Introducing English Linguistics

Self-study activities
1. If instead of using the English alphabet for spelling we used a phonetic
alphabet, would English spelling be easier?
2. Why are the words fast and feast evidence that the sounds /æ/ and /i/
are phonemes in English?
3. Identify the number of different phonemes that each word in the list
below has. Remember that many words have more graphemes than
phonemes. The word though, for instance, has six graphemes but only
two phonemes.
(a) toss
(b) heat

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The sounds of English
217
(c) mystic
(d) fastest
(e) five
(f) heavenly
(g) frosty
(h) convention
(i) plasticity
(j) capstone
4. The pairs of phonemes in the left-hand column below differ by one fea-
ture: voicing, place of articulation, or manner of articulation. For instance,
the consonants /p/ and /b/ have the same place of articulation (bilabial)
and manner of articulation (plosives), but differ in voicing: /p/ is
unvoiced, while /b/ is voiced. Match each pair of phonemes in the left-
hand column with the one feature in the right-hand column that distin-
guishes the pair.
(1) /d/ and /n/
a. voicing
(2) /θ/ and /
ð
/
b. place of articulation
(3) /b/ and /g/
c. manner of articulation
(4) /s/ and /z/
(5) /d/ and /
ɹ
/
(6) /f/ and /ʃ/
5. English has numerous allophones. For instance, the syllable-initial
unvoiced plosives /p/, /t/, and /k/ are aspirated; medially and finally in a
syllable they are not. Vowels are longer before voiced consonants than
unvoiced consonants. In the list of words below, indicate which stops are
aspirated, and which vowels are lengthened. Some words may not illus-
trate either of these processes; other words may illustrate both processes.
(a) pad
(b) tram
(c) grip
(d) sting
(e) stink
(f) play
(g) crab
6. Indicate which syllable in the words below carries the primary stress.
(a) recitation
(b) predominate
(c) cigarette
(d) contest
(e) bureau
(f) contentment
(g) dislike
(h) unconvincing
7. Each of the examples below contains one or more tone units, whose
boundaries are marked with . Show where the tonic syllable would
occur if the tone unit is unmarked. Then, suggest other places in the tone
unit where the tonic syllable could occur if the tone unit were marked.
Briefly explain how the meaning changes in marked tone units.
(a) The turtle walked slowly  into the room 
(b) Our teacher helped us  with our homework 
(c) With little or no resistance  the child put his shirt on 

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