试题题干
Directions: Answer the following questions.
The basic form of English negative prefix in- is [in-], as in inaccurate and insecure. In impossible, [n] is changed to match the place of articulation of its following stop [p]. In illiterate, [n] becomes identical to its following [l]. Which phonological rule does this example illustrate? Please define the rule and give one more example.
参考答案
试题解析
同化规则通过“复制”连续音素的特征将一个声音同化为另一个声音，从而使两个音素相似。相邻声音的同化在很大程度上是由发音或生理过程引起的。当我们说话时，我们倾向于增加发音的容易程度。这种“草率”的倾向可能会成为语言规则。
以元音的鼻化为例。元音在某些语音环境中是鼻化的：[i:]在tea，peep和fee等词中是非鼻化的；但在bean，green，team，和scream等词中是鼻化的。这是因为在所有这些声音组合中，[i:]后面跟着一个鼻音[ŋ]或[m]；当我们发[i:]的时候，我们已经准备好发下一个鼻音了。为了使声音组合的发音更容易，我们实际上将元音鼻化，从而使两个声音的发音相似。这也最终成为了英语中的一条规则：当元音后跟鼻音时，将其鼻音化。