phonetics k phonology - uni-tuebingen.decebert/teaching/10phonphon/...1 christian ebert...

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Christian Ebert

[email protected]

Phonetics k Phonology

(Hall, Kapitel 4; Ladefoged, Chapter 11; Clark & Yallop, Appendix 2)

Phonology- Distinctive Features -

Universität Tübingen

Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft

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Distinctive Features

the rules so far allow for correct derivations, but they do not adquately describe the involved process

example: rule for voice assimilation of plosives in Plains Cree

/p t k/ > [b d g] / V __ V

„voiceless plosives become voiced between vowels“

but we cannot read off the rule that...

● the involved sounds form a natural class (like „the plosives of the language“)

● it is an assimilation

basics

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a natural class is a collection of sounds in a language that can be described by a set of shared phonetic features

/p t k/ are consonantal, voiceless, obstruent (i.e. non-sonorant), etc. and form a natural class in Plains Cree

the assimilation above is about such features: it changes the 'voiceless' into 'voiced' but leaves all other features intact

in generative grammar phonological rules are stated w.r.t. to feature bundles and not to single segments

Distinctive Featuresbasics

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features are noted between brackets

example: to indicate that a sound is voiced, one attribute the feature [+voice] to it

to indicate that a sound is voiceless one would note [-voice]there are many suggestions for feature systems

we will stick to the features of Chomsky & Halle (1968) „The Sound Pattern of English“ as in their version of Hall, Chapter 4.

in Clark & Yallop, Appendix 2 there are overviews of other feature systems


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[ ]

another important feature next to [±voice] concerns the indication of sonorance by [±sonorant] (or [±son] for short)

a sonorant sound will be marked for [+son], an obstruent for [−son]hence the natural class of voiceless obstruents can be described by an

appropriate combination of features into a feature bundle or feature matrix:

[-son, -voice] or -son-voice

the features are written either next to or on top of each other


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another important feature is [±continuant] ([±cont]), which indicates whether the airflow through the oral cavity is continuous

if the air flows continuously over tongues and lips, the sound carries the [+cont] feature, otherwise it is marked as [−cont]

with these features the following classes can be described

[-son] Non-Sonorants = obstruents = plosives & fricativese.g. in German [b p d t g k v f S s z C x h ?]

[-son, -cont] non-continuant obstruents = plosivese.g. in German [b p d t g k ?]

[-son, -cont, voiceless non-continuant obstruents = voiceless plosives -voice] e.g. in German [p t k ?]


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illustrated with a diagram (w.r.t. German sounds):

b vg

I

p

f

k

t

d

?

mn

l NE

O y

s

za:

u:

@

j

w

S C

x

+son -son

+voice

-voice -cont

+cont


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the features themselves are universal means to describe sounds across languages

which class of sound is actually described by a feature bundle depends on the particular language under consideration

for instance, the class [-son,-cont,-voice] (voiceless plosives) in Plains Cree comprises only [p t k] (German, in comparison: [p t k ?] since there is no glottal plosive [?] in Plains Cree)

therefore we can change the rule for voice assimilation in Plains Cree from above as follows:

-son-cont > [+voice] / V __ V-voice [ ]


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rules with feature matrices are to be read as follows:

on all sounds that carry the specified input features, the output features are transformed as specified, if they occur in the given environment

all features that are not mentioned in the rule are left unchanged

the rule hence describes the desired change: voiceless plosives in Plains Cree are changed into voiced ones between vowels

furthermore it is now clear that the input to the rule is a natural class and not an arbitrary collection of sounds


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a feature, that makes the crucial difference between two phonemes of a language is called distinctive (for this language)

stated differently: a feature is distinctive if there are two phonemes that differ only in this feature

for instance, [±voice] is distinctive for German since the two phonemes /p/ and /b/ differ only in voicing

a feature for aspiration [±aspirated] is not distinctive for German: although aspirated plosives as [p] occur they are allophonic (and not distinctive/contrastive) to [p]

but [±aspirated] is distinctive in Hindi, which has the two phonemes /p/ and /p/.


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a system of features must provide all distinctive features that are necessary to describe the distinctive sounds of the worlds languages

in the following we will focus on the system of Chomsky & Halle (1968) in its variant given by Hall (2000)

as above, most features are binary, i.e. they have either the value + or -

furthermore there are privative features, which are either present or absent; the presence of other features may in turn depend on the the presence of these privative features

Distinctive Featuresfeature systems

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features can be classified according to four categories:

major class featurescapture large classes of segments, such as sonorants, etc.

laryngeal featurescapture aspects pertaining to the glottis/vocal folds

manner of articulation featuresdescribe different types of constrictions

place of articulation featuresdescribe articulator & tongue position

Distinctive Featuresfeature systems

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[±consonantal] ([±cons])[+cons] are sounds that are produced with a major constriction

in the oral cavity

[+cons]: plosives such as /p b/, fricatives such as /f v/, affricates such as /tþs/, nasals such as /m n/, laterals such as /l/, trills such as /r/, flaps & taps such as /4/, approximants such as /£ ²/

[-cons]: vowels and glides such as /j w/, laryngeal sounds such as /h ?/ (here the constriction is located in the larynx and not the oral cavity)

Distinctive Featuresmajor class features

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[±sonorant] ([±son])the articulatory difference is that the air pressure before and behind

the constriction of [+son] segments is roughly the same, while it is different in the case of[-son] segments, since here an increase in air pressure is caused by the constriction

this feature distinguishes sonorants ([+son]) from obstruents ([-son])

[-son]: plosives, affricates, fricatives, laryngeal sounds

[+son]: nasals, laterals, glides, vowels

[+son] sounds are produced with a vocal tract configuration in which spontaneous voicing is possible


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[±syllabic] ([±syl])the feature [±syllabic] indicates whether the segment can

function as a syllable peak

[+syllabic]: vowels

[-syllabic]: consonants and semi-vowels/glides


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the major class features can already distinguish important classes of segments

obstruents nasals liquids laryngeals vowels glides[±cons] + + + - - -[±son] - + + - + +

[±syllabic] - - - - + -(according to this definition, lateral and central approximants /l/ and /£ ²/ are liquids,

but not rhotic trills as /r ³/)


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[±voice]this feature indicates whether the sound is articulated with

vibrating vocal folds ([+voice]) or not ([-voice])

[+voice]: vowels, glides, sonorant consonats such as /m n l r/ and voiced obstruents such as /b d g v z/

[-voice] are voiceless obstruents such as /p t k f s/

in German [±voice] is distinctive only for obstruents; sonorants are always [+voice]

in other languages there are also [-voice] sonorants such as /l ß/ in Toda: [kal ß] ('pearl') vs. [kal] ('to study')

Distinctive Featureslaryngeal features

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[±spread] alternatively: [±aspirated] ([±asp])

indicates whether the glottis, i.e. the vocal folds are spread

[+spread]: aspirated sounds such as /p t/, the fricative /h/

[±constricted] ([±constr])

indicates whether the vocal folds are constricted, such that the glottis is (nearly) closed

[+constriced]: ejectives, implosives, the glottal stop /?/ laryngealised sounds

Distinctive Featureslaryngeal features

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[±continuant] ([±cont])

[+cont] sounds allow for a continuous airflow through the oral cavity

[+cont]: fricatives, glides, vowels

[-cont]: plosives, affricates, nasals (airflow is through the nose!)

this feature distinguishes plosives ([-son,-cont]) from fricatives ([-son,+cont])

Distinctive Featuresmanner of articulation features

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[±nasal] ([±nas])[+nasal] sounds are articulated with a lowered velum

[+nasal]: nasal consonants and nasal vowels,all other sounds are [-nasal]

[±lateral] ([±lat])[+lateral] sounds are articulated with a central constriction of

the oral cavity by the tongue, which is lowered at the sides

[+lateral]: /l ¢ K ¡/


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[±strident]

sibilant sounds with a high degree of 'noisiness' (in particular at high frequencies)

note that this is rather an auditive than articulatory motivated feature

[+strident]: /s z S Z tþs tþS dþZ/

[-strident]: /T D C x/


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with these additional features one arrives at a more fine-grained classification of segments

consonants[+cons]

obstruents[-son]

sonorants[+son]

liquides[-nas]

nasals[+nas]

laterale[+lat]

trills[-lat]

plosive[-cont]

fricative[+cont]


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place of articulation aspects of articulation cannot be adequately described by binary features

for instance, one may use a binary feature [±labial] to distinguish labial from non-labial sounds

so this would define two natural classes: the [+labial] sounds („the labials“) and the [-labial] sounds („the non-labials“)

the problem is, that in no known language „the non-labials“ play any distinguished role, for instance as input to any process

hence there is no phonological evidence for such a class

Distinctive Featuresplace of articulation features

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for this reason one better uses privative features

privative features are present or absent, but they do not have the values + or - and hence they do not define two classes but only one

privative features are noted with small caps e.g. [LABIAL]. The following are used:

