minimal pairs (notes)

Phonology I MINIMAL PAIRS

At home, look up any unfamiliar words in an ordinary dictionary. Read the description of each sound and practise articulating it.

At the Lab, work with one group (six pairs) at a time. First, listen to the example and repeat. Then, record your after each pair (not after each word). Listen and compare both renderings. You can record your voice as many times as you think necessary. Once you are satisfied with at least three groups, ask the teacher for correction.

Remember you dont get a mark for your performance at the Lab: it is an opportunity to practise and learn more, so don`t be afraid of making mistakes.

Go to http://ies28.sfe.infd.edu.ar/aula/ (Links) to find online exercises

Traductorado Phonology I: Lab Mariel Amez

2

VOWELS

/i/ // Tongue raising front of the tongue raised

slightly below and behind the front close position

centre-front tongue raised just above half close-position

Lips spread loosely spread Tongue position muscular tension of the tongue;

side rims making firm contact with upper molars and tip touching lower teeth

muscular tension of the tongue; side rims making firm contact with upper molars

1) sheep - ship bean - bin eat - it seat - sit leak - lick cheeks - chicks

i:p p bi:n bn i:t t si:t st li:k lk ti:ks tks

// /e / Tongue raising centre-front tongue raised just

above half close-position front of tongue raised between half-open and half close position

Lips loosely spread loosely spread, slightly more widely than for //

Tongue position muscular tension of the tongue; side rims making firm contact with upper molars

side rims making light contact with upper molars and tip touching lower teeth

2) pin pen bin Ben tin ten pig peg Bill bell chicks cheques

pin pen bn ben tn ten pg peg bl bel tks teks

/e / //

Tongue raising front of tongue raised between half-open and half close position

front of tongue raised between open and mid-open

Lips loosely spread, slightly more widely than for //

neutrally open

Tongue position more tension than for //; side rims making light contact with upper molars and tip touching lower teeth

side rims making very slight contact with back upper molars and tip touching lower teeth


3

3) x - axe pen - pan men - man said - sad beg - bag bread - Brad

eks ks pen pn men mn sed sd beg bg bred brd

//

//

Tongue raising front of tongue raised between open and mid-open

centre of tongue raised just above fully open position

Lips neutrally open neutrally open; considerable separation of jaws

Tongue position side rims making very slight contact with back upper molars and tip touching lower teeth

no contact between tongue and upper molars; tip touching base of lower teeth

4) cap cup hat hut sack suck ban bun bag bug hag hug

kp kp ht ht sk sk bn bn bg bg hg hg

//

//

Tongue raising front of tongue raised between open and mid-open

centre-back of tongue fully open

Lips neutrally open neutrally open; considerable separation of jaws

Tongue position side rims making very slight contact with back upper molars and tip touching lower teeth

no contact between tongue and upper molars

5) cap -carp hat - heart cat - cart ban - barn match - march clack - clerk

kp k:p ht h:t kt k:t bn b:n mt m:t klk kl:k


4

//

//

Tongue raising centre of tongue raised just above fully open position

centre-back of tongue fully open position

Lips neutrally open; considerable separation of jaws

neutrally open; considerable separation of jaws

Tongue position no contact between tongue and upper molars; tip touching base of lower teeth

no contact between tongue and upper molars

6) cup - carp hut - heart cut - cart bun - barn much - march cluck - clerk

kp k:p ht h:t kt k:t bn b:n mt m:t klk kl:k

//

//

Tongue raising back of tongue almost fully open position

back of tongue raised between open-mid and close-mid positions.

