English phonology III

The main difference between /p/ and /b/ is:

• Tongue placement.

• Voicing.

• Length.

• Lip rounding

Answer explanation

/p/ is a voiceless bilabial plosive, while /b/ is a voiced bilabial plosive. Both sounds involve closure at the lips, but /p/ lacks vibration of the vocal cords.

Which of the following is a voiceless fricative interdental consonant?

• /t/

• /f/

• /s/

• /θ/

In the word "ship," the underlined vowel sound /ɪ/ is classified as:

• High, front, rounded

• High, central, rounded

• High, front, unrounded

• Mid, central, unrounded

Answer explanation

Vowel classification considers tongue height, backness, and rounding. /ɪ/ is a high vowel produced with the tongue near the front of the mouth and lips spread apart (unrounded).

Which of the following describes a labiodental approximant sound?

• The tongue touches the alveolar ridge, with some air escaping.

• The lips are rounded, and the tongue is near the back of the mouth.

• The lips come together briefly, completely stopping airflow.

• The upper teeth approach the lower lip, creating a slight friction.

Answer explanation

A labiodental approximant, like /ʋ/ in "wave," involves the upper teeth approaching the lower lip, allowing some air to escape with friction.

What is the term for the linking sound inserted between words to improve pronunciation flow?

• Allophone

• Linking

• Intonation

• Liaison

The phonemic inventory of a language refers to:

• The complete set of sounds used in all dialects.

• The set of minimal sound units that distinguish meaning.

• The way sounds are physically produced in the vocal tract.

• The rhythm and stress patterns of speech.

Answer explanation

The phonemic inventory refers to the set of phonemes, the smallest units of sound that can change meaning in a language.

It refers to the syllable in a word which receives the most stress in an intonation unit.

• Intonation

• Tonicity

• Meter

• Tonality

Which of the following is an example of a palatal consonant?

• /p/

• /k/

• /ʃ/

• /m/

Answer explanation

Palatal consonants involve the tongue approaching the hard palate (roof of the mouth) near the front. /ʃ/ in "ship" is a palatal fricative.

What is the term for the process where a sound becomes weaker or disappears over time in certain contexts?

• Assimilation

• Fortition

• Deletion

• Elision

Answer explanation

Elision refers to the weakening or disappearance of a sound, often in unstressed syllables, like the "t" sound in "can't."

4. What is the term for the rhythm and stress patterns of a language?

• Prosody

• Phonemics

• Phonetics

• Articulation