Page 146 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Linguistics

Notes Spellings:: /h/ is always represented by the letter h.
Allophonic Variant: Between two vowels /h/ may be voiced as in behind, beehive.
Distribution: /h/ occurs only initially and medially as in hat (initial), behave (medial).
E: Lateral

A lateral consonant is articulated with a complete closure in the centre of the vocal tract the air
escaping along the sides of the tongue.
In English there is one lateral consonant which is /l/.
/l/ is articulated by the tip of the tongue making a firm contact against the teeth ridge. There is thus
a complete closure in the middle of the mouth. The soft palate is raised so as to shut off the nasal
passage of the air completely. The sides of the tongue are lowered so that the lung air is free to escape
along sides of the tongue without any friction. The vocal cords vibrate, producing voice. /I/ is thus
voiced alveolar lateral.
Spellings: /l/ is represented by the letter l as in leave and by letters ll as in villain. It should be
remembered that the letter l is silent in words like calm, palm, alms etc.
Allophonic Variants
(i) A dental [l] is used when [l] followed by / θ /] or / ð /-
/helθ / (/l/ followed by / θ /)
/tel ð em/ (l/followed by / ð /)
(ii) in R.P. there are two varieties of /l/. One in called a ‘clear’ /l/ and the other a ‘dark’ /l/, (the
phonetic symbols are [l] and [ ∅ ] respectively).
‘Clear’ /l/ is articulated by making a closure in the middle as described above and
simultaneously raising the front of the tongue in the direction of the hard palate. In R.P. this
variety of /l/ is used before vowels and /j/, e.g.
live /liv/
lure /lju ’/
e
‘Dark’ /l/ is articulated by making a closure in the middle as described above and simultaneously
raising the back of the tongue in the direction of the soft palate. In R.P. it is used before consonant
other than /j/ and finally e.g.
told /tould/ (before a consonant)
tell /te l/ (finally)
(iii) In R.P. III is syllabic (i.e. it functions as the nucleus of the syllable) in certain words like
little /’litl/
cattle /kaetl/ (The final /l/ is syllabic in these words)
Distribution
/1/ occurs initially, medially and finally as in leave (initial), pulley (medial) and pull (final).

F. Frictionless Continuant
A frictionless continuant is articulated with an open approximation of the articulators, so that the
air passes between the articulators without any friction. Thus the sound is vowel like, but it is
included in the list of consonants because it never functions as the nucleus of a syllable.
In English there is one frictionless continuant which is symbolized by /r/.
/r/

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