CHAPTER 4

The Sound Patterns

of Language
LGT 202 SU2025
CONTENTS

01 02 03 04
Introduction to Coarticulation
Phones and Phonotactics and
Phonology Effects and
Allophones Syllable Structure
Phonological
Processes
01

Introduction to
Phonology
Definition and Scope of Phonology

Phonology vs. Physical Articulation

Phonology studies the abstract patterns of speech sounds in a language, not the actual physical articulation. For
example, different individuals may have physically different vocal tracts, but phonology helps us recognize the
same sound type like [mi] despite these differences.
It focuses on the mental representation of sounds that enables us to interpret meanings based on the sounds we
hear and produce, rather than the specific physical variations in pronunciation.

Importance of Phonology
Phonology is crucial for understanding how we can consistently recognize different pronunciations of
the same word as the same form. For instance, we can still identify the word "me" as [mi] whether it is
shouted, whispered, or pronounced by someone with a cold.
It also helps explain how we can make sense of unusual spellings in written language by using our
phonological knowledge of sounds in words.
 Phonemes and Their Properties

Concept of Phoneme Contrastive Property of Phonemes Natural Classes of Phonemes

A phoneme is a meaning - The contrastive property is the basic Phonemes with certain features in
distinguishing sound in a language. test for determining phonemes. If common form natural classes. For
For example, the sounds /f/ and /v/ are changing one sound in a word example, /p/ and /k/ are both voiceless
phonemes in English because they changes its meaning, those sounds stops and belong to the same natural
contrast in meaning between words are distinct phonemes. For example, class. They share features like [- voice,
like "fat" and "vat". the words "car" and "tar" differ in +stop].
meaning due to the contrast
Phonemes are abstract units This classification helps explain why
between the phonemes /k/ and /t/.
represented by symbols like /t/, and certain sound combinations are
This property helps us understand
different spoken versions of a common in a language. For instance,
how phonemes function to
phoneme are called tokens. words beginning with /pl- / and /kl- /
distinguish meanings in a language.
are common in English, but words
beginning with /vl- / or /nl- / are not.
02

Phones and
Allophones
Definition of Phones and Allophones

Phones as Phonetic Units Allophones of a Phoneme

Phones are the actual physical realizations of sounds Allophones are different versions of the same phoneme. For
in speech, represented in square brackets. For example, the phoneme /t/ has several allophones like [tʰ]
(aspirated), [ɾ] (flap), [ʔ] (glottal stop), and [t] (dental). These
example, the [t] sound in "tar" and the [t] sound in
allophones occur in different contexts but do not change the
"star" are different phones due to the presence or meaning of a word.
absence of aspiration.
Substituting one allophone for another results in a different
These variations in pronunciation are what we hear pronunciation of the same word, not a different word with a
and produce in actual speech. different meaning.

01 02
Complementary Distribution

01 02
Importance in Phonological
Concept and Examples
Analysis
Allophones are said to be in complementary Complementary distribution is important for
distribution when they occur in different contexts identifying allophones and understanding the
and never overlap. For example, the aspirated phonological rules that govern their occurrence. It
[tʰ] occurs word - initially (e.g., "tar"), while the shows that certain sounds are related and belong
unaspirated [t] occurs after another consonant to the same phoneme, despite their different
(e.g., "star"). pronunciations.

This distribution helps us understand how By analyzing the distribution of allophones, we

different allophones are used in specific positions can gain insights into the underlying phonological

in words. structure of a language.

Minimal Pairs and Sets
Definition and Examples
Minimal pairs are words that differ in only one phoneme. For
example, "fan" and "van" are minimal pairs because they contrast
in the phoneme /f/ and /v/. Minimal sets are groups of words that
can be differentiated by changing one phoneme in the same
position. For example, "bit", "bat", "bet", "but", and "bought" form a
minimal set.
These pairs and sets help demonstrate the phonemic distinctions in
a language and show how changing one phoneme can change the
meaning of a word.

