PHONOLOGY
What is Phonology?
Phonology is the branch of linguistics that deals with the systematic organization of sounds
in languages. While phonetics focuses on the physical properties of speech sounds (how they
are produced, transmitted, and perceived), phonology looks at how sounds function within a
particular language or languages. It studies the abstract, mental representations of sounds
(phonemes) and the rules that govern how they can combine and interact.
Key Concepts in Phonology
1. Phoneme:
oA phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that can distinguish meaning between
words. For example, the difference between the words “bat” and “pat” lies in
the initial sounds /b/ and /p/, which are phonemes.
2. Allophones:
oAllophones are variations of a phoneme that occur in different contexts but do
not change the meaning of a word. For example, the /p/ in “spat” (pronounced
with some aspiration) and the /p/ in “pat” (less aspirated) are allophones of the
phoneme /p/.
3. Minimal Pairs:
oA minimal pair consists of two words that differ by only one phoneme, which
results in a change of meaning. For example, “ship” and “sheep” are minimal
pairs differing in the vowel sound (/ɪ/ vs. /iː/).
4. Phonological Rules:
oPhonological rules govern how phonemes can be combined and how they may
change in different environments. For instance, in English, a common rule is
that the plural morpheme “-s” can be pronounced as /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/, depending
on the final sound of the word to which it attaches (e.g., “cats” [s], “dogs” [z],
“horses” [ɪz]).
Examples of Phonological Concepts
Let’s illustrate these concepts with examples:
Phonemes:
oIn English, the sounds /t/ and /d/ are phonemes because they can change
meaning. For instance, “bat” vs. “bad” shows the change from /t/ to /d/.
Allophones:
oThe /t/ in “top” is aspirated, while in “stop,” it is unaspirated. Both represent
the same phoneme /t/ but occur in different phonetic contexts.
Minimal Pairs:
