Group 9 - 2A2 - Distinctive Features

Distinctive
Features
GROUP 9
Hikmatul Amanah
Siti Atikah
Tazqia Aulia Zakhra
Classification of
Distinctive
Features
We can look at distinctive
features from the acoustic
properties and the articulatory
point of view.
Distinctive Features
for Consonant
By considering the acoustic properties such as fundamental source
features, we have the following distinctive features:
[ + vocalic] [ - vocalic]
[ + consonantal] [ - consonantal]
The above representation means that a sound can be vocalic
or non-vocalic; a sound can also be consonantal or non-
consonantal.
A particular sound, such as /i/, /u/, and /o/ are [+ vocalic]

whereas /p/, /t/, and /m/ are [+ consonantal]. Sounds such as
/w/ and /y/ are both [+ vocalic] and [+ consonantal] because
they can function as vowels like “cow” and “baby”. Or as
consonants like “win” and “yes”.
Distinctive features are universal in nature that all languages
have them.
Most language have: /p-b/, /t-d/. And /k-g/
But some may only have /p-t-k/.
In other words, these few languages

don’t have the feature
[+ voice] for the consonantal stops.
Some consonantal sounds are [+ strident],
that they have irregular wave forms in
spectrogram. Sounds of this type are
normally accompanied by hissing noise.
Thus are /s/. /f/, and /z/.
When the wave form is more regular, the

sounds are called [+ mellow].
Sounds such as /θ/ and /ð/.

If the acoustic properties we use are the resonance, these two sounds are
differentiated from each other on the basis of their resonating cavities.
[+ compact] [+ diffuse]
The following are: The following are:

/k/, /g/, /ʃ/, /ŋ/ /t/. /d/, /s/, /n/
Compact have more open cavities than diffuse sounds.

There are some features which are acoustically or articulatory
based such as the following:
[+ sonorant]: all
[ + sonorant] vowels, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /l/,
If sound its production is /r/, /y/, and /w/
automatically accompanied
by vibration of the vocal fold [- sonorant]: stops,
that is [+ voiced] fricatives, and affricates
such as /p/, /k/, /f/, and /tʃ/
[ + coronal]
[+ coronal]: /ð/, /d/,
Sound made with the blade of and /tʃ/
the tongue raised toward the
front teeth, the alveolar ridge
or the palate is
[+ coronal]. If the blade is [- coronal]: labials /p/,
neutral, the sound is /m/, and velar /k/, /ŋ/
[- coronal]
[ + anterior]
[+ anterior]: /p/,
Sound of [+ anterior] if the /θ/, /d/
obstruction of the airstream is
not further back from the
alveolar ridge. A sound [-
[- anterior]: /tʃ/,
anterior] if the obstruction is
further back behind the /k/, and /ŋ/
alveolar ridge.
[ + labial]
[+ labial]:
Sound of [+ labial] if /p/, /f/, /m/
the obstruction of the
airstream is on the lips.
If the obstruction is not [- labial]: /t/, /k/, /l/
on the lips, the sound is
[- labial].
[ + syllabic]
• If sound forms a nucleus syllables, the
sound is [+ syllabic]. All vowels, for
instance, form syllables; therefore they are
[+syllable]. E.g. all vowels.
• Most consonants are [- syllabic] as they
normally don’t fill in the nucleus slot in
syllable.
• However some consonants, notably /l/
and /n/, can also be [+ syllabic].
[ + continuant]
• A sound that can be produced continuously
as ling a the breath permits is a [+
continuant]. Such as /s/, /v/, and /z/.
• If sound is produced in such a way that
once it is uttered, the sound is
[- continuant]. Such as /p/, /b/, or /k/
There are also features which are found both in consonant as
well as in vowels. These are for instance, [ + High ], [ + low],
[ + back ] – all referring to the tounge height or the areas
where these sound are produced. The sound [k], for instance,
has the features [ + high ] and [ + back ], just like [u].
If we look at the features present above, we can see that a

sound has a bundle of distinctive features. The sound /b/ for
instance, is [ + oral ], [ + consoanantal], [- vocalic], [+
voiced], [ + anterior] [ + labial]. The sound /m/ shares many
features in common with /b/ expect that /b/ is [ + oral ]
while /m/ is [ + nasal].
As a matter of fact, each sound has a bundel of features
which separate it from any other sound.
While the distinguishing featurs for /b/ and /m/

is only the passage through which the sounds is
produced, those for /p/ and /m/ consist of the
passage and the voicing, that is, /p/ is [-voice]
while /m/ is voiced, so /p/ and /m/ are
distinguishing by two distinctive features: [voice-
voiceless] and [oral-nasal]
If we look now at the distinctive features chart below, we will
find the features of all english consonant
Chart 1 Distinctive Features Matrix
for the English Consonant
By looking at the chart above, we can see that /p/ is represented as.
Since [+ oral], implies [-nasal] the minus nasal
features can be dropped. The features [+
consonantal] and [- vocalic] should continue to be
used because not all consonantal sounds are [-
vocalic]. The minuses for high, low and back
features are necessary to separate the sound
from, say, /k/, which is [+ high], [+ back] and [-
low].
1.2 Distinctive Features for Vowels
[ + high ] [ + low]
A sound is [+ high] A sound is [+ low]

