Phonology: Feature Driven Rules 1.1

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This exercise provides you with practice in phonological analysis and identifying various types of feature changing rules. Feature changing rules account for phonetic forms that surface due to alternations at the feature level. Features can be added, deleted, or changed (altered). This exercise focuses on 3 of the most common rules: assimilation, dissimilation, and neutralization. Select the process that best describes the phonological alternation.

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Question 1

Diola Fogny, Senegal (Ito 1986)

/ni-gam-gam/ → [ni.gaŋ.gam] ‘I judge’

A	assimilation
B	neutralization Hint: The nasal /m/ assimilates to the place of articulation of the following velar stop /g/ becoming [ŋ].
C	dissimilation Hint: The nasal /m/ assimilates to the place of articulation of the following velar stop /g/ becoming [ŋ].

Question 2

/mɛdəl/→ [mɛɾəl] ‘metal’ /ɹajtəɹ/ → [ɹajɾəɹ] ‘writer’ /modəm/→ [moɾəm] ‘modem’

A	neutralization
B	assimilation Hint: All alveolar stops become a flap [ɾ] when found inter-vocalically.
C	dissimilation Hint: All alveolar stops become a flap [ɾ] when found inter-vocalically.

Question 3

/stɹit/ → [∫tɹit] ‘street’

A	dissimilation Hint: The /s/ assimilates to /∫/ in anticipation of the /ɹ/. This process is referred to as palatalization.
B	assimilation
C	neutralization Hint: The /s/ assimilates to /∫]/ in anticipation of the /ɹ/. This process is referred to as palatalization.

Question 4

/sɪksθ/→ [sɪkst] ‘sixth’

A	dissimilation
B	assimilation Hint: The fricative /θ/ becomes a stop /t/ to ease articulation such that there are not adjacent voiceless fricatives /s, θ/. This is dissimilation. This surface form is dialect-specific.
C	neutralization Hint: The fricative /θ/ becomes a stop /t/ to ease articulation such that there are not adjacent voiceless fricatives /s, θ/. This is dissimilation. This surface form is dialect-specific.

Question 5

Icelandic /hah.tYr/ → [hah.tYr̥] ‘hat’

/hεs.tYr/ → [hεs.tY r̥] ‘horse’

A	neutralization
B	dissimilation Hint: All word final /r/s become [-voice].
C	assimilation Hint: All word final /r/s become [-voice].

Question 6

Latin /okto/ → Italian [otto] ‘eight’

A	assimilation
B	neutralization Hint: The /k/ in the Latin assimilates to the place of articulation of the following stop /t/.
C	dissimilation Hint: The /k/ in the Latin form assimilates to the place of articulation of the following /t/.

Question 7

Polish /klub/ → [klup] ‘club’ /wug/ → [wuk] ‘lye’

/gruz/ → [grus] ‘rubble

A	dissimilation Hint: All word final obstruents /b, g, z/ become [-voice] [p, k, s]. This is neutralization.
B	assimilation Hint: All word final obstruents /b, g, z/ become [-voice] [p, k, s]. This is neutralization.
C	neutralization

Question 8

/tɹejn/→ [t∫ɹejn] ‘train’

A	dissimilation Hint: The /t/ assimilates to the place of articulation of the /ɹ/ moving toward the retroflex position becoming palato-alveolar.
B	neutralization Hint: The /t/ assimilates to the place of articulation of the /ɹ/ moving toward the retroflex position becoming palato-alveolar.
C	assimilation

Question 9

/hi hɪt ju/→ [hi hɪ t∫u] ‘He hit you.’

A	neutralization Hint: The /t/ in ‘hit’ has assimilated in place (palatal) to the /j/ in ‘you’.
B	dissimilation Hint: The /t/ in ‘hit’ has assimilated in place (palatal) to the /j/ in ‘you’.
C	assimilation

Question 10

Tashlhiyt Berber /m-xazar/ → [m-xazar] ‘scowl’ /m-saggal/ → [m-saggal] ‘look for’ BUT /m-fara/ → [n-fara] ‘disentangle’ /m-kaddab/ → [n-kaddab] ‘consider a liar’

A	dissimilation
B	neutralization Hint: The reflexive prefix /m/ becomes [-labial] when attached to a root that contains a [+labial] consonant. /m-fara/ [n-fara] ‘disentangle’ /f/ is labio-dental fricative, thus [+labial] /m-kaddab/ [n-kaddab] ‘consider a liar’ /b/ is a bilabial stop thus [+labial].
C	assimilation Hint: The reflexive prefix /m/ becomes [-labial] when attached to a root that contains a [+labial] consonant. /m-fara/ [n-fara] ‘disentangle’ /f/ is labio-dental fricative, thus [+labial] /m-kaddab/ [n-kaddab] ‘consider a liar’ /b/ is a bilabial stop thus [+labial].

Question 11

French /ʒə.sɥi/ → [∫ɥi] ‘I am’

A	dissimilation Hint: The feature POA palato-alveolar of /ʒ/ spreads to the /s/ which then becomes palato-alveolar [∫]. Note that in the surface form, the initial syllable /ʒə/ is deleted. */ɥ/ is a voiced labial-palatal approximant.
B	assimilation
C	neutralization Hint: The feature POA palato-alveolar of /ʒ/ spreads to the /s/ which then becomes palato-alveolar [∫]. Note that in the surface form, the initial syllable /ʒə/ is deleted. */ɥ/ is a voiced labial-palatal approximant.

Question 12

/ɪn.mɛrələnd/ → [ɪm.mɛrələnd] ‘In Maryland’

A	assimilation
B	dissimilation Hint: The /n/ in 'in’ has assimilated in place (labial) to the /m/ in Maryland.
C	neutralization Hint: The /n/ in ‘in’ has assimilated in place (labial) to the /m/ in Maryland.

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Phonology: Feature Driven Rules 1.1

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