Abstract
This paper is devoted to the problem of the noise component in the phonological representation of consonantal segments, plosives and affricates in particular. In this brief discussion, arguments will be supplied in favour of awarding this property the status of a phonological primitive capable of manifesting itself as an independent segment as well as combining with other such primary elements to form larger, more complex melodic structures.
After the phonetic characteristics of noise have been introduced, we shall explore a number of melody-related phenomena which clearly indicate that noise should be recognised as an independent phonological element. In particular, special attention will be devoted to lenition processes. The data will be taken from two different languages: English and Basque. It will be demonstrated that noise participates in phonological processes independently of other primes. One kind of phenomena we shall focus on will be the so-called edge and anti-edge effects exhibited by affricates. Further, certain cross-boundary events will be elaborated on. The problem of the phonological status of noise will be regarded through the optic of Government Phonology. We shall adhere to the major assumptions of Element Theory which is part of this framework. Applying this model of melodic representation, internal structure of plosives and affricates will be examined.
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Notes
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A particular language, for instance, can impose a bar on the combination of given two primes as a result of which they will never be found to co-occur within a single segment. Such a licensing constraint can be identified in English where the elements I (frontness, palatality) and U (roundedness) do not combine within vocalic segments. Consequently, English does not possess front rounded vowels.
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The element of occlusion defines the effect of stoppness, or an abrupt decrease in overall amplitude. Nasality will naturally reside in the structure of nasal vowels and consonants (Harris and Lindsey 1995). Further, there are the so-called resonance elements specifying the place of articulation of consonants: I (palatality), U (labiality) and A (coronality). The laryngeal primes H and L, in turn, are responsible for defining voicelessness and voicing respectively.
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Element Theory is part of the Government Phonology framework. It pertains to the nature and phonological behaviour of elements within melodic structures.
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Letters indicating the stressed vowels are in bold type.
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In plosives noise and occlusion are fused under a single slot.
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Bloch-Rozmej, A. (2011). Noise as a Phonological Element: On the Representation of Plosives and Affricates. In: Pawlak, M., Bielak, J. (eds) New Perspectives in Language, Discourse and Translation Studies. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20083-0_2
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