when the tounge is when the tounge
raised above the position is below a
neturals position. netural position
[ + back]
A sound is [ + back] when the tounge is pulled

back from the netural position.
[ + tense] [ + round ]
A sound is [+ tense] when A sound is [+ round]

the sound is produced when the sound is made
more musicle tension and with the lips protuded
it is normally followed by
lengthening
We can represent the distinctive features for the
english vowels trough chart 2 below:
Chart 2: Distinctive Features Matrix For English
Vowels
From the chart above we can see that /i/, for

instance, has the following distinctive
features
[+ Oral] [- Low]
[+ Vocalic] [- Back]
[- Consonantal] [- Rounded]
[+ High] [+ Tense]
Distinctive Features for Words
If we compare the word king above with other words such as
sing and kid we will notice that the difference is due to the
distinctive features of the sounds. The difference between king
and sing, for instance, is that the first sound in king is [+back],
[+high], and [- continuant] whereas the first sound of sing is [-
back], [- high], [+continuant], and [+strident].
3. SONORITY ORDER IN SYLLABLES
We have stated briefly the concept of sonority. We will look at this matter further,
especially in its relation to order and to word strucure.
There are sounds in language that is, when these sounds are produced the vocal folds
automatically vibrate. These sounds are [+ sonorant]. The sound /m/,/l/, and all vowels,
for instance, belong to this group. The sound /p/, for instance, is produced without the
vocal folds vibration, while /b/is with the vibration .
We can see that /p/, /t/, and /k/ are less sonorant than /b/, /d/, and /g/
respectively; /m/ and /n/ are more sonorant than /p/, /z/, and /ʤ/; /l/ and /r/ are
more sonorant than /m/ and /ŋ/; and vowels are the most sonorant sounds in
language.
If an onset consist of two consonants, the order must be from the less to the more
sonorant sounds let’s look at the examples below :
plan /plæn/
cry /krai/
The reverse order is found in the coda. Consider the following examples :
lamp /læmp/
planes /plenz/
Apparently, the order of sonority for the coda is just the opposite
of the one for the onset. In the onset, it starts with aless sonorant
and moves “upward” toward a more sonorant sound, while in the
coda it starts with amore sonorant and ends with a less sonorant
sound. We can visulize the order as follows :
From the above picture we can se that in the onset /p/ goes up to more
sonorant /l/. Meanwhile, in the coda /n/ goes down to less sonorant /z/.
Indonesian we have ngrumpi /ŋrumpi/ where the
onset for the syllable /ŋrum/ consist of two
consonants /ŋr/ and that the order is less to more
sonorant sound. Javanese also follows the same
pattern. The word /playɔn/ ‘run around’ consist
of the onset /pl/ for the first syllable /pla/ and
that /p/ is less sonorant than /l/.
4. ORDERED RULES IN
In life humans do things following certain order even although we may not be
PHONOLOGY
aware of what we are do. We wake up in the morning, have breakfast, take a
bath, brush our teeth, get dressed, and go to school, or work. We do not get up,
go to school, come back home to take a bath and get dressed, brush our teeth,
and then have breakfast.
The same is true when we deal with phonology, humans produce sounds by
following a certain order to come up with the right forms. Let’s start with a
good and easy example from french.
Thus, the word bon “good” is pronounced as [bṍ] where the sound [o] is
nasalized into [Ṏ]. In order to produce this word, we must not delete the [n].
The order in a (a) below is wrong; the right one is (b).
(a) [bon] → delete [n] →no nasalization [bo]
(b) [bon] →nasalize [bɒ̃] →delete [n]
In modern (generative) phonology, the process above is put in a formal rule. the
rule consist of :
input : the form from which we derive the
desired form.
→ : meaning “becomes”
output : located on the right side of the arrow the
derived form
/— : in the environment of
() or {} : optinal
# : word boundary
Another example is the plural form in english.
Putting aside the irregular forms such as children
and feet, we recall that english plurals are
represented by the sounds [lz], [z], and [s].
In this case, we choose [z]. W cn then have the

following phonoogical rule :
a. insert /ᶦ/ before sibilants
b. Use /z/ when the word ends in [+ voice]
c. Use /s/ when the word ends in [- voice]

Let's apply the rule for the words judge,
dog, and cat
Judges → a. jᴧdᴣIᴢ
Dog → b. [dᴐgz] (judge does not

become [jᴧdᴣᴢ] because rule (a) has
been applied
THANK YOU

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Distinctive

A particular sound, such as /i/, /u/, and /o/ are [+ vocalic]

Most language have: /p-b/, /t-d/. And /k-g/

But some may only have /p-t-k/.

In other words, these few languages

When the wave form is more regular, the

Sounds such as /θ/ and /ð/.

The following are: The following are:

Compact have more open cavities than diffuse sounds.

If we look at the features present above, we can see that a

While the distinguishing featurs for /b/ and /m/

A sound is [+ high] A sound is [+ low]

A sound is [ + back] when the tounge is pulled

A sound is [+ tense] when A sound is [+ round]

From the chart above we can see that /i/, for

In this case, we choose [z]. W cn then have the

a. insert /ᶦ/ before sibilants

b. Use /z/ when the word ends in [+ voice]

c. Use /s/ when the word ends in [- voice]

Dog → b. [dᴐgz] (judge does not

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