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ENGLISH LANGUAGE

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Phonemes

The sounds we described are phonemes Definition:

The smallest significant unit of speech Significance:

The speaker can hear the difference. We can hear the difference between [bın]

and [pın], [dın] and [tın], and [gın] and [kın]

Minimal Pairs

[bın] and [pın]: what’s the difference?

[tın] and [dın]: same question,

[gın] and [kın]: Again, what differs?

Short answers: the speech environment is identical Only the stops differ the [-ın] utterance is identical

Summary of Phonemic Stops in English

Notice that: English doesn’t have all possible stops:

labiodental, interdental, or palatal We do have labio-dental fricatives {f], [v] and

interdental ones [θ] and [ð] There are numerous others in the world’s languages

Example: The Russians have a palatal stop [tj].

Allophones An example:

key and ski What’s the difference?

The differences [k’] in key [k’i] is aspirated [k־] in ski [sk־i] is unaspirated

In English, [k’] and [k־] never form minimal pairs

Therefore, [k’] and [k־] are allophones

Allophones of Phonemes

Definition: Variations of the same phoneme

Our example: [k’] and [k־] are allophones of the phoneme

/k/ Notation:

Slash marks (/ /) indicate phoneme Square brackets ([ ]) indicates phone (and

allophone)

Allophones in One Language: Phonemes in Another

Old Sanskrit (from which Hindi and Urdu are derived): [k’il] and [k־il] form minimal pairs [k’il]: “parched grain” [k־il]: “small nail”

[-il] is identical as for speech environment

Therefore, /k’/ and /k־/ are phonemes in Old Sanskrit

Every language has its own phonemes

Morphemes Once the phonemes are identified:

They must be arranged for meaning

Morphemes and Syntax Morphemes:

The smallest meaningful unit of speech Syntax:

Rules and principles of phrase and sentence construction

Grammar: Entire formal structure of a language’s

morphemes and syntax

Morphemes Morphology:

Study of morphemes and their construction into words

Types of morphemes Free morphemes:

Morphemes that can stand unattached in a language: cat Bound morphemes:

Morphemes that cannot stand unattached in a language: cats

Inflectional bound morphemes: those that change number or tense, but not meaning: e.g.,

cat, cats Derivational bound morphemes:

those that change the meaning: e.g., part, party

Allomorphs

Allomorphs: Variants of a morpheme

Examples: plurals of dogs, cats, horses Others:

tooth/teeth; sheep/sheep Morphophonemics:

Study of allomorphs

THAT’S ALL AND THANK YOU!

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