Phonologica l Theory Beijing Foreign Studies University 2008
Dec 27, 2015
Phonological Theory
Beijing Foreign Studies University
2008
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1. Development of phonology The phoneme theory Distinctive Features SPE (Chomsky & Halle 1968) Division of phonetics and phonolo
gy Integrated phonology Laboratory phonology
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Modules of study
Phonemes and allophones Syllables Stress Intonational and tonal phonology Prosody (metrical phonology) Phonological acquisition and cogni
tion Language impairment
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Phonology in Generative Grammar
Syntax
Phonetic Form Semantic Form
Generative Phonology
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Three stages of Generative Phonology Linear theories
SPE (standard theory): Chomsky, N. & Halle, M. 1968. The Sound Pattern of English. Harper & Row/MIT.
Natural Generative Phonology Natural Phonology
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Non-linear theories Lexical Phonology Autosegmental Phonology Metrical Phonology Dependency Phonology Government Phonology CV/VC Phonology Declarative Phonology
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Constraint-based theory Optimality Theory (OT): Prince, A.
& Smolensky, P. 1993/2002. Optimality theory: constraint interaction in generative grammar. ms. Rutgers University. 2004.2004. Published Published by Blackwell.by Blackwell.
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SPE Rule-based. Derivational: derivation from
underlying to surface form.
A B / X__Y
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OT Constraint-based. Development of generative
phonology. Very different way of
representation. Can be used for syntax and
acquisition studies. Aims at cognitive explanations.
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Constraints are universal. Languages differ in the ranking of
constraints. Constraints can be contradictory
and can be violated.
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Examples of derivational rules DEVOICING: A voiced obstruent becom
es voiceless after a voiceless obstruent. -INSERTION:ə Insert [ ] between two aə
djacent sibilants in the same word.
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Examples of constraints
*SIBSIB: sibilants cannot occur cnosecutively within a word.
*VOICEVOICE: consecutive obstruents must be identical in voicing within a syllable.
MAX-IO: deletion of segment is prohibited. DEP-IO: insertion of segment is prohibited. IDENT-IO: input segment and the correspon
ding output must be identical.
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2. Linear Phonology
Make the rules as general as possible.
Use “Distinctive Features” instead of individual sound segments when writing the rules.
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Distinctive Features
The idea of Distinctive Features was first developed by Roman Jacobson (1896-1982) in the 1940s as a means of working out a set of phonological contrasts or oppositions to capture particular aspects of language sounds. Since then several versions have been suggested.
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Major class features consonantal (con): sounds produced with a
major obstruction in the oral cavity. approximant (approx): sounds made with a
n oral tract constriction which is less than that required to produce friction. Vowels, glides and liquids are [+approx], other s
ounds are [-approx]. Also known as syllabic (syl) to indicate that they
can form a syllable peak. sonorant (son): sounds produced with a voc
al tract configuration in which spontaneous voicing is possible. Obstruents (plosives, affricates and fricatives) ar
e [-son], other sounds are [+son].
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Vowel place features high: the body of the tongue is
raised from the neutral position. low: the body of the tongue is
lowered from the neutral position. back: the body of the tongue is
retracted from the neutral position. round: the lips are protruded. tense: sounds requiring deliberate,
accurate, maximally distinct gestures that involve considerable muscular effort.
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advanced tongue root (ATR): vowels made by drawing the root of the tongue forward, thus enlarging the pharyngeal cavity, tending to raise the tongue body, and tending to give the sound a more tense articulation, e.g. [i e o u]. [-ATR] sounds lack this gesture, e.g. [I E ç U
a A].
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Consonant place features labial (lab): Sounds that involve a constricti
on of the lips to give either a labial (labiodental) consonant or a rounded vowel/glide.
coronal (cor): produced with the blade or tip of the tongue raised from the neutral position. anterior (ant): defined only for coronal sounds.
An anterior ([+ant]) sound is made with a constriction at or forward of, the alveolar ridge. Posterior ([-ant]) sounds are produced behind the alveolar ridge.
The anteriors are the dentals and alveolars, the posterior sounds are the retroflex, palato-alveolar and palatal sounds.
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dorsal (dor): Sounds made by raising the dorsum (tongue body) towards the hard palate, the soft palate (velum) or the uvula. The dorsal consonants are the velars and uv
ulars. radical (rad): Sounds produced in the p
haryngeal or laryngeal (glottal) region, e.g.
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strident (strid): produced with a construction with greater noisiness. Stridency is only defined for fricatives and
affricates. Labiodentals, sibilants and uvular fricatives
/ affricates are [+strid]; all other fricatives/affricates are [-strid].
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Manner features continuant (cont): the primary constric
tion is not narrowed so much that airflow through the oral cavity is blocked. Plosives and nasal stops are [-cont], other s
ounds (including laterals) are [+cont]. nasal (nas): the velum is lowered which
allows air to escape through the nose. lateral (lat): the mid section of the tong
ue is lowered at the side.
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Laryngeal features
voice: the vocal folds vibrate. spread glottis (spread, or s.g.): the voca
l folds are spread far apart. Aspirated (voiceless) consonants, breathy o
r murmured voiced consonants and voiceless vowels/glides are [+spread]; other sounds are [-spread].
Also known as aspirated.
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Distinctive feature matrix for English consonants
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Now we can represent the rule that governs the unaspiration of /p/ after [s] in terms of features:
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Past tense forms in English stopped, walked, coughed, kissed,
leashed, reached stabbed, wagged, achieved, buzzed,
soothed, bridged steamed, stunned, pulled played, flowed, studied wanted, located, decided, guided
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The regular past tense form in English is pronounced as [t] when the word ends with a voiceless consonant, [d] when it ends with a voiced sound, and [ d] wheɪn it ends with [t] or [d].
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Plural rule
z / [-voice, +cons]______ (Devoicing) / 咝擦音 _____z (增音 ) z z 剩余位置
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Obligatory Contour Principle (OCP) Obligatory Contour Principle No identical adjacent autosegment
s. (Goldsmith 1976)
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3. Non-linear Phonology These theories began as a method
for representing prosodic features such the stress in complex words, so that their different levels of stress are represented not by linear orders but by a metrical grid:
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Later the method was extended to the representation of earlier linear rules.
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Plural rule (1)
[+cons] [+cons][-son] root [-son] plural
z
Laryngeal Laryngeal
[-voice] [+voice]
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Plural rule (2)
Ø X /X____________X
[-cons] [+cons] [+cons]
[+strid] [+strid]
[COR] [COR]
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Past tense rule (1)[+cons] [+cons][-son] root [-son] past
d
Laryngeal Laryngeal
[-voice] [+voice]
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Ø X /X__________X
[-cons] [+cons] [+cons]
[-cont] [-cont]
[-nas] [-nas]
Past tense rule (2)
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4. OT The ranking of the constraints is
represented by a “tableau”.
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Review of some constraints *VOICEVOICE: consecutive obstruen
ts must be identical in voicing within a syllable.
DEP-IO: insertion of segment is prohibited.
IDENT-IO: input segment and the corresponding output must be identical.
OCP: No identical adjacent autosegments.
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OT tableau for plural forms (1)
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OT tableau for plural forms (2) / / OCP DEP-IO *voice-voice IDENT(F)
a. [ ə ] *!
b. [ ] *!
c. [ ] *
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OT tableau for past forms (1)
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OT tableau for past forms (2) /wkd/ OCP DEP-IO *voice-voice IDENT(F)
a. [wkd] *!
b. [wkd] *!
c. [wkt] *
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Ranking of the constraints
OCP » DEP-IO » *voice-voice » IDENT(F)