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6. The Phonological Status of Junctures

The American linguists use the term juncture phoneme to indicate the distinctions in the syllabic boundary at the junction of words and morphemes. We do not use the term ―juncture phoneme‖ but suggest the term ―juncture‖ which is sufficient to analyse open and closed transitions between vowels and consonants in the syllabic boundary of words and morphemes. Phonemes are segmental units of language, particularly, units of the phonological level of a language. As to syllables, stress and intonation they are suprasegmental or prosodic features of language and as phonological units they exist only in the phonological level of a language. Thus, phonemes, which exist in the form of speech sounds and suprasegmental units or prosodemes, are not equal as to their function in a language. Therefore, we do not shade the terms suprasegmental phonemes, juncture phonemes, the accentual phonemes etc. which are used by some linguists.

The syllable division is phonologically distinctive in English. The position of the syllable boundary at the junction of words or morphemes, which are often accompanied by differences in length, pitch and rhythm can distinguish the meaning of words and word combinations. Such distinctive units are termed ―junctures‖ which may be of two types: open juncture (+) and close juncture (-). Thus, in a tall /_ə`t<sub>ɔ</sub>:l/ there is an open juncture between /<sub>ə</sub>/ and /t/ which may be contrasted to the closed juncture in at all /<sub>ə</sub>t`_ɔ:l/ in which /t/ and /_ɔ:/ are linked more loosely than in the previous case. There are other examples illustrating the difference in junctures; they’d rest – they dressed, not the terrain – not that a rain, in to play – into play, some ice – some mice, its tips – it stips, that stop – that’s top etc. The distinctive function of the open juncture is rather limited in English.

The following examples may illustrate the phonological function of junctures in Uzbek and Russian: yettita kampir ―seven old women‖ – yettita kam bir ―seven minutes to one‖ when (п) becomes voiced by the influence of (m) in ―kampir‖ (―old woman‖), yotoq oldi ―got the place in hostel‖ – yota qoldi ―went to bed‖, к Ире ―to Ira‖ – Кире ―to Kira‖, Виталию ―to Vitaly‖ - в Италию ―to Italy‖.

In pea stalks, open (i.e. as before a pause) juncture relates to /s/ and close, (i.e. as within a word) juncture relates /s/ to /t/, with relevant phonetic cues. If the two utterances were not distinguished in such terms, it would be necessary to postulate, for instance, a phonetic opposition between the full and reduced forms of /i:/ and between the aspired and uninspired types of /t/, the latter is not a distinctive feature in English.

A.C. Gimson and D. Jones have given the following in which phonetic cues may mark word boundaries: /_ə`ne_Im/ a name (relatively long /n/, associated with stress onset and possible pitch change); an aim (relatively short /n/, stress and pitch change beginning in /e_I/).

/_ðætstʌf/ - that stuff (uninspired /t/, strong /s/)

/_ðæts`tʌf/ - that’s tough (aspired /t/, weaker /s/)

/_{ðə weItəkʌtIt}/ - the waiter cut it (reduced /eI/, rhythmic group /_ðə `weItə`kʌt

It);