Sound Change: Origins, Regularity, and Assimilation

Unit 4: Sound Change

Sound change is the appearance of a new phenomenon in the phonetic/phonological structure of a language.

Origin and Spread of Sound Changes: Two Views

  • Neogrammarian: Sound change is mechanical and relentless and admits no exceptions.
  • Lexical Diffusion: (a more satisfactory answer) Not all words are affected by a change simultaneously. Changes eventually fizzle out, and some words are left unaffected.

The Nature of Sound Change

  • Regularity: regular vs. sporadic sound changes
  • Context
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English Phonetics: Pronunciation Rules and Intonation

Pronunciation Rules

  • Dentalization: (n, t, d) + ð
  • Glottalization: t + consonant (e.g., fútbol, that chair)
  • Elision: In a cluster of 3 consonants (t, d) in the middle (e.g., I moved to England)
  • Coalescence: t + j = ʧ; d + j = ʤ
  • Word Boundaries: won’t + a
  • Aspiration: (p, t, k) + a vowel in a stressed syllable (e.g., people)
  • Devoicing: (p, t, k) + w, j, l, r approximants in a stressed syllable (e.g., play)
  • Dark L:
    • Final position, after a vowel (e.g., feel, fill)
    • After a vowel, before a consonant (e.g., help,
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English Phonetics: Voicing, Aspiration, and Fluency

Consonant Sounds

  • /ʃ/ Lenis post-alveolar fricative
  • /f/ Fortis labio-dental fricative
  • /v/ Lenis labio-dental fricative
  • /s/ Fortis alveolar fricative
  • /tʃ/ Fortis post-alveolar affricate
  • /m/ Lenis bilabial nasal
  • /n/ Lenis alveolar nasal
  • /ŋ/ Lenis velar nasal
  • /l/ Lenis alveolar lateral approximant
  • /r/ Lenis post-alveolar approximant
  • /w/ Lenis labial-velar approximant
  • /j/ Lenis palatal approximant

Vowels Before Fortis and Lenis Consonants

What is the difference between vowels before fortis and lenis consonants?

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Understanding Phonetics: Clipping, Plosives, and Gradation

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Pre-Fortis Clipping

Pre-fortis clipping: This refers to how vowels are lengthened or shortened based on whether they are followed by voiced or voiceless sounds. It’s known that “short” vowels can be longer than “long” ones when followed by voiceless phonemes /p, t, k, f, θ, s, ʃ, tʃ/, a shortening process called pre-fortis clipping. For example, in “bead” vs. “beat,” the vowel /i:/ is longer in “beat” because /t/ is a voiceless phoneme.

Rhythmic Clipping

Rhythmic Clipping: This is the reduction

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Connected Speech and Intonation in English

Introduction

In connected speech, some phenomena occur at word boundaries, often changing the sounds substantially. For example, sounds may be:

  • Elided (e.g., give [h]im a letter)
  • Assimilated (e.g., give me > ‘gimme’)
  • Linked (e.g., the idea of > the idea[r]of)
  • Geminated (e.g., this summer > this[s:]ummer)

Elision

Elision is the deletion of a sound or group of sounds. It is normally optional, but widespread. It is mostly motivated by articulatory economy. It affects individual consonants (Cs)

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Understanding Syllables: Phonetics, Phonology, and Structure

The Syllable: Phonetics and Phonology

Phonetically: The way we produce syllables and the way they sound. Syllables consist of a centre which sounds comparatively loud. At the beginning and at the end of the centre, there will be greater obstruction to airflow or sound.

Minimum syllable: Single vowels in isolation, such as /ɑː/ or /ɔː/, are syllables. Other isolated sounds such as /ʃ/ or /ɱ/ must also be regarded as syllables.

  • Syllable with an onset: Have more than silence preceding the centre;
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