Intro to LinguisticsAutumn 2010
Phonology homework 1
Due Wednesday, November 17
1.Phonetic features (16 points)
In each of the following sets of words, circle the words which share the given property. (2 points each)
Circle all of the words that……begin with a velar consonant. / knotgotlotcothotpot
…end with a stop. / pilllip litgraphcrab dog hide laugh back
…begin with an approximant. / weyoutwinonelintrun
…end with an affricate. / muchbackedgeoozechurch
…have a voiced consonant in the middle. / tracking mother robber leisuremassive stomachrazor
…contain a high vowel. / satsuitgotmeetmud
…contain a back vowel. / maidweepcoopcopgood
…contain a rounded vowel. / whomeusbuthim
2.IPA transcriptions (20 points)
2.1Give an IPA transcription for each of the following words, as you naturally pronounce it. (10 points; 1 each)
sunmoon
coughshampoo
garagesheep
wrongright
Hughesmoth
2.2Some – but not all – of the following words have been incorrectly transcribed. Either label each word ‘correct’ or provide the correct transcription. (10 points; 1 each)
acknowledges[æcknɔləʤəz]
appearance[əpearəns]
athletics[æðlɛtɪx]
competition[kɔmpətɪtion]
condescending[kɔndɪsɛndɪŋ]
English[ɪnglɪʃ]
lioness[laɪənɛss]
potato[pəteɪtoe]
recruitment[rəkrutmənt]
Roger[raʒər]
3.Minimal pairs (17 points)
3.1Give three words which are minimal pairs with each of the words given. Provide both the spelling and the transcription of each word. Do not use all rhyming words! Be creative! (9 points; 1 each)
Examplepat[pæt]sat [sæt]pit[pɪt]pad [pæd]
head [hɛd]
knee [ni]
ate[et]
3.2For each pair of sounds, give a minimal pair of English words differing only in that one has the first sound where the other has the second. Provide both the spelling and the transcription of each word. (8 points; 1 each)
Example[s] [z]sit[sɪt]zit[zɪt]
[t][k]
[n][l]
[u][o]
[ŋ][g]
4.Misheard song lyrics (47 points)
It’s easy to misunderstand song lyrics; the website has a huge collection of funny (or “funny”) mishearings. One way of measuring similarity between actual and misheard lyrics is to evaluate their phonetic similarity: when you look at IPA transcriptions of the two lyrics, you can generally isolate the mishearing in a few added, deleted, or misunderstood sounds. Further, when one sound is misheard as another, these often to share a number of phonetic features.
4.1This question asks you to collect 4 examples of misheard lyrics (from kissthisguy.com or from your own experience) and analyze their phonetic similarity, as in the following example. Please choose plausible mishearings! The website has some that are funny, but don’t really seem likely as actual mishearings.
example:Actual (A) lyric:I’ll never be your beast of burden.
Misheard (M) lyric:I’ll never be your pizza burger.
Source:Beast of Burden, Rolling Stones (kissthisguy.com)
Which words don’t match?A:beast of burdenM:pizza burger
voicedlabial
stop / -voice
alveolar
fricative / voiced
lab-dent
fricative / voiced
alveolar
stop / voiced
alveolar
nasal
A: / b / i / s / t / ə / (v) / b / ə / r / d / ə / n
M: / p / i / t / z / ə / b / ə / r / g / ə / r
-voice
labial
stop / voiced
alveolar
fricative / voiced
velar
stop / voiced
alveolar
rhotic
a.Lyric 1 (8 points)
i.Basic info (1 points):Actual (A) lyric:
Misheard (M) lyric:
Source:
Which words don’t match?A:M:
ii.In the following grids (7 points):
(1)Transcribe the actual and misheard phrases. Try to line up corresponding sounds.
(2)Connect corresponding sounds with lines. Use a solid line to connect identical sounds, and a dotted line to connect corresponding but non-identical sounds.
(3)For each sound without an identical correspondent, list the sound’s features. (Consonants have place, manner, and voice features; vowels have height, backness, and roundness.)
If your lyrics are longer than 20 sounds, or you need more room to label features, please use a separate page! You are responsible for making sure we can read your transcriptions and feature labels.
A:M:
b.Lyric 2 (8 points)
i.Basic info (1 points):Actual (A) lyric:
Misheard (M) lyric:
Source:
Which words don’t match?A:M:
ii.Fill in the following grids (see (4.1aii) for instructions; 7 points):
A:M:
c.Lyric 3 (8 points)
i.Basic info (1 points):Actual (A) lyric:
Misheard (M) lyric:
Source:
Which words don’t match?A:M:
ii.Fill in the following grids (see (4.1aii) for instructions; 7 points):
A:M:
a.Lyric 4 (8 points)
i.Basic info (1 points):Actual (A) lyric:
Misheard (M) lyric:
Source:
Which words don’t match?A:M:
ii.Fill in the following grids (see (4.1aii) for instructions; 7 points):
A:M:
d.How important is phonetic similarity in your four mishearings? Consider all of the data you collected above, and explain your answer in detail. Refer to specific pairs of non-identical corresponding sounds, and to specific features. (15 points)
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