Phonemes & Allophones Phonemes –are the individual sounds –abstract mental units..eg.cop-keep…the sound ‘k’ is represented by different phonemes. Phonemes –are the individual sounds –abstract mental units..eg.cop-keep…the sound ‘k’ is represented by different phonemes. Allophones-correspond to the sounds spoken,i.e.the actual pronunciation of the phonemes (abstract units)in different environments.eg. Allophones-correspond to the sounds spoken,i.e.the actual pronunciation of the phonemes (abstract units)in different environments.eg. The 2 [k] sounds of ‘cop’ and ‘keep’ are allophones of the phoneme /k/ The 2 [k] sounds of ‘cop’ and ‘keep’ are allophones of the phoneme /k/ -differences in the sounds represented by,eg.pot-spot…..spoke-poke -differences in the sounds represented by,eg.pot-spot…..spoke-poke [p] in pot is aspirated while [p] in spot is not aspirated. p is the allophone of the phoneme /p/ [p] in pot is aspirated while [p] in spot is not aspirated. p is the allophone of the phoneme /p/ Voiceless bilabial stop-eg.stop,mop,cop,etc…is a voiceless allophone of the phoneme /p/ Voiceless bilabial stop-eg.stop,mop,cop,etc…is a voiceless allophone of the phoneme /p/

Exceptions to the Plural Rule The regular plural rule does not work for some words. The regular plural rule does not work for some words. Eg.child-children,ox-oxen,woman- women,etc Eg.child-children,ox-oxen,woman- women,etc

Minimal Pairs pit-sit….pun-sun…lapped-last…seep-cease pit-sit….pun-sun…lapped-last…seep-cease The above words in each pair have different meanings and differ by only a single sound. The above words in each pair have different meanings and differ by only a single sound. Minimal pairs are valuable in identifying the contrastive sounds –the phonemes-of a language. Minimal pairs are valuable in identifying the contrastive sounds –the phonemes-of a language. Each minimal pair above demonstrates that /s/&/p/ are separate phonemes of English and not allophones of a single phoneme. Each minimal pair above demonstrates that /s/&/p/ are separate phonemes of English and not allophones of a single phoneme.

Phonology Phonological knowledge helps a speaker to : Phonological knowledge helps a speaker to : -form meaningful utterances..eg.he said not he sad -form meaningful utterances..eg.he said not he sad -to recognize a foreign ‘accent’ eg.table-teble. -to recognize a foreign ‘accent’ eg.table-teble. -to make up words -to make up words -to add the appropriate phonetic segments to form to form plurals and past tenses -to add the appropriate phonetic segments to form to form plurals and past tenses -to produce aspirated and unaspirated voiceless stops in the appropriate context -to produce aspirated and unaspirated voiceless stops in the appropriate context -to know what is or is not a sound in one’s language eg.nasi lemak(you know that it does not belong to a sound in English) -to know what is or is not a sound in one’s language eg.nasi lemak(you know that it does not belong to a sound in English) -to determine how we pronounce morphemes. -to determine how we pronounce morphemes.

Pronunciation of Morphemes Almost all English nouns have both singular and plural forms. Almost all English nouns have both singular and plural forms. Egs. of variations in the pronunciation of the plural morpheme Egs. of variations in the pronunciation of the plural morpheme.cab-cab[z], cap-cap[s], bus-bus[ez].cab-cab[z], cap-cap[s], bus-bus[ez] child-child(ren) child-child(ren)

How do you know how to pronounce the plural morpheme? Allomorphs-the technical term for the variants,i.e.[z],etc and the phonological contexts are often referred to as ‘environment’. Allomorphs-the technical term for the variants,i.e.[z],etc and the phonological contexts are often referred to as ‘environment’. Eg.Allomorph Environment Eg.Allomorph Environment [z] [z]

Morphology &Phonology Morphology &Phonology When you learn a language,you learn which sounds occur in your language and how they pattern.The study of the ways in which speech sounds form systems and patterns is phonology. When you learn a language,you learn which sounds occur in your language and how they pattern.The study of the ways in which speech sounds form systems and patterns is phonology. The term phonology is used in 2 ways:as the mental representation of linguistic knowledge,and as description of the sounds and sound patterns in a person’s mental grammar,or to the study of the sound patterns in a language in general. The term phonology is used in 2 ways:as the mental representation of linguistic knowledge,and as description of the sounds and sound patterns in a person’s mental grammar,or to the study of the sound patterns in a language in general.