Role in Phonemic Analysis

Minimal pairs and sets are essential tools in phonemic
analysis. They provide clear evidence of phonemic contrasts
and help linguists identify the phonemes in a language.
By examining minimal pairs and sets, we can determine the
inventory of phonemes and understand the phonological
system of a language.
03

Phonotactics and
Syllable Structure
Phonotactics

Definition and Constraints

Phonotactics refers to the permissible arrangements of sounds in a language. It
determines which sound combinations are allowed and which are not. For example, in
English, the combination [fsɪɡ] is not allowed because it violates phonotactic
constraints.
These constraints are part of every speaker's phonological knowledge and help shape
the sound patterns of a language.

Role in Language Structure

Phonotactics plays a crucial role in the structure of words and syllables. It ensures
that sound combinations are pronounceable and follow the rules of the language.
For example, it explains why certain consonant clusters are common in English,
while others are rare or non - existent.
Understanding phonotactics helps us predict and analyze the possible sound
sequences in a language.
Syllable Structure

Components of a Syllable Types of Syllables

A syllable consists of an onset (one or Syllables can be classified as open or
more consonants), a nucleus (a vowel or closed. Open syllables have no coda, like
vowel - like sound), and an optional coda "me" or "to", while closed syllables have a
(following consonant(s)). For example, in coda, like "cup" or "hat". The structure of
the word "cat", the onset is /k/, the syllables affects their pronunciation and
nucleus is /æ/, and the coda is /t/. stress patterns.
The structure of syllables varies in Understanding syllable types helps us
different languages, but the basic analyze the phonological structure of
components remain the same. words and predict their pronunciation.
04

Coarticulation Effects
& Phonological
Processes
Coarticulation Effects

Definition and Examples

Coarticulation is the process of producing one sound while anticipating or overlapping with the
next sound. For example, in the word "stop", the /t/ sound may be influenced by the following /p/

01 sound, resulting in a slightly different pronunciation.

This process occurs naturally in speech and affects the way sounds are produced and perceived.

Types of Coarticulation
There are different types of coarticulation, such as anticipatory coarticulation (anticipating the

02 next sound) and perseverative coarticulation (influencing the following sound). These effects can
be seen in various sound combinations and contribute to the fluidity of speech.
Coarticulation helps explain why speech sounds are not always produced in isolation but are
influenced by their surrounding sounds.
 Phonological Processes

Assimilation Nasalization Elision

Assimilation is a phonological process where one Nasalization is the process where a vowel becomes Elision is the omission of a sound segment in speech.
sound takes on the features of a neighboring nasalized due to the influence of a following nasal For example, in the phrase "you and me", the /d/
sound. For example, in the phrase "I have to go", consonant. For example, in the word "pin", the vowel sound in "and" is often omitted, resulting in [ən]. This
the /v/ sound in "have" may become voiceless [f] [ɪ] may become nasalized [ɪ̃] in anticipation of the process occurs in consonant clusters, especially in
due to the influence of the voiceless /t/ sound in final nasal consonant /n/. casual speech, to make pronunciation easier.
"to".
This process is common in English and contributes to Elision helps explain why certain sounds may be
This process occurs to make speech more efficient
the natural pronunciation of words. It helps us missing in normal speech and how speakers simplify
and easier to produce. It is a regular feature of
understand how vowels can be affected by sound sequences to produce more fluent speech.
normal speech and helps us understand the
surrounding consonants.
patterns of sound changes in connected speech.
 Recap of Key Concepts

Phonology and Phonemes Phones, Allophones, and Phonotactics Coarticulation and Phonological Processes

Phonology studies the abstract patterns

Phones are the actual physical Coarticulation effects and
of speech sounds and helps us
realizations of sounds, while allophones phonological processes like
understand how we recognize and
are different versions of the same assimilation, nasalization, and
interpret sounds in language.
phoneme. Phonotactics determines the elision occur in normal speech and
Phonemes are the basic units of sound
permissible arrangements of sounds in a contribute to the natural
that distinguish meaning.
language. pronunciation of words.
By understanding phonemes and their
These concepts help us understand the These processes help us
properties, we can analyze the sound
relationship between sounds and their understand the regularities and
system of a language and explain how
pronunciation, as well as the constraints patterns in speech production and
different sounds function to convey
on sound combinations in a language. how sounds change in different
meaning.
contexts.
THANK YOU!