Andrew Radford - Linguistics An Introduction [Second Edition]

sonorant

[±son]

The [+son] sounds are the [+approx] sounds (vowels,

glides and liquids) together with the nasals. The [−son] sounds are

called obstruents (plosives, affricates and fricatives).

continuant

[±cont]

A non-continuant sound or a stop ([−cont]) is one in

which there is a constriction in the oral tract which prevents the

air from passing through. The plosives are [−cont] as are the nasals,

in which the air passes through the nose and not the mouth. All other

sounds (including fricatives) are continuants. (Affricates begin as

[−cont] and then become [+cont].)

strident

[±strid]

Stridency is relevant only for fricatives and affricates. A

strident sound is relatively noisy when compared to a non-strident

one. Labiodentals, sibilants and uvulars (fricatives/affricates) are

[+strid]; all other fricatives/affricates are [–strid].

nasal

[±nas]

Nasal sounds are produced by lowering the velum and

allowing air to pass through the nasal passages. Nasal stops and

nasalised vowels are [+nas]. Sounds made by raising the velum

and thus preventing air from passing through the nasal cavity are

called ‘oral’ sounds and have the feature specification [–nas].

412

Phonological distinctive features

413

lateral

[±lat]

In a [+lat] sound such as [l] the air is made to pass round the

sides of the tongue instead of flowing over the top of the tongue as

with all other sounds.

anterior

[±ant]

This feature is relevant only for coronal sounds. An anterior

([+ant]) sound is made by bringing the tongue towards or onto the

alveolar ridge or the teeth. If a sound is produced with the tongue

placed further back than the alveolar ridge, then it will be a

posterior sound, [−ant]. The anteriors are the dentals and alveo-

lars, the posterior sounds are the retroflex, palato-alveolar and

palatal sounds.

voiced

[±voiced]

In voiced sounds the vocal folds can vibrate during the

articulation of the sound; in voiceless sounds the configuration of

the larynx doesn’t permit this. In English the only sounds which are

phonemically voiceless are the voiceless obstruents (plosives, fri-

catives and affricates) [p t k f s ʃ h tʃ]. Sonorants, including vowels,

in English are all voiced.

aspiration

[±asp]

This feature doesn’t distinguish phonemes in English.

Aspirated consonants are those which are followed by a slight

puff of breath (due to a relatively long VOT). The [−asp] sounds

lack this puff of breath.

Vowel features: some of the following features are also applied to consonants, but for the purposes of this introduction we will regard them as applying just to vowels and glides.

high

[±high]

The [+high] vowels include [i y ɨ u j w]; vowels such as [e, o,

a, ɑ] are [−high]. The body of the tongue (dorsum) is raised close to the

roof of the mouth in high sounds, whereas it occupies a more mid or low

position for [−high] sounds. NB: just because a sound is [−high] doesn’t

mean to say that it’s also [+low] (see below).

back

[±back]

The [+back] vowels and glides include [u o ɔ ɑ ɒ ʌ w], while

the front ([–back]) sounds include [i, y, e, œ, ø, æ, j]. To make a [−back]

sound, the tongue body (dorsum) is brought forward, whereas it is

retracted for the back sounds, such as [u, o, ɔ, ʌ, ɑ, ɒ, w]. The central

vowels such as [ɨ, ə, a] are generally taken to be [+back].

low

[±low]

The low vowels include [æ a a ɒ]. To produce these the tongue

body is brought close to the floor of the mouth. This means that mid

vowels such as [e, o, ɛ, ɔ] are [−low]. (See also [±high] above.)

rounded [±rounded]

Rounded sounds are produced by contracting the lips as

for the sound [u]. Vowels and glides such as [u y œ ɒ ɔ o w] are all

[+rounded].

Appendix 3

Distinctive feature matrix for

English consonant phonemes

p b t d k g f v θ ð s z ʃ ʒ h m n ŋ w l r j tʃ

ʤ

cons

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + − + + − +

+

approx

− − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − + + + + − −

son

− − − − − − − − − − − − − − − + + + + + + + − −

cont

− − − − − − + + + + + + + + + − − − + + + + −/+ −/+

strid

+ + − − + + + + −

+

+

nas

− − − − − − − − − − − − − − − + + + − − − − − −

lat

− − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − − + − − − −

voiced

− + − + − + − + − + − + − + − + + + + + + + − +

[PLACE] L L C C D D L L C C C C C C G L C D L C C C C

C

ant

+ +

+ + + + − −

+

+ + − −

−

Note: L = LABIAL, C = CORONAL, D = DORSAL, G = GUTTURAL

414

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