Lips slight, open lip-rounding and wide open jaws

medium lip-rounding

Tongue position tip of tongue retracted from lower teeth; no contact between tongue and upper molars

tip of tongue retracted from lower teeth; no contact between tongue and upper molars

7) Don - dawn cod - cord shot short pot - port fox - forks spot - sport

dn d:n kd k:d t :t pt p:t fks f:ks spt sp:t

// / u/ Tongue raising centre of tongue raised just

above half-close position tongue relaxed from closest position

Lips closely but loosely rounded closely rounded Tongue position tongue laxly held, tip of tongue

retracted from lower teeth; no firm contact between tongue and upper molars

no firm contact between tongue and upper molars


5

8) look Luke pull pool full fool could cooed would wooed

lk lu:k pl pu:l fl fu:l kd ku: d wd wu: d

// // Tongue raising back of tongue raised between

open-mid and close-mid positions.

centre of tongue raised between close-mid and open mid position

Lips medium lip-rounding lips spread as for /i/, narrow opening of jaws

Tongue position tip of tongue retracted from lower teeth; no contact between tongue and upper molars

no firm contact between tongue and upper molars

9) four - fur torn - turn warm - worm walker - worker

f: f: t:n t:n w:m w:m w:k w:k

CONSONANTS

Stops or plosives A complete closure at some point in the vocal tract, behind which the air pressure builds up and is then released explosively. Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples The two lips (bilabial) see 10 b p bat/ pat Tongue tip and tooth-ridge (alveolar) see 11 d t dug/ tug Back of tongue and soft palate or velum (velar) see 12

g k pig/ pick

Fricatives Two organs approximate to such an extent that the air stream passes through them with friction. Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples Lip and teeth (labio-dental) see 15

v f vat/ fat

Tongue-tip and teeth (dental) that/ think Tongue and tooth-ridge (alveolar) z s peas/ peace


6

Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples see 13 Tongue and hard palate (palatal) measure/ pressure The glottis is partially constricted (glottal) --- h

hat

Affricates A complete closure at some point in the vocal tract, behind which the air pressure builds up; there is a slow separation of the organs so that friction is a characteristic second element of the sound. Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples Palate and tooth-ridge (palato-alveolar) see 14 d t

judge/ church

Nasals A complete closure at some point in the mouth but, the soft palate lowered, the air escapes through the nose.

Point of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples The two lips (bilabial) m - mine Tongue tip and tooth ridge (alveolar)

n - nine

Tongue and soft palate (velar) - sing

Liquids

Manner of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples Lateral: A partial but firm closure between the blade or tip of the tongue against the alveolar ridge, the air stream being allowed to escape on one or both sides of the contact. (Point of articulation: tongue tip and tooth ridge - alveolar)

l - lot

Approximant/ Frictionless continuant: A narrowing is made in the mouth but it is not quite sufficient to cause friction. (Place of articulation: post-alveolar)

r - rot


7

Semivowels: A quick, smooth, non-friction glide towards a following vowel sound. Place of articulation Voiced Voiceless Examples Labiovelar w - win

Palatal j - you

Bilabial plosives 10) pin - bin pen - Ben pear - bear cap - cab pup - pub poppy - Bobby

pn bn pen ben pe be kp kb pp pb ppi bbi

Alveolar plosives 11) tore door tarts darts cart card right ride train drain trunk drunk

t: d: t:ts d:ts k:t k:d rat rad tren dren trk drk

Velar plosives 12) cold - gold coat - goat curl - girl class - glass back - bag clock - clog

kld gld kt gt k:l g:l kl:s gl:s bk bg klk klg

Alveolar fricatives 13) Sue zoo said z sip zip bus buzz peace peas price prize

su: zu: sed zed sp zp bs bz pi:s pi:z pras praz


8

Affricates 14) cheap jeep choke joke chin gin cherry Jerry larch large h age

ti:p di:p tk dk tn dn teri deri l:t l: d et e d

Labiodental fricatives 15) safe save fine - vine fail - veil few - view fast vast leaf - leave ferry - very

sef sevl fan van fel vel fju: vju: f:st v:st li:f li:v fer ver

Bilabial plosive vs labiodental fricative 16) bet - vet best - vest ban - van bolt - volt boat - vote berry very

bet vet best vest bn vn blt vlt bt vt ber ver

Now you are ready to deal with connected speech. Follow the same procedure as for the minimal pairs. Remember to read from the phonemic transcription while recording your version. You can use these dialogues for transcription practice at home. You will find the ordinary spelling versions at the end of the booklet. You will be assessed on these dialogues in the final oral exam, but you will be reading from ordinary spelling.

minimal pairs (notes)

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