BBN–ANG–141 Foundations of phonology 8 Graphic positions

100 Pages·2016·0.32 MB·English

by  Péter Szigetvári

BBN–ANG–141 Foundations of phonology 8
Unstressed syllables, unstressed vowels
P´eter Szigetv´ari
DeptofEnglishLinguistics,E¨otv¨osLor´andUniversity
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 1/21
outline
free variation & neutralization
vowel reduction
syllabic consonant formation
syncope
palatalization
mergers
reduced vowels
spelling reduced vowels
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 2/21
freevariation&neutralization
free variation
free variation exists in stressed syllables
either /A´jD@/ ∼ /´IjD@/, apricot /´Ejpr@kOt/ ∼ /´apr@kOt/
but it is much more common in unstressed syllables
family /f´amIlIj/ ∼ /f´am@lIj/ ∼ /f´amlIj/ ∼ /f´amlIj/ (the first, stressed
"
syllable is stable, the second unstressed syllable varies)
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 3/21
freevariation&neutralization
neutralization
vowel contrasts are neutralized before R
◮
first NURSE merger
◮
FORCE–NORTH–THOUGHT–CURE merger
◮
AmE marry–merry–Mary merger
◮
etc
vowel contrasts are neutralized in unstressed syllables
man6=men (/a/ vs. /E/), but postman=postmen (/@/ in both)
full /f0´l/, careful /k´E:f0l/ ∼ /k´E:f@l/; ryeful /rA´jf0l/ ∼ /rA´jf@l/ = rifle
vowel reduction
/a/ > /@/ and /E/ > /@/ are instances of vowel reduction
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 4/21
vowelreduction
vowel reduction
the vowels of English in stressed position
6 short (checked) vowels I @ 0 E a O
6 long (R) vowels I: @: 0: E: A: o:
7 diphthongs (free vowels) Ij @w 0w Ej Aj aw oj
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 5/21
vowelreduction
vowel reduction
the vowels of English in unstressed postion
3 short (checked) vowels I @ 0 E a O
0 long (R) vowels I: @: 0: E: A: o:
3 diphthongs (free vowels) Ij @w 0w Ej Aj aw oj
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 5/21
vowelreduction
vowel reduction
the vowels of English
short (checked) vowels I @ 0 E a O
long (R) vowels I: @: 0: E: A: o:
diphthongs (free vowels) Ij @w 0w Ej Aj aw oj
stressed and reduced vowel may sound/look the same
village v´IlIÃ
butter b´@t@
easy ´IjzIj
photo f´@wt@w
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 5/21
vowelreduction
vowel reduction
the vowels of English
short (checked) vowels I @ 0 E a O
long (R) vowels I: @: 0: E: A: o:
diphthongs (free vowels) Ij @w 0w Ej Aj aw oj
stressed and reduced vowel may sound/look the same
village v´IlIÃ
butter b´@t@
easy ´IjzIj
photo f´@wt@w
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 5/21
vowelreduction
where reduced vowels may occur: /I/ and /Ij/
unstressed /I/
like short vowels, only C: eg basic /b´EjsIk/, illegal /Il´Ijg@l/
unstressed /Ij/
◮
V and #: eg Vienna /vIj´En@/, carry /k´arIj/
◮
IjC is always stressed: eg complete /k@mpl´Ijt/, receive /r@s´Ijv/
◮
nb carries /k´arIjz/, carried /k´arIjd/ contain word-final /Ij/!
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 6/21
vowelreduction
where reduced vowels may occur: /@/ and /@w/
unstressed /@/
◮
C and also #: eg comet /k´Om@t/, button /b´@t@n/, ago /@g´@w/,
comma /k´Om@/, butter /b´@t@/
◮
@# is always unstressed
unstressed /@w/
may be /@/ before C
◮
C: omit /@(w)mIt/, Oldsmobile /´@wldzm@(w)bIjl/
◮
V: Genoa /dZ´En@w@/, Iowa /A´j@w@/
◮
#: motto /m´Ot@w/, potato /p@t´Ejt@w/
szp (delg) introphono8/unstressed 7/21