Fonética y fonología inglesas. Prof. Contreras SHEET 5
ALLOPHONIC (strictly phonetic) TRANSCRIPTION
Main allophones in complementary distribution
Vowels: reduced quantity (pre-fortis clipping), when followed by voiceless-fortis consonants 1.
1) long pure vowels (/i, , /, etc.) when shortened (half-long): [i, , ...]
2) short pure vowels /e, , /, etc.) when shortened (extra short): [e, , ...]
3) diphthongs (/e, a /, etc.) when shortened: [e, a...]
Consonants:
a) aspiration of voiceless-fortis stops: followed by vowel (not in word-final position):
[p , t , k ]; e.g. pity [ p t i], cap [k p]
Exception: clusters [sp-, st-, sk-]:
e.g. pie [p a ] spy [spa ], take [t e k] steak [ste k], Kate [k e t] skate [ske t]
This means that the cluster belongs to the same syllable, which is important for the
position of the stress diacritic: e.g. mistake /m ste k/ [mste k]), not */m s te k/
*[m st e k]
b) devoicing of voiced-lenis stops: not surrounded by more voiced sounds: [b, d, g]
e.g. bed [bed], tag [t g], absurd [ b's d]
c) devoicing of voiced-lenis post-alveolar approximant: [ ]
1) in initial position: right [ a t]
2) when preceded by voiceless-fortis consonants: try [t a ] (aspiration of the voiceless stop
transferred to the approximant causing it to become devoiced), shrink [ k] 1
d) velarized lateral (dark 'l') [ ]: 1) word-final position: well [we ], historical [hst r k ];
2) followed by consonant: mild [ma d], milk [m k] 1
1 Pre-fortis clipping of vowels also occurs when the voiceless consonant is preceded by a
nasal or a lateral: tend [tend] tent [t ent] felled [fe d], felt [fet]
Make an allophonic transcription of the following words:
1. peace burden mend wind
2. peas certain rent mint
3. trousers hide card space
4. trout height cart cancelled
Make a phonemic transcription of the following words containing the ending <–ough>:
1. rough plough thought through
2. dough cough (al)though borough
3. hiccough
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