what is phonology?
NATURAL CLASSES AND PHONOLOGICAL RULES
WHAT IS A NATURAL CLASS?
HOW DO PHONOLOGICAL RULES EXPRESS NATURAL CLASSES?
PHONOLOGICAL RULES
Phonological processes or changes in which the conditions are stated in ordinary language express phonological rules.
These regular expressions of the change can be formalized in various ways. One major aim of a phonological theory is provide a set of notations which can express phonological rules simply, straightforwardly and intuitively.
THE NOTATION MUST CAPTURE THE GENERALIZATION EXPRESSED BY THE PROCESS
Phonological formalism within the classical generative paradigm (Shane pp. 62 – 70)
Phonological process provides at least three types of information
a. the segments or class of segments that undergo change
b. the nature of the change
c. the condition in which the change took place
Both the change and the condition must be expressed in with minimal set of features. These features must uniquely identify the change and condition under which the change took place.
In SPE notation, the following is a rule formalism:
[-sonorant] [-voice] / ____ #
[-sonorant] [+ voice]/ V____ V
The rules above are formal representations which capture phonological generalizations
Elements In formal rule representations
a. segments expressed in distinctive features to the left of the right arrow is the underlying representation
b. the arrow expresses the direction of the change
c. the segments expressed in features to the right of the arrow is the change or the surface realization
d. the diagonal bar/slash separates the environment from the rest of the rule
e. the dash after or before the conditioning factor expresses the point or position in which the change took place
f. the feature specifications before or after the dash line indicates the conditioning environment
Notations:
Subscript- number C0 = means none or more consonants (irrespective of the number
WHAT IS A NATURAL CLASS?
HOW DO PHONOLOGICAL RULES EXPRESS NATURAL CLASSES?
PHONOLOGICAL RULES
Phonological processes or changes in which the conditions are stated in ordinary language express phonological rules.
These regular expressions of the change can be formalized in various ways. One major aim of a phonological theory is provide a set of notations which can express phonological rules simply, straightforwardly and intuitively.
THE NOTATION MUST CAPTURE THE GENERALIZATION EXPRESSED BY THE PROCESS
Phonological formalism within the classical generative paradigm (Shane pp. 62 – 70)
Phonological process provides at least three types of information
a. the segments or class of segments that undergo change
b. the nature of the change
c. the condition in which the change took place
Both the change and the condition must be expressed in with minimal set of features. These features must uniquely identify the change and condition under which the change took place.
In SPE notation, the following is a rule formalism:
[-sonorant] [-voice] / ____ #
[-sonorant] [+ voice]/ V____ V
The rules above are formal representations which capture phonological generalizations
Elements In formal rule representations
a. segments expressed in distinctive features to the left of the right arrow is the underlying representation
b. the arrow expresses the direction of the change
c. the segments expressed in features to the right of the arrow is the change or the surface realization
d. the diagonal bar/slash separates the environment from the rest of the rule
e. the dash after or before the conditioning factor expresses the point or position in which the change took place
f. the feature specifications before or after the dash line indicates the conditioning environment
Notations:
Subscript- number C0 = means none or more consonants (irrespective of the number