[LABIAL] one or both lips used for articulation[CORONAL] tongue tip or blade used for articulation[DORSAL] tongue back (dorsum) used for articulation[RADICAL] tongue root (radix) used for articulation

each of these privative features introduces additional binary features to specify the place of articulation in greater detail


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[LABIAL] ([LAB]) [±round]sounds with the [LAB] feature are articulated with involvement of

the lips

labial consonants are e.g. /p b f v m/, glides such as /w/ and rounded vowels such as /y 2 o u/

depending on how the lips are involved, [LAB] sounds are

[+round] if the lips a rounded, e.g. /y 2 o u/ or

[-round] if the lips are unrounded, e.g. /p b f v m/


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[CORONAL] ([COR]) [±anterior] ([±ant])[±apical] ([±apic])

sounds with the [KOR] feature are articulated with involvement of the tongue tip (apex) or the tongue blade (lamina)

these comprises dental, alveolar, postalveolar and retroflex sounds, as well as palatal plosives, nasals, laterals and glides, but not palatal fricatives such as /C/

[+ant] sounds are build in front or at the teeth ridge (e.g. /t d s z/)

[-ant] sounds are build behind the teeth ridge (e.g. /S Z/)

the [±ant] feature can hence distinguish dental and alveolar sounds from postalveolar sounds


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[+apic] sounds are articulated by use of the tongue tip (apex), [-apic] are articulated non-apical, i.e. laminal or dental

often one finds the feature [±distributed] (produced with a constriction that extends for a considerable distance along the direction of air flow), where [-distributed] = [+apical]

[+apic]: retroflex sounds such as [µ ´] and alveolar sounds [t]

[-apic]: postalveolar sounds as [S] and dental sounds as [tÏ] [t Ï] [t] [µ] [c]

[COR] ü ü ü ü[±ant] + + - -[±apic] - + + -


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[DORSAL] ([DORS]) [±back][±high][±low][±tense]

sounds with the [DORS] feature are articulated with the tongue back (dorsum)

this involves palatal fricatives, velare and uvular sounds, the glide /w/ as well as all vowels

[+back] segments are articulated with retracted dorsum (e.g. back/central vowels such as /u o a/, velar and uvular consonants as /k g x X ³/) [-back] segments are articulated with the dorsum moved forward (e.g. front vowels as /i y e/ or palatal fricatives /C/)


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[+high] sounds are articulated with raised dorsum

[+high]: high vowels such as /i y u/, palatal sounds such as /C/, velar sounds /k g x N/

[-high]: uvular segments such as /X ³/, mid- and low vowels such as /e o a/

[+low] sounds are articulated with lowered dorsum

[+low]: low vowels /{ a/

[-low]: all other vowels, palatal, velar and uvular consonants


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the following table illustrates the distinction between palatal, velar and uvular fricatives:

/C/ /x/ /X/[DORS] ü ü ü

[±back] - + +[±high] + + -

by combination of the features [±high] and [±low] it is possible to distinguish three vowel heights:

high: [+high, -low]mid: [-high, -low]low: [-high, +low]


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features of some vowels:

/i/ /y/ /u/ /e/ /2/ /o/ /a/ [DORS] ü ü ü ü ü ü ü

[±back] - - + - - + +[±high] + + + - - - -[±low] - - - - - - +[LAB] ü ü ü ü

[±round] + + + +


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[±tense][+tense] sounds are articulated with deliberate, accurate,

maximally distinct tongue gestures that involve considerable muscle effort

[+tense]: vowels such as /i y e o u/

[-tense]: vowels such as /I Y E O U/

[RADICAL] ([RAD])

indicates articulation with involvement of the tongue root, as in case of articulation of pharyngeal segments such as [ ¶]


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using features, we get a different view on segments

a segment can then be identified with a feature bundle

for instance, the following feature bundle characterizes /m/

+cons+son-syl+voice-constr-cont+nas-lat-stridLAB

-round

Distinctive Featuresfeatures & rules

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hence the underlying representation is just a sequence of such feature bundles

in this view, phonological rules transform certain features in these bundles

example: final devoicing in German

/b d g v z Z/ > [p t k f s S] / __ #

„voiced obstruents become voiceless word-finally“

the input to the rule, i.e. the natural class of voiced obstruenst can be specified by the feature bundle [-son, +voice]


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in the new format, the final devoicing rule looks as follows[-son, +voice] > [-voice] / __ #

and this is what happens in case of the devoicing /ta:g/ > [ta:k]

