The BG Language Creation Guide

Solving Phonology Problems

For the Novice

Procedure

• Let's call the segments under consideration X and Y. (Remember, though that it is possible to work with three or more segments at a atime. We'll just keep it simple for starters.)
• Step 1: Hunt for minimal pairs.
  • If you find a minimal pair, the segments in question contrast. They are separate phonemes. Write down the pair of words you have found. We'll call them word1 and word2. Skip to step 3.
  • If you do not find a minimal pair, proceed to step 2.
• Step 2: Search for a pattern.
  • You are looking for places (environments) within a word where one segment occurs and the other never occurs.
  • Here are some things to search for:
    • What segments, or kinds of segments, precede the segments you are examining?
    • What segments, or kinds of segments, follow the segments you are examining?
    • Take those first two considearations together: is there anything unique about what always comes before and after the segments you are examining?
    • Is there a word boundary before the segments you are examining?
    • Is there a word boundary after the segments you are examining?
    • Expand your search to cover nonadjacent material. Is there anything unique about material that is more than one segment away or in adjacent syllables?
    • Is there anything unique about stress or tone or the syllables containing your segments?
  • If you find a pattern, write it down and skip to step 4.
  • If you do not find a pattern, keep looking.
• Step 3: The segments under consideration are separate phonemes. You can say: "Word1" and "word2" are a minimal pair showing that X and Y contrast; they are separate phonemes.
• Step 4: The segments under consideration are allophonemes of the same phoneme.
  • Choose the segment with the most restricted environment. That is, the one whose environment is simplest to describe. That is the one you'll mention in your answer.
  • You can say: X and Y are allophones of the same phoneme; they are in complementary distribution. X occurs (describe its environment) and Y occurs elsewhere."

Examples

Canish