JusticeValorOstrich7
1. Vowels of the world’s languages We discussed the most common…
1. Vowels of the world’s languages
We discussed the most common “dimensions” languages can use to create contrasts on vowels. Remember a contrast is a
case where one property distinguishes two sounds which otherwise have the same basic linguistic features. So [i] and [?]
contrast for tense/lax because for the other features, they have the same values. Another way to see this is to compare
their definitions; we see they differ in exactly one feature:
[i] tense high front unrounded vowel
[?] lax high front unrounded vowel
Similarly, vowel length or nasalization counts as one “difference” which is notes by addition of the term nasal
(oral is implied for “regular” vowels
[i] tense high front unrounded vowel
[ i~] nasal tense high front unrounded vowel
Consulting your notes (and vowel chart!) from the Tuesday February 21 notes, answer the following questions.
1. What is the symbol for a tense front vowel that is lower in height than [i]? The vowels must agree in all other
vowel features
2. What is the symbol for a nasal tense back vowel that is higher than [?
~]?
3. What is the symbol for a nasalized lax front unrounded vowel that is higher than [?
~]?
4. What is the symbol for a tense high rounded vowel that is backer than [y]?
II. Working with the notion of contrast
Answer the following questions about nonsense words illustrating possible contrasts in a random imaginary
language which we will call Language C.
5. Which of the following word pairs of language C illustrates a contrast in vowel nasality? Circle your choice.
[ga] [gan]
[nakõ] [nãko]
[di] [di~]
6. Which of the following word pairs of language C illustrates a contrast in rounding? Circle your choice.
[tik] [t?k]
[ømed] [emed]
[pelo] [pilu]
7. Which of the following word pairs of language C illustrates a contrast in length? Circle your choice.
[boman] [bo:man] [tesu:] [t?su:]
[miso] [miso?]
III. Distinguishing new vowels
There are 4 files associated with this homework, called HW 4 A-D. Listen to each and review the suggested
transcriptions below. Circle the correct transcription for each item.
A. [‘?l?k]
[‘?luk]
B. [‘syt?]
[‘sit?]
C. ‘gØm?k]
[‘g?m?k]
D. ‘z?so?]
[‘zuso?]
