Practice question · Match the pairs
Match each notation or term to what it does.
- Slant brackets
- Square brackets
- Minimal pair
- Complementary distribution
- Shows two sounds are variants of one phoneme
- Enclose a broad, phonemic transcription
- Enclose a narrow, phonetic transcription
- Establishes that two sounds contrast
Hints
- The brackets encode which question is being answered.
- One tool establishes contrast and one establishes its absence.
Show the answer
- Slant brackets → Enclose a broad, phonemic transcription
- Square brackets → Enclose a narrow, phonetic transcription
- Minimal pair → Establishes that two sounds contrast
- Complementary distribution → Shows two sounds are variants of one phoneme
Why
The two tools in the second half are the working method of phonemic analysis: look for a minimal pair, and if none exists, check whether the environments of the two sounds ever overlap. If they never do, you have one phoneme rather than two.
Practise Phonetics and Phonology
The app has 4 more questions on this lesson, and keeps your place in the course. Languages I is free to start.
More questions on Phonetics and Phonology
- Aspiration is predictable in English and distinguishes words in Thai. What does this show about the phoneme?
- A minimal pair proves that two sounds belong to different phonemes in that language.
- Phonetics examines physical sound, whilst phonology examines linguistic systems. What follows from this…
- How many consonant phonemes are conventionally recognised in Received Pronunciation?
- Sort each statement by whether it belongs to PHONETICS or PHONOLOGY.
- Complete the vocabulary of the two disciplines.
- Which are true of a narrow phonetic transcription?
- General American is usually analysed with the same number of vowel phonemes as Received Pronunciation.