Phonology: Basic concepts Raung-fu Chung rfchung@mail.nsysu.edu.tw.

Phonology: Basic concepts

Raung-fu Chungrfchung@mail.nsysu.edu.tw

Phonology and phonetics:

[ian] Hakka

/ian / [ien] Mandarin （ [a][e]/[i]___[n] ）

[en] Southern Min （ [i] / ___ en ）

Phonemes:

A phoneme is a minimal sound unit which is distinctive.

--- traditional view

Distinctive:

Minimal pair:

English:

pat

bat

bet

So [p] and [b] are phonemes, and [] and [], too.

In the following language, there are [p]、 [ph]、 [b]、 [t]、 [th]、 [d]. Which of them are phonemes？ why？

a. pult wind b. spon grassc. tonk horse d. sputy ideae. sbon eagle f. phult riverg. spuky stone h. donk water

Observe the following data, and decide whether [s]and [] are phonemic? Why?

a. sulit genius b. kiun bookc. pevork worm d. sotenk to eat

e. nianrit walk f. sarume prettyg. liemit board h. kosuviz eyesi. tiorn rainbow j. kuserurin rain

Not all sounds or segments are phonemic:

Observe the distribution of Mandarin /k,kh,h/ and /t, th, /:

a. kei give b. kai revise c. kuo pastd. kou dog e. khai sigh f. khou

mouthg. khou wide h. hai sea i. hei

blackj. hu tiger K. hou back l. tin

tightm. thi light n. in new o. thie cut p. ie thanks

Are /k,kh,h/ and /t,th,/in complementary distribution? If yes, point out the minimal pairs. If not, identify their distribution.

Complementary distribution:

• t• th i u

e o

a

k, kh, h

kei ‘to give’

kai ‘to correct’

kou ‘dog’

ku ‘old’

Two segments in complementary distribution are called allophones with one phoneme.

Observe the /u/ and /o/ in Bunun. Are/u/ and /o/ in complementary distribution？

If not, point out the mimimal pairs. If yes, find out their distribution:

a. iko back b. mua cotton c. takui melon d. tuik squaril

e. baino beans f. autuk rabbitg. babo hog h. ubo hair

Observe the // and /s/ in Japanese. Are

// and /s/ in complementary distribution？ If not, point out the mimimal pairs. If yes, find out their distribution: 。

a. higaI east b. uI house c. sake wine d. imasu do e. sensei sir f. ita underg. izu map h. sora skyi. san three

free variants

Examine the following data, and find out the sounds in free variation:

a. vuri winter b. tohesu olive

c. vorul desk d. hiri eagle

e. wuri winter f. yamuro micag. tohesi olive h. worul deski. lamore lamp

Distinctive features:

1. What are distinctive features?

2. Why should we need distinctive features?

b p ph f

[labial] + + + +

[continuent] － － － +

[aspirated] － － + － [voiced] + － － －

X

L SL

[asp] [voiced] [labial] [coronal] [dorsal]

[+ant [－ ant] [hi] [lw]

[bk]

Natural class:

Segments sharing the feature are called “natural class.” They are predicted to behave the same phonologically.

Mokileses: Examine the distribution of [i,i] and [u,u], where [i] =voicless vowel 。 Are they phonemic?.

• [pisan] (leave )

• [dupukda] (buy )• [puko]

(bookbag)• [kisa] (two)• [supwo] (wood)• [kamwkiti] (move)

• [uduk] (musles)• [kaskas] (go)• [poki] (beat)• [pil] (water)• [apid] (support)• [lujuk] (deal)

Sindhi: Observe the distribution of [p], [ph], and [b] in the following language 。 Are they phonemic? How to account for the distribution?

• [pnu] (noodle)• [vdu] (chance)• [eki] (doubt)• [gdo] (dull)• [dru] (door)• [phnu] (snake)

• [tru] (buttom)• [khto] (sour)• [bdu] (run)• [bnu] (wood)• [btu] (safe)• [ddu] (judge)

Italian: Examine the distribution of [n] and [].Are they phonemic? How can this distribution be accounted for?

• [tinta] (dye)• [tnda] (tent)• [dansa] (dance)• [nero] (black)• [dnte] (people)• [sapone] (soap)

• [tigo] (I dye)• [tgo] (I keep)• [fugo] (mushroom)• [byaka] (white)• [ake] (also)• [fago] (mud)

Spanish : Examine the distribution of [d] and []. Are they phonemic? How can this distribution be accounted for?

• [drama] (drama)• [dolor] (pain)• [dime] (tell me)• [kaa] (each)• [lao] (side)• [oio] (hatred)

• [komia] (food)• [anda] (dozen)• [sueldo]

(compensation)• [durar] (to last)• [toldo] (curtain)• [falda] (skirt)

Russian : Examine the distribution of [a] and [].Are they phonemic? How can this distribution be accounted for?

• [atm] (atom)• [dva] (two)• [dar] (gift)• [mas] (decoration)• [mt] (mint)

• [p] (he fell)• [d] (he gave)• [p:] (stick)• [ukr] (she stole)• [br] (he took)

Burmese : Examine the distribution of [m] and [m] . Are they phonemic? How can this distribution be accounted for?

• [mi] (fire)• [mwey] (bear)• [myi] (river)• [myawn] (ditch)• [myin] (see)• [ne] (little)• [nyi] (dirty)• [hmyaw] (many)• [hney] (slow)

• [hnwey] (dozen)• [hnya] (cut)• [he] (bird)• [nwa] (cow)• [a] (dance)• [hmi] (learn)• [hmwey] (fragant)• hnyey] (nod)• [hin] (curry)

Korean : Examine the distribution of [s] and [s] . Are they phonemic? How can this distribution be accounted for?

• [si] (poetry)• [misin] (superstition)• [sinmun] (newspaper)• [thaksasikye] (table)• [silsu] (mistake)• [osip] (fifty)• [casin] (self)• [pasik] (way)

• [kansik] (dissert)• [kasi] (snack)• [sal] (flesh)• [casal] (suicide)• [kasu] (singer)• [sanmun] (prose)• [miso] (smile)• [susek] (search)• [tapsa] (explore)

Same ： Examine the distribution of [ty] and [ky] ([y]=palatalized). Are they phonemic? How can this distribution be accounted for?

• [pa:tytyi] (smithy)• [la:kykyu] (meadow)• [pa:tni] (tooth)• [kihlyi:ht]

(engagement)• [liehmu] (mild)• [pa:kykyi] (smithy)

• miha:] (a lot)• [fana:s] (boat)• [vahnemaht] (parents)• [tsabma] (whips)• [la:itas] (unhappy)• [la:tytyu] (meadow)• [pa:ni] (tooth)