Assignment 1:

1. Find out languages in India that contain voiceless nasals.

2. Find out languages in India, which contain aspirated nasals.
3. Find out languages in India, which incorporate labialization, pharyngealization, and
glottalization.

Answers:
1. Only a few languages in the world contain voiceless nasals. Those languages are
Icelandic, Burmese, Jalapa, Mazatec, Kildin Sami, Welsh, and Central Alaskan
Yupik.
2. Bengali and Marathi, these two languages in India contain aspirated nasals.
/bati/(bowl) and /b
h
ati/(kiln) contains the symbol

(chandrabindoo), a modifier, //,

which nasalises the pronunciation of these words also letting out a small wisp of air.
In Marathi, /ma:r/(beat) and /a:r/, the latter produces the same kind of effect.
3. Pharyngealization does not exist in any Indian language. Labialization exists in
Bengali where the sound /p/, /b/, /m/ occurs with lips coming together and rounding
them as well. Glottalization exists in Kashmiri and Khasi.

4. List two words each beginning with the following sounds.

a. Labial- p, p
h
, b, b
h
.
b. Dental- t, t
h
, d, d
h
.
c. Alveolar- t, t
h
, d, d
h
.
d. Retroflex-, t
h
, , d
h
.
And also the sounds: k, k
h
, g, g
h
.
a. Labial:
p

potol bottle gourd


porbo part
p
h

fol fruit


foshol crop
b

bol strength


bok stork
b
h

b
h
oy fear


b
h
oneeta pretension

b. Dental:
t

tokma title


taap temperature
t
h


d

daan donate


dorpon mirror
d
h

dhreetoh convicted


dhaar lend

c. Alveolar:
t

Tukri Basket


Tonok Sense
t
h

Thatta Joke


Thanda Cold
d

Dna Wing


Danpeetay Stubborn
d
h

D
h
on Riches


d
h
aap Step

d. Retroflex:


Tokkor Fight


Tyara Astigmatic

h

hka Cheat(ed on)


hsha Blister


Daank Post

h



e. Other Sounds:
k

kaak crow


kaaj work
k
h

k
h
osha rip apart


k
h
onon mining
g

gorjon roar


gonotontro democracy
G
h

g
h
ono deep


g
h
or home


5. State the difference between tap /r/ and trill /r/.
Answer: In the case of trill /r/, the airstream interrupts as the organs tongue or the uvula
vibrates closing and opening the air passage. Languages like Bulgarian, Russian, Italian,
and Polish incorporate them. The case of the tap /r/ is that it trills but it trills lesser
compared to the real trilling of the trill /r/. There is only one brief interruption of airflow.
The real difference between trill /r/ and tap /r/ is the heightened sub glottal pressure
occurs while producing the trill /r/, which does not occur in case of tap /r/. (p. 318, The
Phonetic Framework, Chomsky and Halle, MIT Press, 1991)