Chapter 9 Phonological Structure PHONOLOGY Lane 335

Introduction Phonological rules make reference to features (individual features, processes) Phonological representation is characterized as (linear): Only ‘flat’ sequences of segments and boundaries Not syllable structure

The need for richer phonological representation The linear formation tells us little about the process it is describing i [n]edible, i[n] Edinburah’ vs. ‘i [m]possible, i[m] Preston’ vs. i[ŋ]conceivable, i[ŋ] Cardiff’ [+ nasal] α cor / __ + cons ᵦ ant α ant ᵦ cor

The need for richer phonological representation No indication that the features are in some way related It should formally express that it is place of articulation assimilation that is occurring here. [+ nasal] [α place] / __ + cons [ α place]

The need for richer phonological representation In Desano, the feature nasal is not associated with individual segments , but with the whole world It’s the word as a whole that is [+ nasal] or [- nasal] The rule for dark and clear [l] is not very insight full The occurrence of velarised and non velarised [l] depends on where the [l] appears in a syllable At the beginning of a syllable: non velarised [l] At the end or when syllabic: velarised [ɫ]

Segment internal structure: feature geometry and underspecification i [ɱ f]iladelphia i [ɱ v] enice i [n̪ θ]irsk i [n̪ ð] e Hague In these examples, /n/ is realised by the labio-dental nasal [ɱ] before [f] and [v] and by dentalised [n̪] before [ð] and [θ] We can’t represent this alternation by the features [coronal] and [anterior].

Segment internal structure: feature geometry and underspecification Some processes appear to affect manner of articulation not the place. Lat [akwa] OSpan [aɡwa] Lenition Process (weakening): the increase in the vocalic nature of a segment which involves voicing and widening of the stricture in the oral tract The features associated with manner [voice], [continuant], [sonorant]

Segment internal structure: feature geometry and underspecification Feature Geometry: involves organising the features in terms of a tree structure

Segment internal structure: feature geometry and underspecification Root is ‘a holding position’ Nodes are all associated to this root Only features relevant to the characterisation of the segment are shown “underspecified” Features playing no distinguishing part in the identification of a segment are not present at the underlying level.

Segment internal structure: feature geometry and underspecification Default rules: assign values to features not specified in the underlying tree. They add new features to a segment and are classified as structure-building rules. Node Types: 1- Class nodes (Organizing Nodes) [suplaryngeal] or [manner] (unary) 2- Terminal Nodes [round] [strident]

Autosegmental phonology Afrricates and prenasalised stops pose problems for feature matrices in linear phonology. Autosegmental phonology: an approach that doesn’t focus on tree structures and features relevant to the argument, but only on relevant features which will linked to C and V positions. Association lines: link features to C and V positions Any independent feature linked to a timing slot occupies its own autosegmental tier

Autosegmental phonology Features occupying a tier maybe associated with more than one timing slot. More than one feature maybe associated with a single spot

Autosegmental phonology we can represent prenasalised stops as involving a doubly- linked nasal specification

Autosegmental phonology it shows representation of assimilation Rule of spreading: A dotted line indicates the spreading of an auto segment The solid line with bars indicates that the feature has been delinked

Autosegmental phonology Autosegmental phonology also deals with vowel harmony. Vowel Harmony: the tendency of all vowels in a single word to ‘harmonise’; to share some feature or features, usually backness or rounding e.g. Turkish and Hungarian

Suprasegmental Structure The syllable and its internal structure Syllable structure plays a role in phonological processes (clear and dark l) Glottalised /t/: the important aspect of the environment is the position of the syllable boundary (nightly, cat) In (nightly) it’s [ʔ]; in (nitrate) it’s [th] In (petrol) it’s [ʔ]; in (patrol) it’s [th] /t/ in ‘petrol’ is ambisyllabic: the coda of the first syllable (it can glottalise) and the onset of the second syllable (it devoices the following liquid)

Suprasegmental Structure Spoonerism: a type of speech error consists of the first segment or cluster of a syllable being swapped for the first segment or cluster of another syllable in a phrase e.g. ‘mound rune’ for ‘round moon’ Spoonerism provides evidence of structure within the syllable It shows that we can manipulate parts of syllables in systematic ways

Suprasegmental Structure There are several ways of representing the internal structure of the syllable The most common one is:

Suprasegmental Structure The sigma stands for ‘syllable’ O stands for ‘onset’ N stands for ‘nucleus’ or head Co stands for the ‘coda’ R stands for the ‘rhyme’

Suprasegmental Structure Phonotactics: permissible combinations of segments in a particular language. sleepwalk lab worker livewire leaf worm In linear terms, theses words exhibit sequences of [pw], [bw], [vw] and [fw] *pwell *bwee *vwoot *fwite It’s not the sequence thst is not permitted, but the occurrence of such a sequence in an onset or a coda. These sequences are only allowed as heterosyllabic (different syllables) Not allowed in English as tautosyllabic (same syllable)

Suprasegmental Structure In some languages (English, Latin and Arabic) stress is sensitive to syllable weight Stress: is assigned to particular syllables depending on whether they are light (a short vowel in the nucleus and no coda) or heavy (either a long vowel or diphthong in the nucleus, or a consonant in coda postion)

Suprasegmental Structure One way to distinguish heavy syllables form light ones is Mora Mora: is a unit of quantity, with a single vowel i. e. light syllable equaling one μ, while a long vowel and a vowel plus coda consonant- i. e heavy syllables- each equal two μs

Suprasegmental Structure Foot: an organizing structure for combining stressed and unstressed syllables A stressed syllable combined with any unstressed syllables constitutes a foot Feet maybe leftheaded (stressed syllable on the left), rightheaded, binary( bounded) consisting of two syllables or unbounded consiting of all the syllables in a particular domain a designate foot consists of a single syllabe

Suprasegmental Structure Foot

Suprasegmental Structure Structure above the foot Feet may also be combined into larger constituents where one foot is more prominent than others The last is usually the most prominent and is called the head.