4.8.LEARN - Phonological Rules
Language File 3.3: Phonological Rules (pp. 122-129)
3.3.1: Phonological Rules
3.3.2: Natural Classes
3.3.3: Types of Phonological Rules
3.3.4: Multiple Rule Application
3.3.5: Obligatory and Optional Rules
PRO TIP: If you use exact words from the book, don’t forget to put them in quotation marks and note the page number :)
3.3.1: Phonological Rules
1. In plain language, explain the following sentence to a non-linguist: “The mapping between phonemic and
phonetic elements can be described using phonological rules” (p. 122). (As part of your explanation, you
will need to define the terms phonemic and phonetic in a way that would help a non-linguist to understand
the distinction between the concepts.)
One can use phonological rules acquired from experience and education to automatically translate
the noises that come in that would otherwise be meaningless, and interpret them as actual
phonetics, or recognizable speech that link together.
2. What are the 3 components of a phonological rule?
The environment of the rule’s context, the sounds affected by it, and the result of the rule
3. In the following shorthand for expressing a phonological rule, what does each symbol represent?
X
→
Y
/
C
__
D
Affected
sound
application
result
-> when ->
Sound before
Sound
affected
Sound after
4. Restate X → Y / C __ D in prose (i.e., translate it into sentence form):
X is pronounced as Y when between C and D.
3.3.2: Natural Classes
5. What is a natural class of sounds? (Be sure to mention key features of the definition highlighted in the text
:)
A natural class of sounds is a set of sounds that occur in the same spot in terms of articulation and
manner, differing only in factors like voicing.
6. Give 2 examples of natural classes in English that will help you to remember the concept.
/t/ and /d/ in an alveolar oral stop
/f/ and /v/ with a labiodental fricative
7. What is a sibilant? In addition to defining the term, list all of the sibilants in English using the IPA.
A hissing noise, like
8. Define the terms obstruent and sonorant, and list the types of sounds that belong in each class.
Obstruents are sounds of air blockage (stops, fricatives, and affricates), and sonorants are sounds
of air flow (nasals, liquids, glides, and vowels).
3.3.3: Types of Phonological Rules
9. Define and give an example of each of the following phonological processes:
a. Assimilation
When sounds are changed when in certain places, often for ease/speed of articulation, or when
gestures are simplified for the same reason.
i.
Palatalization
When two consonants in the same place of articulation blend together, like how /d/
and /j/ often become [ʤ].
ii.
Vowel harmony
When vowels blend together in placement
b. Dissimilation
When a specific rule actually makes two sounds more different, for ease of articulation,
especially with stops and fricatives.
c. Insertion (a/k/a Epenthesis)
When something gets added on unintentionally even though there’s nothing there
phonemically.
d. Deletion
When something gets cut out unintentionally despite being there phonemically, with no
real effect on comprehension, like when “didn’t” becomes “di’int”.
e. Metathesis
When sounds are switched around in order for ease of articulation/understanding. Often
seen in the word “ask” when it gets pronounced like “axe”
f. Strengthening (a/k/a Fortition)
When sounds get “strengthened” or emphasized to help with articulation/understanding
when speaking quickly
g. Weakening (a/k/a Lenition)
When sounds get “weakened” to help with quick articulation, like with English’s “flapping
rule”.
10. Explain how at least 2 of the phonological processes above are related to the amount of effort required for
sound perception or production.
Deletion and palatalization are often ( offen ;) ) essential (and unavoidable) when speaking quickly.
11. What were your reactions to reading about the nasal place assimilation and voiceless stop insertion rules
in English (pp. 125, 127)? Were you aware of them before you read this chapter? Can you think of any
other sets of words in English where nasal place assimilation and voiceless stop insertion might apply?
I was aware of them before reading, but didn't have a word for it. Voiceless stop insertion can
happen when words like “stopped” are given extra emphasis, resulting in the voiced stop /d/ becoming the
voiceless plosive/fricative [ts]
3.3.4: Multiple Rule Application
12. Give an example to demonstrate that the order of application of phonological rules sometimes matters.
(After reading through the example in the book, try to explain it from memory in your own way to check
whether you understand it completely.)
I don’t actually understand this.
3.3.5: Obligatory and Optional Rules
13. Explain the difference between obligatory and optional phonological rules, including how they relate (or
not) to speech style and/or rate.
Obligatory rules often pop up when speaking a language with unfamiliar sounds, while optional
rules happen in things like quick/casual speech.
14. Which type of rule (obligatory or optional) is more closely related to having a foreign accent, and why?
Obligatory, since often in other languages/accents there are sounds/rules that a speaker is not
familiar with because they never learned to use it, and either take a while to get used to it or don’t
get used to it at all.