Phonology : the function and pattering of sound (Part 1)

1. SEGMENTS IN CONTRAST

Segments are said to contrast (or to be distinctive or be in opposition) when their presence alone may distinguish forms with different meanings from each other. The segments [s] and [z]  contrast in the word sip and zip, as do the vowels of hit, hate, and ho.

1. Minimal pairs

A minimal pairs consist of two forms with distinct meanings that differ by only one segment found in the same position in each form. It is in may (but not all) cases possible to characterise the place of articulation of a consonant in terms of the passive articulator involved recall the names of the passive articulators , manner of articulation and voicing also influence in this cases. Now, starting from the front, we may distinguish the following places of articulation for English.

·         Places of Articulation

Bilabial

Bilabial sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the lips against each other. Examples of such sounds in English are the following: [b], [p], [m].

Labiodental

Labiodental sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the upper teeth towards the lower lip. Examples of such sounds in English are the following: [f], [v].

Interdental

Interdental sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the tongue between the teeth. Examples of such sounds in English are the following: [θ] dan [ð]

Dental

Dental sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the tip of the tongue towards the back of the teeth. Such sounds are not present in Standard American English, but in some Chicano English dialects and certain Brooklyn dialects, the sounds [t] and [d] are pronounced with a dental articulation.

Alveolar

Alveolar sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the tip of the tongue towards the alveolar ridge, the ridge of cartilage behind the teeth. Examples of such sounds in English are the following: [t], [d], [s], [z], [n], [l], [r]

Alveopalatal (or postalveolar)

Alveopalatal sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the front of the tongue towards the area between the alveolar ridge and the hard palate. Examples of such sounds in English are the following: [lambang integral], [З], [z--], [dj, ex: judge]

Palatal

Palatal sounds are those sounds made by the articulation of the body of the tongue towards the hard palate. An example of such a sound in English is [j].

Velar