Common Phonological Rules

Common Phonological Rules

1. Assimilation

   • Vowel Nasalization
     • It is when the velum begins to lower so that the air can pass through the nasal cavity for the nasal while it is still saying the preceding vowel.
       • EXAMPLE
         • pan /pæn/
   • Alveolar nasal assimilation
     • It is when some people assimilate the place of articulation of the nasal to the following labial consonant in the word sandwich.
       • EXAMPLE
         • /sænwɪtʃ/ --> /sæmwɪtʃ/
   • Alveolar Stop Assimilation
     • In casual speech the /n/ can assimilate to the place of articulation of the following consonant.
       • EXAMPLE
         • Can be /kæn bi/ --> /kæm bi/ Can go /kæn gəʊ/ --> /kæŋ gəʊ/ Can see /kæn si/ -->/kæn si/
   • Palatization
     • It results from an interaction between either front vowels or a /j/ glide and a neighboring alveolar consonant, resulting in a fricatives or affricates palatal consonant
   • Voicing assimilation
     • " have to" --> /haef to/
       • "has to" --> /haez to/

2. Dissimilation

   • It is the process causing two neighboring sounds to become less alike with respect to some feature.
     • Dissimilation of liquids and nasals
       • ME TO PDA:
         • turtur --> turtle
         • Singulal --> Singular
         • Purpe --> purple

3. Insertion

   • Also known as epenthesis, insertion is a process causing a segment not present at the phonemic level to be added to the phonetic form of a word.
     • Insertion of a voiceless stop
       • It is when insertion takes place between a nasal and a voiceless fricative when a voiceless stop with the same place of articulation as the nasal is inserted.
         • Nasal (voiceless stop) voiceless fricative
     • Insertion of /j/
       • In most british dialect and some south eastern American dialects, /j/ is inserted after initial alveolar consonants and making high vowels.
         • Examples: News, Tuesday, Duke

4. Deletion

   • It is a process causing a segment present at the phonemic level to be deleted at the phonetic level of a word.
     • Deletion of /r/ after a vowel
       • In many English dialects, /r/ is delete when it follows a vowel and is considered standard. However when it happens in American English, it is perceived as nonstandard.
     • Deletion of fricative next to fricative
       • In some words with three fricatives in a row, one or two of them are frequently deleted.
         • /fɪfθs/ --> /fɪfs/, /fɪθs/ or even /fɪs/
     • Deletion of like sounds or syllables
       • Repeated consonants or entire syllables containing similar sounds are often deleted in casual speech.
         • Ex: probably /prɒbəbli/ --> /prɒbli/ mirror /mɪrər/ --> /mɪr/
     • Deletion of consonant clusters
       • When two or three sounds that follow each other, Deletion of syllable - final clusters happen in some dialects and fast speech.
         • Fast pitch /fæst pɪtʃ/  /fæs pɪtʃ/ Friend /frend/  /fren/ Grandma /grændmə/  /grænmə/ or /græmə/

5. Fronting

   • It is a process causing a segment produced in the back of the mouth to change to a segment produced at the front of the mouth.
     • /rʌnɪŋ/ can be pronounced /rʌnɪn/.

6. Exchange

   • Also known as METATHESIS exchange rules reorder sound syllables.
     • Exchange /s/ and a consonant
       • ask /æsk/  /æks/ asterisk /æstərɪsk/  /æstərɪks/
     • Exchange syllable onsets
       • animal /ænɪməl/  /æmɪnəl/ cinnamon /sɪnəmən/  /sɪmənən/
         • Most common with kids

7. Multiple rule process

   • This is when more than one phonological process occurs in one word.
     • Ex: pumpkin /pəmpkɪn/  /pəŋkɪn/