Chapter 3 Phonology
x3 G* ~" A" Y! z+ t/ a( M l What is phonology?
, f9 m5 Q, i( V; K+ \ n Phonology is the study of sound systems and patterns.* j) \4 m$ V: q! l6 E6 @
n Phonology and phonetics are two studies different in perspectives, which are concerned with the study of speech sounds.
* _$ {" u+ A1 _! F6 R n Phonology focuses on three fundamental questions.
! x3 J" @$ S6 x& K/ ~ u What sounds make up the list of sounds that can distinguish meaning in a particular language?' h3 p% w$ H. ^
u What sounds vary in what ways in what context?# t& b+ I- |& x+ T5 ]
u What sounds can appear together in a sequence in a particular language?( T3 R/ M: P- Z0 ]: h" E+ h% j
l Phonemes and allophones. B/ F6 D1 H$ ~& [4 ~+ _8 t5 M
n A phoneme is a distinctive, abstract sound unit with a distinctive feature.& w: W5 e1 F+ K% y; Q1 q5 @
n The variants of a phoneme are termed allophones." n; g% K% i9 o# h
n We use allophones to realize phonemes.6 u% K/ x$ D# D4 w
l Discovering phonemes
: S& [/ k1 V7 g: e/ W$ X n Contrastive distribution – phonemes6 D/ g3 o8 j3 i" ~; x# M0 Y
u If sounds appear in the same environment, they are said to be in contrastive distribution.% o5 v$ z- a& f, P
u Typical contrastive distribution of sounds is found in minimal pairs and minimal sets.
% T+ R+ T$ ~' i& F7 e d l A minimal pair consists of two words that differ by only one sound in the same position.+ i+ n: p j2 X* |" @6 l
l Minimal sets are more than two words that are distinguished by one segment in the same position.
/ z2 I) @/ F% c8 r" }8 l u The overwhelming majority of the consonants and vowels represented by the English phonetic alphabet are in contrastive distribution.
; n( e* H3 F. v4 H u Some sounds can hardly be found in contrastive distribution in English. However, these sounds are distinctive in terms of phonetic features. Therefore, they are separate phonemes.% V/ H' n- T. E. Y) p! |
n Complementary distribution – allophones+ _# I# T5 A! f1 ?$ _
u Sounds that are not found in the same position are said to be in complementary distribution.
# l: t: n7 {; E2 G" C$ B+ c- b$ P& w u If segments are in complementary distribution and share a number of features, they are allophones of the same phoneme.* L) f1 x/ K( Y! H" i
n Free variation; y* p) u! i8 x" `
u If segments appear in the same position but the mutual substitution does not result in change of meaning, they are said to be in free variation.
4 R/ E$ t) e+ g/ b8 { l Distinctive and non-distinctive features% r. w0 a& w0 h! p7 \5 Z) y/ ^, P
n Features that distinguish meaning are called distinctive features, and features do not, non-distinctive features.
% |: l5 b% x1 V! }: t n Distinctive features in one language may be non-distinctive in another.
1 @7 H( y4 x2 E1 E7 i l Phonological rules
( E y8 n5 R, S! `% m' H$ k) P. N1 n n Phonemes are abstract sound units stored in the mind, while allophones are the actual pronunciations in speech.
* ]9 C; D4 M7 j7 |4 ~9 `9 I! }' g n What phoneme is realized by what allophones in what specific context is another major question in phonology.
' }; v! h" `0 l; b$ a n The regularities that what sounds vary in what ways in what context are generalized and stated in phonology as rules.
( a" x. G5 d# G3 e$ w% Y) c n There are many phonological rules in English. Take the following ones as examples.
# m% l3 P( M& H3 G l [+voiced +consonant] – [-voiced]/[-voiced +consonant]_: L5 g2 P7 C0 X B& W. n$ D
l [-voiced +bilabial +stop] – unaspirated/[-voiced +alveolar +fricative]_ |