Suprasegmentals

Question 1

Suprasegmentals

Answer 1

• phonetic properties that extend over multiple segments
• across a syllable
• across a word
• across an utterance

Question 2

Syllables and peaks

Answer 2

• A phonetic grouping that consists of a single peak, which may have consonants on one or both sides
• syllable peak or nucleus: the core of the most phonetically prominent part of a syllable
• typically a vowel, because vowels are sonourous
  examples:
  [t hɛ.lə.græf]
  [ɛn.tɹi]

Question 3

syllabic consonants

Answer 3

• in English (and other languages), a consonant can act like a vowel and become the center (peak) of a syllable
  examples:
  rhythm → [ɹɪðm̩]
  bottle → [bɑɾl̩]
  learn → [lɹ̩n]
• The “m”, “l”, or “r” takes the place of a vowel (like ə “uh” sound).
  So instead of saying [ɹɪðəm], we say [ɹɪðm̩] — the m carries the syllable
• some languages go even further and speak with no vowels at all (Salish)

Question 4

what doe the period(.) IPA symbol mean

Answer 4

period is used to divide syllables, it is the syllable boundry

Question 5

Syllable Onset

Answer 5

• consonants that come before the peak
• not all syllables have an onset

Question 6

Syllable coda

Answer 6

• Consonants that follow the peak - n to all syllables have a coda

Question 7

Stress

Answer 7

• in English a syllable stands out because the combination of pitch(higher), loudness (increased), length (longer) of the syllable nucleus
• stressed syllables are phonetically
  more prominent

Question 8

Primary stress

Answer 8

The most prominent syllable in a word
IPA: [ˈ] in front of that syllable

Question 9

Secondary stress

Answer 9

the secondmost prominant syllable in a
word
IPA: [ˌ] in front of that syllable

Question 10

Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables

Answer 10

• stress can move in different forms of a word, which causes vowel reduction in unstressed syllables (they sound weaker)
  telegraph → [ˈtʰɛləˌɡræf]
  telegraphy → [tʰəˈlɛɡɹəˌfi]
  telegraphic → [ˌtʰɛləˈɡɹæfɪk]
  These examples show two things:
  1. The stress moves depending on the form of the word.
  2. Unstressed vowels get reduced — they often turn into the weaker sound [ə] (“uh”).
  e.g., telegraphy → tuh-LEG-ruh-fee, not TEL-eh-graphy.

Question 11

Changing stress can change meaning

Answer 11

subject
[ˈsʌbˌdʒɛkt] → noun (the subject of a sentence)
[ˌsʌbˈdʒɛkt] → verb (to subject someone to something)
pervert
[ˈpʰɚˌvɚt] → noun (a pervert)
[ˌpʰɚˈvɚt] → verb (to pervert the truth)

Question 12

Tone

Answer 12

• when a different pitch causes a word to have different meaning
• may seem axotix to English speaks but the majority of languages have tone
  For example Mandarin:
  [ma] : ‘hemp’ (mid rise tone)
  [ma] ‘scold’ (high tone fall)