Handout Phonetics N Phonology
Handout Phonetics N Phonology
Workshop Outline
On the Boundaries of Phonology and Phonetics
Topic: the role of phonetics in phonology
Phonetics vs.
Phonology Phonologists are interested in
the sound system of a language
[ala] They want to know
• the function of sounds in the language
Both the phonetician and the phonologist are (what are the phonemes?)
interested in speech sounds • the way sounds can be combined
• how the sounds are realized in different
contexts
1
1 First Process: Example: Schwa insertion in
Schwa insertion in final final consonant clusters
consonant clusters data: harp, darm, durf, borg, hark
data: harp, darm, durf, borg, hark no insertion if the consonants share their
place of articulation: hars, hart, mars
r m/k
r m/k r t
place α place β
place α place β place α
2
Feature Changes /l/ → [w] Data
/l/ → [w]
+son +son • Smith (1973) label [web]
left [wpt]
+cons -cons
rabbit [wæbt]
+cont +cont
+lat -lat
• Fikkert (1994) klok [kwk]
What’s wrong with the
-lab +lab
trein [tjin]
+ant -ant
phonologically-based account
+cor -cor
• Van der Linde (1998) lief [wif]
of the gliding process?
-high +high
krokodil [kokodw]
-back +back
hallo [hjo]
-round +round
The Naturalness of a
Common Process Liquids and Glides Perceptively
(Ainsworth and Paliwal, 1984)
• McCarthy (1988, p.86): A common process (...) is
accomplished by an elementary operation of the typical set of responses obtained from listening to
theory. [An uncommon process is far more complex to glide/liquid-vowel synthetic stimuli (simplified)
state].
3160 Hz w w w l l l l j j j
• Gliding is a widely attested phonological process, but it ↑ w w w l l l l j j j
has to be accounted for phonologically as a very F3 locus freq. w w w r r r l j j j
marked process, because almost all features change
value. ↓ w w w r r r j j j j
1540 Hz w w r r r r r j j j
760 Hz ← F2 locus freq. → 2380 Hz
• What is the phonetically-based account
of gliding?
Sonorant Consonants
Acoustically Conclusion
Lehiste (1964): F1 and F2 of [l] and [w] From an acoustic point of view, liquid-glide
coincide to a large extent. F2 for [w] is alternations can be described as minimal
somewhat lower than F2 of [l]. F2 of [j] is changes from the target segment
somewhat higher than F2 of [l].
Obviously, phonology needs the phonetic
information to explain this process as an
unmarked (widely attested) one
3
3 Third Process: Language: Re-/misinterpretation of
rhythm in accelerated or sloppy speaking
Rhythmic Variability
• Topic: Rate adjustments: Data
compression or type 1: stú die tòe la ge → stú die toe là ge
restructuring? ‘study grant’
Rightward Stress Shift
Data Data
type 1: stú die tòe la ge → stú die toe là ge type 1: stú die tòe la ge → stú die toe là ge
‘study grant’ ‘study grant’
type 2: per fèc tio níst → pèr fec tio níst type 2: per fèc tio níst → pèr fec tio níst
Observation
Phonetic Evidence?
1. Duration
In fast speech it is more important to avoid 2. Pitch
clashes. 3. Intensity
4. Spectral Balance (Sluijter, 1995)
5. Rhythm Factors (Quené & Port, 2002 a.o.)
4
variable stress patterns Acoustic Analysis
Picture (PRAAT)
1. Duration
stu die toe la ge stu die toe la ge duration rhymes
(1.164 ms) (0.85 ms)
0.16
0.14
multi-plying factor 1.37 0.12 andante c1
seconds
0.1 andante c2
[u] [a] [u] [a] 0.08
0.06 allegro c1
pitch 116.8 Hz 99.5 Hz pitch 117.3 Hz 99.8 Hz 0.04 allegro c2
0.02
duration 0.101 ms 0.169 ms duration 0.056 ms 0.196 ms 0
intensity 85.7 dB 80.7 dB intensity 80.7 dB 78.5 dB
en
it
t
rij
t
s
ei
aa
ite
te
ni
er
lit
tio
ra
l
ik
na
i
is
vir
er
pi
al
c
ba
rfe
am
rb
pe
ve
item
Subject 1 Left Shifts
(from a pre-study by the
authors)
20 20
60
15 15 50
p h on
andante
10 10 40
allegro
5 5
30
0
0
T im e (s)
0.169371
0
0
Time (s)
0.143209 20
13
17
21
25
1
5
9
andante
Phon
40 andante
40 20
Phon
Phon
16
19
22
25
1
4
7
4
7
10
13
16
19
22
25
0 0 Bark Bark
10
13
16
19
22
25
10
13
16
19
22
25
1
4
7
1
4
7
Bark Bark
5
Acoustic Analysis Acoustic Analysis
5. Rhythm Factors 5. Rhythm Factors
Equal Spacing Constraint: Right Shifts beat intervals andante:allegro
quotie nt
0.9
0.8
quotient
(Couper-Kuhlen 1993; Cummins & Port 1998; Quené & 0.7
0.6
Port 2002) 0.5
...
g
r
e
g
te
e
studietoelage (Andante): 0.358 sec
...
lin
ag
f in
ch
im
itt
s
de
el
ef
ns
u
an
or
to
kr
rin
ph
ei
pa
vo
ie
er
nt
te
lo
studietoelage (Allegro): 0.328 sec factor: 1.091
ud
er
er
yw
ke
ee
es
st
m
w
in
m
bb
ka
eg
tr i
ge
w
(from a pre-study by the
ho
w
authors) Subject 1 Right Shifts
0.7
0.6 andante short I
0.5 andante long I
0.4
• A systematic correlate of secondary stress still needs to
allegro long I be found
0.3
0.2 allegro short I
0.1
0 • Apparently, not all phonological processes can
be tested empirically by phonetic analysis
e
ng
te
g
er
Expected combinations
g
itte
lag
fin
in
uim
ek
eli
rijv
rz
oe
ef
ind
st
kr
in words 1, 4 and 7
oo
ph
ch
an
iet
er
er
rv
elo
ud
pa
ins
st
yw
me
st
me
ink
er
te
bb
ka
en
Attested combination
w
tri
w
ho
eg
me
w
ge
in word 2 and 6