+cons-son-syl

-voice-constr-cont-nas-lat

-stridCOR+ant

-cons+son+syl+voice-constr+cont-nas-lat-stridDORS+back-high+low-tense

+cons-son-syl+voice-constr-cont-nas-lat-stridDORS+back+high-low-tense

# >

+cons-son-syl-voice-constr-cont-nas-lat-stridCOR+ant

-cons+son+syl+voice-constr+cont-nas-lat-stridDORS+back-high+low-tense

+cons-son-syl-voice-constr-cont-nas-lat-stridDORS+back+high-low-tense


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actually the rule can yet be simplified as follows:

[-son] > [-voice] / __ #

„obstruents become voiceless word-finally“

obviously, this rule has the same effect as the one before: [+voice] obstruents will change to [-voice] obstruents, while [-voice] obstruents will remain as they are


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assimilations can be stated much more adequately with features

in the language Arabela (spoken in Peru) one finds a progressive assimilation w.r.t. nasalization

all vowels, glides and laryngeal sounds following a nasalized consonant will also be nasalized

/nuwa/ > [nu~w~a~] („partridge“)

the following segmental rule would describe this assimilation:

/i e o u a j w h/ > [i~ e~ o~ u~ a~ j~ w~ h~] / [m n] __ (iterative)

the qualification (iterative) behind the rule specifies that it must be applied repeatedly


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with features the assimilation can be stated more adequately:

[-cons] > [+nas] /[+cons, +nas] __ (iterative)

„a non-consonant becomes nasalized after a nasal consonant“

One can now immediately read of the four paramters of the assimilation:

1. targets: [-cons] (non-consonants)

2. triggers: [+cons, +nas] (nasal consonants)

3. feature: [+nas] (nasalization)

4. direction: progressive (coming from left environment)


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example: vowel harmony in Hungarian

[te:rke:p+r2:l] „map“ [lA:J+ro:l] „girl“[f2:ld+r2:l] „country“ [u:r+ro:l] „gentleman“[y+r2:l] „business“ [fog+ro:l] „tooth“[si:n+r2:l] „colour“

observation: in the root all vowels are either [-back] or all vowels are [+back]the vowel of suffix have the same [±back] feature as the vowel(s) of the root


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the needed place assimilation must take care that the vowel of the suffix carries the same [±back] value as a root vowel (for instance, the last one)

to indicate, that segments share the value for a feature, a greek letter such as α („alpha“) is used as a variable

the rule for vowel harmony thus looks as follows

[-cons] > [αback] /[-cons, αback] C0 + C0 __ C0 #

„A vowel that occurs in the suffix (possibly between some consonants) has the same value for the [±back] feature

as the last vowel of the root“


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Distinctive FeaturesGerman phonemes

the vowel phonemes of German are characterized by the following distinctive feature (ignoring vowel length):

i: I y: Y e: E/E: 2: 9 u: U o: O a/a: @[±cons] - - - - - - - - - - - - - -[±back] - - - - - - - - + + + + + +[±high] + + + + - - - - + + - - - -[±low] - - - - - - - - - - - - + -[LAB] ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü

[±tense] + - + - + - + - + - + - - -

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the consonant phonemes of German are characterized by the following distinctive features:

[-voice] p t k f s S C h[+voice] b d g v z Z m n N l ³ j[±cons] + + + + + + + + + + + + - -[±son] - - - - - - - + + + + + + +

[±cont] - - - + + + + - - - - + + +[±nas] - - - - - - - + + + - - - -[LAB] ü ü ü

[KOR] ü ü ü ü ü ü

[±ant] + -[DORS] ü ü ü ü

Distinctive FeaturesGerman phonemes

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Exercise

1) Consider the German „ich/ach“ alternation rule and underlying /C/ ignoring diphthongs:

/C/ > [x] / [u: U o: O a:] __

a) State the rule be means of features

b) What phonological process is this rule an instance of?

3) Describe the following natural classes of German using a minimal number of distinctive features:

(a) /p b m/(b) /m n N l/(c) /k g/

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Exercise

(d) /C k g N ³/(e) /a a:/(f) /i: I y: Y/

3) For each of the following segments, change the feature given to the right. State the IPA symbol of the resulting sound.

(a) /u/ [±back](b) /m/ [±nas,±son](c) /d/ [±voice](d) /C/ [±cont](e) /t/ [±spread](f) /2/ [±tense,±back]

phonetics k phonology - uni-tuebingen.decebert/teaching/10phonphon/...1 christian ebert...

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