3021 – Introduction to Linguistics
Phonology
Loanwords from English to Brazilian Portuguese
At the level of the word, the most complex syllable structure in Portuguese is
(C)(C)V(C)(C) while in English it is (C)(C)(C)V(C)(C)(C)(C). Besides having simpler syllable
structures, Brazilian Portuguese is also restrictive in relation to what consonants can be in coda
and onset position.
1. Based on the data below, please find the consonants that are accepted in final and initial
position in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) for the following combinations of sounds in a syllable
(CV, VC, CCV, VCC):
(C)
/p, t, k, b, d, g, f,
v/
clear
ready
trains
perspective
get married
too/also
Onset
Nucleus
(C)
/p, b, t, d, k, g,
m, n, f, v, s, z,
ʃ, ʒ, l, h, ɾ/ and
others
V
BP Vowels
(C)
/ɾ, n, s/
(C)
/l, ɾ/
V
BP Vowels
(C)
/ɾ, n/
(C)
/s/
houses
special
arm
fruit
grass
book
/ka.zas/
/es.pe.si.aw/
/bɾa.su/
/fɾu.ta/
/gɾa.ma/
/li.vɾu/
/kla.ɾu/
/pɾon.tu/
/tɾeins/
/peɾs.pe.ki.ti.va/
/ka.zaɾ/
/tan.bein/
Coda
2. Due to the restrictive nature of BP syllable structure, when English words are incorporated
into BP, they undergo many changes. In terms of syllable structure, what happens to the
loanwords below? (Do not consider vowel changes or changes in specific sounds such as /ɹ/
turning into /ɾ/).
air-bag
lap-top
hot-dog
script
scanners
English
BP
/ɛɹ.bæg/
/læp.tɑp/
/hɑt.dɑg/
/skɹɪpt/
/skæ.nəɹs/
/ɛɾ.bɛ.gi/
/lɛ.pi.tɔ.pi/
/hɔ.ti.dɔ.gi/
/is.kɾi.pi.ti/
/is.ka.neɾs/
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3021 – Introduction to Linguistics
Phonology
Insert /i/ before /s/ in onset position when /s/ is followed by another consonant.
Insert /i/ after a consonant that is not allowed in BP in coda, or that is not allowed in an onset
cluster.
3. Some syllables do not undergo any structural changes, such as last syllables in the words
below. Try to state the rules that apply to the last syllables of the following loanwords that
prevent structural changes:
jeans
telemarketing
vocal
gospel
jazz
marketing
English
/dʒinz/
/te.lə.mɑɹ.kə.tɪŋ/
/voʊ.kəl/
/gɑs.pəl/
/dʒæz/
/mɑɹ.kɪ.tɪŋ/
BP
/ʤins/
/tɛ.le.maɾ.ke.tin/
/vo.kaw/
/gɔs.pew/
/ʤɛs/
/maɾ.ke.tin/
Lateral liquid becomes a labiovelar glide in coda position. (The lateral approximant becomes
labiovelar in coda position.)
The velar nasal (i.e. /ŋ/) becomes an alveolar.
The voiced alveolar fricative (i.e. /z/) is devoiced in coda position.
Central liquid /ɹ/ becomes a tap /ɾ/
4. Based on the vowel changes in the following table and the rules you derived above, provide a
possible transcription of how BP speakers would produce the following loanwords:
/ɑ/ → /ɔ/
/ɪ/ → /i/
/æ/ → /ɛ/
closet
feedback
blog
fast-food
stress
/klɑ.zɪt/
/fid.bæk/
/blɑg/
/fæst.fud/
/stɹɛs/
/klɔ.ze.ti/
/fi.di.bɛ.ki/
/blɔ.gi/
/fɛs.ti.fu.di/
/is.trɛs/
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