LIN101
Rules and Derivations
Homework #5
Please type your answers into a fresh new document, with the problems clearly labelled and separated, so they are easy to grade. Do not try to cram your answers into the original homework PDF. You do not need to copy the original question into your response; just label each problem: Problem 1, Problem 2, etc. Make sure you input any IPA symbols correctly. Check the resources on Quercus for tools that you can use for inputting IPA symbols.
Problem 1. Consider the following data from the hypothetical language Betazoid:
Show phoneme diagrams (including environments) for the phonemic analysis of the phones [ɛ], [ʌ], [a], and [ɔ]. Assume that all other phones in Betazoid are contrastive with each other and are al-lophones of separate phonemes. That is, there are phonemes /i/ = {[i]}, /u/ = {[u]}, /t/ = {[t]}, etc. Further assume there is no neutralization between any phonemes in Betazoid. You do not need to show your work, just the final phoneme diagrams you end up with after Step 6 of the phonemic anal-ysis process described in the Unit 8 lecture notes. For any default allophones, you can use “elsewhere” as the environment. [4 marks]
Problem 2. Consider the following data from the hypothetical language Vidiian:
Assume the following phonemic analysis for the phones and [ɡ]. Note that the default allophones are not identified; it is up to you to figure them out!
Further assume that all other phones in Vidiian are contrastive with each other and are allophones of separate phonemes. That is, there are phonemes /s/ = {[s]}, /x/ = {[x]}, /a/ = {[a]}, etc. Further assume there is no neutralization between any phonemes in Vidiian. Write the necessary rule(s) that can explain the distribution of the allophones of the four phonemes above, for the given phonemic analysis and data. Provide the simplest analysis possible (fewest rules), taking advantage of natural classes. Write your rule(s) both in long form. (with words) and in shorthand notation. For each rule, identify what general kind of rule it is from the kinds discussed in the Unit 10 lecture notes. [4 marks]
Problem 3. Consider the following data from the hypothetical language Medusan:
Assume the following is the only phonological rule in Medusan:
Further assume that this rule is the only way to get back unrounded vowel phones in Medusan, be-cause there are no back unrounded vowel phonemes. Identify six words that would clearly demon-strate how this rule works. Three of those words should show a range of different targets that undergo the rule; two words should show a range of different valid targets that are in the wrong environment so they do not undergo the rules; and one word should contain a phoneme similar to, but not contained in, the targeted natural class, so it doesn’t undergo the rule despite being in the right environment. Then show a complete derivation table for these six words, in that order, showing the correct URs, glosses, rule output, and SRs. [3 marks]
Problem 4. Consider the following data from the hypothetical language Talosian:
Although we have mostly considered languages with only a single phonological rule, it is normal for languages to have many more than one phonological rule. In Talosian, there are three distinct phonological rules. Here are some hints about those rules:
• All vowel phonemes are oral but have a nasal allophone derived by Rule #1.
• There are no affricate phonemes. All affricate phones are derived by Rule #2, which is a kind of palatal mutation of velar plosives. Note that Rule #1 doesn’t interact with this rule.
• Rule #3 neutralizes the contrast in phonation between obstruents between vowels, so that /t/ and /d/ both share an allophone between vowels, as do /s/ and /z/, and all other similar pairs of obstruents. Note that there is an important interaction between this rule and Rule #2.
a. First, analyze the data and determine what these three rules are. Write all three in both long form. (with words) and shorthand notation. [3 marks].
b. Then, list out all the allophones of /k/, and for each allophone, describe the environment it occurs in (in words, not with shorthand notation), making use of natural classes. You can use “elsewhere” for the default allophone. Be careful! Your environments should fully specify exactly where these allophones show up in the SR, taking all relevant rules into account. [4 marks]