēɸlē become H?

<p>The floating H of ētō associates with the first M of ɸēɸlē, changing it to an H. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When mè follows ētō, why does the L tone of mè change to a falling tone?

<p>The floating H of ētō associates with the L tone of mè, creating a falling tone. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When mēgbé follows ētō, why does the M in mēgbé become SH?

<p>It becomes SH because of a rule that changes M to SH between two H tones. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the example of ētō, mēgbé and ɸēɸlē demonstrate in terms of linguistic theory?

<p>The ability of autosegmental phonology to account for phenomena that linear phonology cannot. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In autosegmental phonology, how is the floating tone of ētō represented?

<p>As a separate tone that is not associated with any vowel. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What would be the main disadvantage of not accounting for floating tones in phonology?

<p>It would be impossible to explain certain tonal changes. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Allophones

Two sounds are allophones of the same phoneme if they occur in different environments, never in the same environment.

Default Realization

The default realization of a phoneme is the form that occurs most frequently.

Phonological Rule

A phonological rule describes how sounds change in different environments.

Distribution-Based Rule

A rule based on a sound's distribution in different environments.

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Environment

The environment refers to the sounds surrounding a particular sound.

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Phoneme

A set of sounds that belong to the same category and can substitute for each other.

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Allophones

Different pronunciations of the same phoneme.

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Phonological Analysis

Analyzing how sounds change in different environments.

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Phonology

The study of how sounds are organized in language.

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Typology

The range of similarities and differences found across languages.

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Distinctive Features

Features that are able to distinguish meanings in a language.

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Redundant Features

Features that don't contribute to meaning in a language and are predictable by other features.

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Markedness

A framework for understanding how sounds are organized and related in a language.

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Voicing

The presence or absence of vocal fold vibration.

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Aspiration

The presence or absence of a puff of air accompanying a consonant.

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Type 1 Language

A sound that has both voicing and aspiration being contrastive features.

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Naturally Voiced Sounds

Sounds like vowels, glides, nasals, and liquids that are naturally voiced unless otherwise specified.

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Phonological Features

The analysis of sound features, focusing on the characteristics that distinguish different sounds.

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Acoustic Features

A representation of a sound using its specific acoustic properties, similar to how chemists represent water as H2O.

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Feature Based Representation

The process of representing sounds using their distinctive features, similar to describing your friend based on their unique characteristics.

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Segmental Representation

A representation of a sound using its segmental name, like 'b' or 'a'.

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Marked Feature

A feature that is less common or more complex than its opposite. For example, a voiced obstruent is marked, while a voiceless obstruent is unmarked.

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Unmarked Feature

A feature that is more common or simpler than its opposite. For example, a voiceless obstruent is unmarked, while a voiced obstruent is marked.

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Default Rule

A universal rule that assigns the unmarked value to a feature. For example, obstruents are typically voiceless.

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Assimilation

The process of changing a sound to be more similar to a nearby sound.

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Phonological Process

A process that results in marked features appearing on the surface. For example, vowel nasalization produces a nasal vowel on the surface, which is marked.

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Floating Tone

The tone at the end of a word that doesn't belong to any vowel

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Floating Tone in Autosegmental Phonology

A tone that's not attached to a segment, but can affect surrounding tones

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Final Lowering

The process where a tone moves from a high tone to a low tone at the end of a word

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Floating Tone Representation

In autosegmental phonology, this is a representation of a tone that is not associated with a specific vowel or segment.

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Strength of Autosegmental Phonology

It explains linguistic phenomena like floating tone

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Autosegmental Phonology

A way to represent the structure of the tone system and its interaction with segments, allowing for more accurate representation of tone patterns in language.

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Allomorphs

The variations of a morpheme, like the plural marker '-s' or the third person singular suffix '-s', that differ in sound but have the same meaning.

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Voicing Assimilation

The process of changing a voiceless sound (like /s/) to a voiced sound (like /z/) when it is next to a voiced sound. This is a type of assimilation.

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Phonetic Environment of Suffixes

The sounds that come before the plural '-s' or third person singular '-s' suffix determine the allomorph (variation) of the suffix.

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Voiceless Allomorph

The allomorph of the plural '-s' or the third person singular '-s' that is pronounced with a voiceless /s/ sound.

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Voiced Allomorph

The allomorph of the plural '-s' or the third person singular '-s' that is pronounced with a voiced /z/ sound.

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Study Notes

Phonological Processes: Assimilation

  • Assimilation is a process where a sound becomes more like a neighboring sound.
  • The sound that causes the change is the trigger and the sound affected is the target.
  • Assimilation can be progressive (target sound changes to become more like the following sound), or regressive (target sound changes to become more like the preceding sound).
  • Assimilation can involve different phonetic features (place, manner, voicing).
  • The domain of assimilation can be a syllable, a word, or a phrase.

Phonological Processes: Harmony

  • Harmony: A type of assimilation where non-adjacent sounds share a feature.
  • Trigger and target sounds may not be adjacent.
  • The harmonic feature is the shared feature between trigger and target sounds
  • The domain of harmony can be a root or a whole word.
  • Harmony can be root-controlled or dominant-recessive, affecting both vowels and consonants.

Additional Phonological Processes

  • Insertion/Epenthesis: adding a sound
  • Deletion: removing a sound
  • Coarticulation: a phonological process that takes place when two sounds are adjacent in an utterance with the articulatory gesture of one sound potentially affecting the pronunciation of an adjacent sound. This is usually unintentional and not seen as a formal phenomenon within the terms of the study of linguistics, but is nonetheless considered an important concept.

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Related Documents

LNGS 401 Lecture Notes 1 & 2 (November 2024) PDF

Description

This quiz explores key concepts in phonology, focusing on the similarities and differences across languages. Participants will examine questions about phonological features, the contrastive nature of voicing and aspiration, and the relationship between language features. Test your understanding of the fundamental elements that shape phonological systems in various languages.

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