3.3 Affricates
(1) Although affricates /ʧ, ʤ/ are phonetically made up of two sounds /t+ʃ/
and /d+ʒ/, phonologically they behave like one segment and not like
consonant clusters.
e.g.) speech error(spoonerisms)
key chain [ki ʧen] → [ʧi ken]
Ray Jackendoff [re
ʤækəndɔf] → [ʤe rækəndɔf]
(2) Two generalizations for all obstruents such as stops, fricatives, af -
fricates:
(a) Lenis(voiced) obstruents are voiced only when they occur intervocalically;
they are partially voiced in initial and final position, unless immediately
followed by a voiced sound.
agent [e
ʤənt] : fully voiced
Jane [
ʤen], fudge [fʌʤ] : partially voiced
(b) Sonorants are longer preceding a voiced(lenis) obstruent than when preceding
a voiceless(fortis) one.
longer : ridge [rɪʤ ] binge [bɪnʤ]
shorter : rich [rɪʧ] pinch [pɪnʧ]
(1) Although affricates /ʧ, ʤ/ are phonetically made up of two sounds /t+ʃ/
and /d+ʒ/, phonologically they behave like one segment and not like
consonant clusters.
e.g.) speech error(spoonerisms)
key chain [ki ʧen] → [ʧi ken]
Ray Jackendoff [re
ʤækəndɔf] → [ʤe rækəndɔf]
(2) Two generalizations for all obstruents such as stops, fricatives, af -
fricates:
(a) Lenis(voiced) obstruents are voiced only when they occur intervocalically;
they are partially voiced in initial and final position, unless immediately
followed by a voiced sound.
agent [e
ʤənt] : fully voiced
Jane [
ʤen], fudge [fʌʤ] : partially voiced
(b) Sonorants are longer preceding a voiced(lenis) obstruent than when preceding
a voiceless(fortis) one.
longer : ridge [rɪʤ ] binge [bɪnʤ]
shorter : rich [rɪʧ] pinch [pɪnʧ]
3.4 Nasals
(1) Bilabial /m/ and alveolar /n/ occur in all word and syllable position,
but velar /ŋ/ can only occur in syllable-final position.
(2) A nasal has one prolonged closure in cases where it is followed by an
identical nasal: ten names [tɛn:emz], some more [sʌm:ɔr]
(3) Dental assimilation: The alveolar nasal /n/ is articulated as a dentalized
nasal when it is followed by an interdental(/ɵ, ð/).
e.g.) tenth [tɛ ɵ] ban the film [bæ ðəfɪlm]
when they [wɛ ðe]
(4) Labio-dental assimilation: Bilabial and alveolar nasals become labio-dentals
when they are followed by a labio-dental sound.
e.g.) emphasis [ɛɱfəsɪs] comfort [kʌɱfɚt] invite [ɪɱvaɪt]
come first [kʌɱ fɚst] on fire [ɔɱ faɪr]
(5) Nasal assimilation to the place of the following articulation:
e.g.) ten pairs [tɛmpɛrz] ten girls [tɛŋgɚlz] one piece, you can go
(1) Bilabial /m/ and alveolar /n/ occur in all word and syllable position,
but velar /ŋ/ can only occur in syllable-final position.
(2) A nasal has one prolonged closure in cases where it is followed by an
identical nasal: ten names [tɛn:emz], some more [sʌm:ɔr]
(3) Dental assimilation: The alveolar nasal /n/ is articulated as a dentalized
nasal when it is followed by an interdental(/ɵ, ð/).
e.g.) tenth [tɛ ɵ] ban the film [bæ ðəfɪlm]
when they [wɛ ðe]
(4) Labio-dental assimilation: Bilabial and alveolar nasals become labio-dental
when they are followed by a labio-dental sound.
e.g.) emphasis [ɛɱfəsɪs] comfort [kʌɱfɚt] invite [ɪɱvaɪt]
come first [kʌɱ fɚst] on fire [ɔɱ faɪr]
(5) Nasal assimilation to the place of the following articulation:
e.g.) ten pairs [tɛmpɛrz] ten girls [tɛŋgɚlz] one piece, you can go
# The assimilations in (3)-(5) are regressive, while those in (6)-(8) progressive.
(6) The alveolar nasal /n/ is retroflexed when it occurs after /r/(progressive
assimilation): burn, barn
(7) /m/ and /n/ are also subject to progressive assimilation in cases of partial
devoicing after the voiceless obstruent /s/: snail small
(8) Syllabic nasals: The nasals after homorganic stop consonants can be syl-
labic.
sudden, button, open, taken, chasm
(9) Non-syllabic nasals:
a) with an [ə] in the second syllable: felon [fɛlən], carom [kærəm]
b) when the segments preceding the nasals are sonorants: film, charm
c) when the consonant preceding the nasal is preceded by another conso-
nant:
piston not , Lincoln
# The assimilations in (3)-(5) are regressive, while those in (6)-(8) progressive.
(6) The alveolar nasal /n/ is retroflexed when it occurs after /r/(progressive
assimilation): burn, barn
(7) /m/ and /n/ are also subject to progressive assimilation in cases of partial
devoicing after the voiceless obstruent /s/: snail small
(8) Syllabic nasals: The nasals after homorganic stop consonants can be syl-
labic.
sudden, button, open, taken, chasm
(9) Non-syllabic nasals:
a) with an [ə] in the second syllable: felon [fɛlən], carom [kærəm]
b) when the segments preceding the nasals are sonorants: film, charm
c) when the consonant preceding the nasal is preceded by another conso-
nant:
piston not , Lincoln
(10) The majority of examples of syllabic nasals come from homorganic
sequences.
bidden
(11) The syllabic nasal assimilates to the place of articulation of the preceding
obstruent in colloquial speech:
(12) It is possible that syllabic nasals are not homorganic with the preceding
obstruent:
(13) /ŋ/ can occur only in coda position in English; it can only be preceded by
/ɪ, ɛ, æ, ʌ, ʊ, ɔ/ (lax vowel).
- The phonetic form /ŋ/ or /ŋg/ for the orthographic ‘ng’:
finger[ŋg], singer[ŋ], longer[ŋg]
(10) The majority of examples of syllabic nasals come from homorganic
sequences.
bidden
(11) The syllabic nasal assimilates to the place of articulation of the preceding
obstruent in colloquial speech:
(12) It is possible that syllabic nasals are not homorganic with the preceding
obstruent:
(13) /ŋ/ can occur only in coda position in English; it can only be preceded by
/ɪ, ɛ, æ, ʌ, ʊ, ɔ/ (lax vowel).
- The phonetic form /ŋ/ or /ŋg/ for the orthographic ‘ng’:
finger[ŋg], singer[ŋ], longer[ŋg]
