# Natural Classes!

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### Let's play a game!

![](humorimg/sesame_street.jpg)

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### One of these sounds is not like the other...

## /t/ /k/ /p/ /s/

- /s/ is the only fricative, all the rest are voiceless stops

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## /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ /b/

- /b/ is the only oral sound, all the rest are nasal sounds

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## /b/ /a/ /ŋ/ /i/ /s/

- /s/ is the only voiceless sound, all the rest are voiced sounds

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## /l/ /s/ /ŋ/ /j/ /i/

- /i/ is the only vowel, all the rest are consonants

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## /i/ /ɪ/ /ɛ/ /æ/ /ɔ/

- /ɔ/ is the only back vowel, all the rest are front vowels

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## /t/ /n/ /s/ /z/ /k/

- /k/ is the only non-alveolar sound

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## /p/ /t/ /k/ /b/

- /b/ is the only voiced stop

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### Natural Class

A grouping of sounds which share certain phonetic features

- Useful  because similar sounds tend to act similarly

    - (Sounds of a feature flock... phonologically??)
    
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![](phonmedia/ipa_chart.jpg)

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### You'll sometimes end up with groups of rules which can be simplified

- /b/ -> [p] / __#

- /d/ -> [t] / __#

- /g/ -> [k] / __#

- [voiced stops] -> [-voice] / __#

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### Always try to generalize!

- (Where there's evidence to do so)

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 /d/ -> [j] / __i

 /d/ -> [j] / __ɪ

 /d/ -> [j] / __e

- ![](humorimg/drake_nah.jpg)

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/d/ -> [j] / __[Front Vowels]

- ![](humorimg/drake_yeah.jpg)

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### Any grouping that's phonetically motivated is a natural class

- Although you'll often want to use the most specific grouping

    - Unless you're sure something applies generally, be careful!
    
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### What's the most descriptive accurate natural class for /i ɪ ʊ u/

A) Vowels

B) Front Vowels

C) High Vowels

D) Unrounded Vowels

E) Speech sounds

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### What's the most descriptive accurate natural class for /i ɪ ʊ u/

A) Vowels

B) Front Vowels

C) <correct>High Vowels</correct>

D) Unrounded Vowels

E) Speech sounds

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<section data-background-color=#708cef></section>

### What's the most descriptive accurate natural class for /z d l ɾ n g/

A) Consonants

B) Alveolar Consonants

C) Fricatives

D) Voiced Consonants

E) Non-High Vowels

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### What's the most descriptive accurate natural class for /z d l ɾ n g/

A) Consonants

B) Alveolar Consonants

C) Fricatives

D) <correct>Voiced Consonants</correct>

E) Non-High Vowels

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![](humorimg/lolphonology/naturalclass.jpg)

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### Natural Classes share *features*

- Features are elements of the speech process which are relevant to phonological patterns

    - [t] is [-voice], [d] is [+voice]
    
    - [n,m, ŋ] are all [+nasal]

- The best set of features to use in phonological analysis is a *huge* and fascinating question

- ... but it's not one we have time to get into this quarter

- So for now, just think about groupsof sounds, and we'll handle the rest in LIGN 111 

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### Which brings us to our final topic for today...