Page 144 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Linguistics

Notes 4. / ð / is articulated exactly like /θ / described above, except that during the articulation of / ð /
the vocal cords vibrate producing voice, / ð / is thus a voiced dental fricative.

Spellings: / ð / is represented by the letters th as in then and that.
Distribution: / ð /occurs initially, medially and finally in a word as in then (initial), leather (medial)
and soothe (final).
(s)
5. /s/ is articulated by placing the tip and blade of the tongue very near the teeth ridge so that the
space between them is very narrow. The soft palate is raised, shutting off the nasal passage of
air. The vocal cords do not vibrate. The air escapes through the narrow gap between the tip and
blade of the tongue and teeth ridge with audible friction. /s/ is thus a voiceless alveolar fricative.
Spellings: /s/ is represented by
(i) the letter s as in sin.
(ii) the letters ss as in message, pass.
(iii) the letter c, (followed by the letter e or i) as in cease, cell.
(iv) Medial and final x is pronounced /ks/ as in ox, box, taxi.
(v) the letters sc as in Scene, Science
Distribution
/s/ can occur initially, medially and finally as in seen (initial), passive (medial) and less (final).
(z)
6. /z/ is articulated exactly like /s/ described above, except that during the articulation of /z/
the vocal cords vibrate producing voice. /z/ can thus be described as a voiced alveolar fricative.
Spellings: /z/ is represented by
(i) the letter z as in zoo, zero, lazy
(ii) the letter (medial and final) s in poison, dogs
(iii) the letters ss as in scissors
(iv) the letters zz as in buzz.
Distribution
/z/ occurs initially, medially and finally as in zoo (initial), puzzle (medial), and lose (final).
A NOTE ABOUT INFLEXIONAL SUFFIXES
Inflexional suffixes (i.e. suffixes used for making plurals and possessives of nouns and third
person simple persent tense singular forms of verbs) are pronounced /s/ /z/or/z/ according
to certain rules.
(i) /s/, if the stem ends in voiceless consonants except /s/, /f/ and /tf/.
cats /kaets /
cups /k Λ ps/
puffs /p Λ fs/
cooks /kuks/
(ii) /z/, if the stem ends with a voiced sound except /z/, /z/ and /dz/ e.g.
boys /b iz/
eggs /egz/
lads /laedz/

comes /k Λ mz/

138 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY