Page 138 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Linguistics

Notes (i) /p/ is aspirated (i.e., released with a strong puff of air) when it occurs initially in a stressed
syllable. The aspirated variety can be represented by the symbol [p ].
1
h
pin /’pin/ [‘p in]
appoint / ’p int/ [e’p int] ]
h
e
paper /’peip */ [’p e p *] ]
h
1
e
e
appear / ’pi */ [' p i *] ]
e
h e
e
e
(ii) /p/ is unaspirated when it occurs after /s/ and in unaccented syllables e.g.,
spare /’spei */
e
spirit /’spirit/
supper /’s ^ p */
e
pot’tato /pu’teitou/
(iii) /p/ is nasally released when it is followed by / m /, e.g., topmost toepmoust
(iv) /p/ is not released audibly when it occurs finally or before another plosive or affricate
e.g.,.
gap /’gæp/ (final /p/)
captain /’kæptin/ (/p/ occurring before another plosive)
capture /’kæp ∫ */ (/p/occurring be fore an affricate)
e
2. /b/ is articulated exactly like /p/ described above, except that during the articulation of /b/
the vocal cords vibrate producing voice. /b/ can thus be described as voiced bilabial plosive.
Spellings: /b/ is represented by the letter b and bb in beer, tobacco, rubber, tub. It is to be
remembered, however, that the letter is silent in words like thumb, plumber, etc.
Distribution: /b/ occurs initally, medially and finally in a word as in bin (initial), rubber (medial)
and tub (final).
Allophonic variants:

(i) /b/ is nasally released when it is immediately followed by /m/e.g.,
submit /s b’mit/
e
submarine /’s ^ bm ri:n/
e
(ii) In R.P. /b/ is devoiced when it occurs initially and finally (devoicing is represented by a
diacritic [ o ] placed under the symobl concerned.
(iii) /b/ is not released audibly when it occurs finally and when it is immediately followed by
another plosive or affricate e.g.,
tub /’t ^ b/ (final)
subject /’s ^ bodz ikt/ (noun occurring before an affricate)
obtain /ab ’tein/ (/b/ occurring before another plosive)
o
3. /t/ is articulated by the tip or blade of the tongue making a firm contact against the teeth ridge.
The soft palate is raised thereby blocking the nasal passage of air. When the tip or blade of the
tongue is released from the teeth ridge, the air that is compressed by pressure from the lungs
escapes with an explosive sound. The vocal cords do not vibrate. /t/ can thus be described as a
voiceless alveolar plosive.
Spellings: /t/ is represented by the letters t and it as in tea, at, stain, cut, etc. Also, the past tense
marker ed is pronounced /t/ when the present tense form ends in a voiceless consonants other
than /t/.
Distribution: /t/ can occur initially, medially, and finally in a word as in tell (initial), obtain
(medial) and bat (final).

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