Phonology: More on allophones and phonemes LING 400 Winter 2010

Overview Review of phonology Data sets Mohawk stops Russian velar stops Please turn off your cell phone

Phonemic vs. phonetic representations directly observable contains measurable properties Phonemic representation inferred, not observed abstract, streamlined representation of sound Levels related by phonological rules

Inferring the phonemic representation Minimal pairs/sets sounds in contrast Complementary distribution sounds not in contrast

Minimal pair Two words differing in meaning and only one phonetic property A minimal pair for voicing in English [|kɹæbi] crabby vs. [|kɹæpi] crappy therefore, /p b/ in English Phonetic difference between pair not due to context Minimal pairs contain phonemes

Near-minimal pairs/sets Sometimes not many minimal pairs [θ], [ð]: [θɑɪ] thigh, [ðɑɪ] thy; ether, either Sometimes minimal pairs lacking [ʃ], [ʒ] none word initially word medially: [ə|luʃən] Aleutian, [ɪ|luʒən]~[ə|luʒən] illusion Rule for inferring phonemes from near-minimal pairs sounds must be in “same environment” or close to it [phɑɪ], [spɑɪ] not a minimal pair for aspiration in English ([p], [ph] not in same environment)

Complementary distribution of sounds Predictable aspects of pronunciation can be due to Influence of neighboring sound Position within word

Mohawk Iroquoian family; spoken in Quebec, Ontario, and New York map from www.ssila.org

Mohawk stops Observation: [p t k b d g] are all sounds of Mohawk Suspicion: there are no minimal or near-minimal pairs for voicing Question: Is stop voicing phonemic or predictable?

Mohawk phonetic data of interest: [p t k b d g] [oli:deʔ] ‘pigeon’ [V:] = long vowel, [C̥] = voiceless consonant [oli:deʔ] ‘pigeon’ [ojɑ:gɑlɑ] ‘shirt’ [zɑhset] ‘hide it!’ (sg.) [ohjotsɑh] ‘chin’ [gɑ:lis] ‘stocking’ [lɑbɑhbet] ‘catfish’ [odɑhsɑ] ‘tail’ [sdu:hɑ] ‘a little bit’ [wisk] ‘five’ [ʤiks] ‘fly’ [degeni] ‘two’ [desdɑʔn̥] ‘stand up!’ (sg.) [ɑplɑm] ‘Abram, Abraham’ [de:zekw̥] ‘pick it up!’ (sg.)

Finding patterns in a mass of data Often useful to rearrange the data [p t k] vs. [b d g] simplify the data list immediately preceding, following sound/position Then look for natural classes of sounds, those sharing some property not shared by other sounds, to right or left or unique position

Mohawk stop distribution ɑ ___l ɑ ___ ɑ h___e [t] [d] e___# i:___e o___s o___ ɑ s___u: #___e #___e: s___ɑ [k] [g] s___# #___ ɑ: i___s e___e e___w̥ ɑ:___ ɑ # = word edge Any natural classes? [ɑ], [e], [o], [i], [s] [l], #, [s], [w̥] [ɑ], [i:], [o], [e], [h], [ɑ:], # [ɑ], [e], [u:], [e:], [ɑ:] start by summarizing the immediately preceding and following context in some cases, however, it may be necessary to look farther afield (2 or more consonants or vowels away) for possible conditioning then scan the columns of contextual information for similarities

Summarized contexts [p t k] [b d g] ___ C ___ V ___ # [p t k] and [b d g] are in complementary distribution in Mohawk. Notice: what precedes doesn’t matter

Writing a phonological rule Which rule? Mohawk has /p t k/ and Voicing rule (stops are voiced before vowels). or? Mohawk has /b d g/ and Devoicing rule (stops are voiceless word finally or before a consonant).

Choose Voicing Voicing simpler than Devoicing Voicing: “...before vowels.” Devoicing: “...word finally or before a consonant.” The predicted sounds occur in the more restrictive context. A second reason why a linguist would prefer the Mohawk grammar with Voicing: If Voicing, then Mohawk consonant inventory contains /p t k/. If Devoicing, then /b d g/. But there are no languages with /b d g/ which lack /p t k/. I.e. voiced stops  voiceless stops (an implicational universal).) At this point you are not expected to know this.

Final analysis In Mohawk, Stops are voiced before vowels, and voiceless elsewhere. (sentence formulation of rule) /p t k/  [b d g] / ___ V (  [p t k] / …) (‘arrow’ formulation of rule) … = elsewhere

Natural classes

Summary Determining phonemes Keys to being able to do so Minimal pairs and near-minimal pairs Complementary distribution of sounds Keys to being able to do so Understanding value of phonetic symbols Recognizing natural classes

Question Turn in a broad phonetic (or phonemic) transcription of your first and last names Transcribe primary stress (if appropriate) Transcribe [ə] and [ɾ], if either of your names contains these sounds