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1 Linguistics 288B 12 Features: the atoms of segment structure Each feature encodes one of the aspects of speech production Linguistics 288b The specification of features is either positive or negative; specification is therefore binary/bivalent. Phonology 3 Features are conventionally arranged in a column called a feature matrix. Linguistics 288b 2 Features Why do we need features? [p] natural classes: an economical way of +consonantal characterizing segments (e.g. /s z S Z tS dZ/ = -syllabic [+sibilant]; /p t k b d g f v s z T D S Z tS dZ h // = -sonorant obstruents ([-sonorant, +consonantal]) -voice +labial better understanding of allophonic variation (e.g. -round assimilation - e.g. liquid devoicing /pr/ → [pr8] -continuant -nasal -lateral Linguistics 288b 3 Linguistics 288b 4 Allophonic variation Liquid devoicing Allophonic variation is not simply the substitution /p r/ →[pr8] of one allophone for another, but an +consonantal +consonantal -syllabic -syllabic ø environmentally conditioned change of a feature -sonorant +sonorant -voice +voice or features +labial +coronal /pr/ [p ] ‘pray’ [p ], ‘prime’ [p ] -continuant +continuant → r8 r8ej r8ajm -nasal -nasal -lateral -lateral etc. etc. Linguistics 288b 5 Linguistics 288b 6 1 Natural classes Natural classes Reason: simplicity in scientific modeling Examples of natural classes in English: (Occam’s razor). / s z S Z tS dZ/ = [+sibilant] /p t k b d g f v s z T D s z S Z tS dZ h // = [-sonorant, A set of segments is said to constitute a natural +consonantal] (obstruents) class if fewer features are needed to specify the /l/ = [+lateral] set as a whole then to specify any one member of the set. Linguistics 288b 7 Linguistics 288b 8 Natural classes Natural classes Note: in informal identification of natural classes, It is a fundamental precept of phonological theory you may use conventional phonetic categories that phonological processes apply to natural instead of features. For example, [-sonorant, classes and not just any assemblage of sounds. +voice, -continuant] = the class of voiced obstruent stops. Linguistics 288b 9 Linguistics 288b 10 A standard five-vowel system Characterizing natural classes (Language X) The precise characterization of a natural class in a i e a o u given language depends on what other sounds there are in the language. Back - - + + + High + - - - + Low - - + - - Naturalness is relativized to the expression of contrast in the language/dialect. Round - - - + + Linguistics 288b 11 Linguistics 288b 12 2 Strategies for determining Natural classes natural classes Consider the set of vowels {i, e}. Step 1: identify which features the set {i, e} has in Is this a natural class in Language X? common. Linguistics 288b 13 Linguistics 288b 14 Natural class Natural class Step 2: list the features. Step 3: check that no other sounds share exactly these specifications. Linguistics 288b 15 Linguistics 288b 16 Natural class Natural class Step 4: confirmation: the set {i, e} constitutes a Step 5: check for redundancies. natural class! Linguistics 288b 17 Linguistics 288b 18 3 An example of an unnatural English consonants class p t k Consider the following consonant inventory b d g (English): m n N NB: the feature chart for English consonants is f s h given on p. 81 of the textbook. T S v D z Z tS dZ l a natural class? r j w Linguistics 288b 19 Linguistics 288b 20 Natural class Natural class Suppose, for the purpose of this demonstration, Step 1: identify which features the set {v, D, Z} has that there is a phonological process that requires in common (this information is in the feature chart us to identify /v D Z / as a class, to the exclusion for English consonants, p. 81). of /z/. ⇒ Does the set {v, D, Z} constitute a natural class? Linguistics 288b 21 Linguistics 288b 22 Features Natural class v D Z Step 2: list the features. Consonantal Sonorant Syllabic Nasal Continuant Lateral Anterior Voice Alveolar Linguistics 288b 23 Linguistics 288b 24 4 Natural class Natural class Step 3: Check that no other sounds share exactly Reason: because /v D Z/ cannot be defined using a these specifications. single set of feature specification, without also including the unwanted sound /z/. The search stops here! Note: if /z/ was not one of the consonants of this language, the group /v D Z/ would constitute a natural class. Linguistics 288b 25 Linguistics 288b 26 Natural class Features How would you define the set if it included /z/? v D z Z {v D z Z} (i.e. the set of voiced fricatives) Consonantal Step 1: identify which features the set has in Sonorant common. Syllabic Nasal Continuant Lateral Velar Voice Anterior Linguistics 288b 27 Linguistics 288b 28 Natural class Natural class Step 2: list the features. Step 3: check that no other sounds share exactly these specifications. Ok: no other sounds.. Step 4: Confirmation - the set {v D z Z} constitutes a natural class. Linguistics 288b 29 Linguistics 288b 30 5 Natural class Natural class Step 5: Check for redundancies. (b) How do you get rid of the unwanted segments? Linguistics 288b 31 Linguistics 288b 32 Natural class Natural class (c) How do you get rid of the unwanted segments? We conclude that the most parsimonious definition for the set {v D z Z} is: Linguistics 288b 33 Linguistics 288b 34 Natural class Natural class Note: if you look carefully, you will notice some the feature [lateral]: redundancies in the original table in Step 1: ⇒ this feature is restricted to exclusive sets of sounds and therefore are irrelevant to the definition of the set {v D z Z}. Linguistics 288b 35 Linguistics 288b 36 6 Natural class Quick homework if we had included [+consonantal] in the feature set Determine whether each of the sets below for voiced fricatives, we would need to include more features to get rid of unwanted segments. constitutes a natural class in English. If yes, give Why? the relevant (i.e. not redundant) features that Because [+consonantal] includes too many define the set. segments! Also, [+consonantal] is redundant: every [+voice, - a. {tS dZ} sonorant] (which eliminates most of the unwanted segments) is [+consonantal]. b. {p b m} c. {i Q ´} Linguistics 288b 37 Linguistics 288b 38 7.
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