LING 201-Grondona
Phonology
Worksheet 1 - ANSWERS
1. Phonemes that may be difficult for speakers of other languages learning English.
a. /p/ and /b/ are not distinctive (i.e. they are not phonemes) in Arabic. Therefore, they are
difficult for speakers of Arabic learning English. Provide a list of English minimal pairs that
would be difficult for speakers of Arabic learning English.
i. ____
pot, bot
_____([pɑt], [bɑt])
ii. ____
rip, rib
_______([rɪp], [rɪb])
iii. ____
tap, tab
_____ ([tæp], [tæb])
iv. ____
ruby, rupee
__ ([ruwbij], [ruwpij])
v. ____
peek, beak
___ ([pijk], [bijk])
b. /i/ (or [ij]) and /ɪ/ are not distinctive (i.e. they are not phonemes) in Spanish. Therefore,
they are difficult for speakers of Spanish learning English. Provide a list of English minimal
pairs that would be difficult for speakers of Spanish learning English.
i. ___
peek, pick
______ ([pijk], [pɪk])
ii. ___
reach, rich
______ ([rijʧ], [rɪʧ])
iii. ___
meat, mitt
______ ([mijt], [mɪt])
iv. ___
least, list
_______ ([lijst], [lɪst])
v. ___
neat, knit
_______ ([nijt], [nɪt])
2. Borrowings in English that violate the sound structure of English
a. List three English words that are borrowings from other languages and in spelling show
sounds or a structure that is NOT allowed in English. By ‘structure’ we mean a consonant
cluster, or a consonant cluster in a position not allowed in English, or a sound that we do
have in English but that is in a position not allowed in English. (e.g. /h/ at the end of a
word).
b. Explain what English phonotactic constraint it violates.
c. Think of how English speakers pronounce the word and transcribe it using IPA.
d. Explain the strategy English speakers used to avoid the phonotactic constraint.
Example:
i. Borrowed word: __
psychology
___________________________
ii. Phonotactic constraint it violates: _[ps] at the beginning of the word_(in formal
notation: [#ps] __________________________________________________________
iii. Pronunciation in English: [ sajkɑləʤij ]
