Phonology: Natural Classes 1.1

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This exercise provides practice at describing natural classes. A natural class is a set of linguistic entities all of whose members share one or more features. Select the best description of each set of sounds below. Note that, in this exercise, only the classes that are applicable to each set are stipulated in order to avoid redundancy. This exercise is based on the parameters of Standard American English.

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Question 1

/b, d, g/

A	[- son], [-cont], [+del rel], [+vce] Hint: Stops are [-del rel], since they undergo a plosive release and not a delayed release.
B	[-son], [-cont], [- del rel], [+ vce]
C	[+son], [-cont], [- del rel], [+vce] Hint: Stops (plosives) are [-son].

Question 2

/tʃ, dʒ/

A	[-cont], [-del rel], [+cor], [+dors] Hint: Affricates are [+del rel] since they articulated with a fricative release.
B	[+cont], [+del rel], [+cor], [+dors] Hint: Affricates are [-cont] since the initial stage of articulation is total obstruction of airflow.
C	[-cont], [+del rel], [+cor], [+dors]

Question 3

/m, w/

A	[-syll], [+son], [+lab]
B	[-syll], [+son], [+cont], [+lab] Hint: Nasals are [-cont], so we cannot mark either [+cont] or [-cont], since we have one of each of those.
C	[-syll], [+son], [+ant] Hint: [+Anterior] gives us the set /m, w, n, l, ɹ/. We must use [+labial] to exclude the extra sounds. It is redundant to say [+ant] and [+labial], since sounds that are [+labial] must also inherently be [+ant].

Question 4

/l, r, w, j/

A	[-cont], [-son] Hint: Liquids and glides are [+cont] and [+son].
B	[-cont], [+son] Hint: Liquids and glides are [+cont].
C	[+ son] [+ cont]

Question 5

/f, θ, s, ʃ, h/

A	[+cont], [+del rel], [-vce]
B	[-cont], [+del rel], [-vce] Hint: Fricatives are [+cont], since there is continual airflow through the oral cavity.
C	[+cont], [-del rel], [-vce] Hint: /f, θ, s, ʃ, h/ are all fricatives, which undergo a delayed release versus a plosive release, thus are all [+del rel].

Question 6

/ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/

A	[-son], [+cor], [+dors], [+del rel]
B	[-son], [+cor], [+dors], [-del rel] Hint: [+del rel] is necessary for this set since all four sounds undergo a delayed release.
C	[-son], [+cor], [+del rel] Hint: [+dors] must be stipulated since post-alveolar sounds are both [+cor] and [+dors].

Question 7

/ʃ , ʒ, h/

A	[+cons], [+cont], [-ant]
B	[-cont], [-ant] Hint: /ʃ , ʒ, h/ are all fricatives which are [+cont]. The class [+cons] must be stipulated otherwise /j/ would be included in the set.
C	[+cons], [+cont], [+cor] Hint: /ʃ , ʒ/ are [+cor], however /h/ is not.

Question 8

/g, ʤ, ŋ/

A	[-cont], [-ant], [+cor], [+voice] Hint: By adding [+cor], we exclude both /g, ŋ/
B	[-cont], [-ant], [+voice]
C	[-cont], [+voice] Hint: Without stipulating any place class, /b, d, m, n/ would be included in the set of sounds.

Question 9

/s, z/

A	[+cont], [+ant], [+cor], [+ sibilant]
B	[+cont], [+ant], [+cor] Hint: If [+sib] is not stated, then /θ, ð, l, ɹ/ must be included in the set of sounds.
C	[-syll], [-son], [+cont], [-dors], [-sib] Hint: These are [+sibilant] sounds. After we have excluded the [+dorsal] sounds, /s/ and /z/ are the only sibilants left. So, we need to use [+sib] to exclude all other fricatives.

Question 10

/m, n/

A	[+son], [+cont], [+ant] Hint: Nasals are [-cont] because continual airflow is mostly cut off from the oral cavity, thus moving through nasal cavity.
B	[+son], [-cont], [+ant]
C	[+son], [-cont], [+ant], [+cor] Hint: /m/ is excluded if both [+ant] and [+cor] are stipulated since it is [-cor].

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Phonology: Natural Classes 1.1

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