Since all the allophones of the same phoneme differ according to the phonetic context in which they occur, it is necessary to give examples of those allophones which exhibit striking changes of phonetic features.
Noise Consonants
. [p] and [b]
(1) (p] and [b] become labio-dental when immediately fol
lowed by [f] or [v], eg hopeful, subvert.
(2) The position of the lips depends on the vowel or the sono-
rant immediately following [p] or [b]:
(a) the lips are spread, eg pea, bed;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg paw, bought, pool, boot.
(3) Before front, high or mid-open vowels [p] and jbj sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, eg peak, big.
(4) The explosion takes place nasally when [p, bj are immediately followed by a nasal consonant, eg topmost, happen, submarine, abnormal.
(5) The breath passes out laterally when [p, b] are follow ed by [1J, eg plate.
(6) When (p, bj are followed by another plosive only one explosion is heard, eg kept, subtract.
(7) [pj is aspirated in a stressed position followed by a vowel or a diphthong, eg park, pound.
There is hardly any aspiration when (p) is preceded by [sj, eg spy, speak.
(8) [b] is fully voiced during its second stage when it occurs
between two vowels, eg labour, about.
In word final position the lenis (bj is only partially voiced, eg cab.
[t] and [dj
(1) Dental allophones of [t, d] are used before [6] or [d], eg eighth, width.
(2) Post-alveolar allophones of [t, dj are used when they are followed by [r], eg trip, drug.
(3) The position of the lips depends upon the vowel or the sonorant [w] immediately following [t] or fdj:
(a) the lips are spread, eg tea, deep;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg rwenfy, dwell, tool, do.
(4) Before front, high or mid-open vowels [t] and (d) sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, eg tear, dell.
(5) The explosion takes place nasally when [t, d] are immediately followed by a nasal consonant, eg kitten, utmost, didn't, admit.
(6) The breath passes out laterally when {t, d] are followed by [1], eg cattle, riddle.
(7) When [t] or (d] are followed by another plosive only one explosion is heard, eg football, sideboard.
(8) (tj in a stressed position and followed by a vowel or a diphthong is aspirated, eg time, town.
There is hardly any aspiration when (tj is preceded by (sj, eg stone.
(9) [d] is fully voiced during its second stage when it occurs between two vowels, eg reading.
In word final position the lenis [dj is only partially voiced, eg ride.
W and [g]
(1) The exact point of articulation of |k, g] is dependent upon the nature of the folbwing vowel. Before the front vowels the point of the contact is more forward and it is farther back before a back vowel, eg keep gas, car, garden.
(2) The position of the lips depends on the vowel or the sono-rant [w] immediately following [k] or [gj:
(a) the lips are spread, eg Jtey, geese;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg cool; cord, question, go, good.
(3) Before front, high or mid-open vowels [kj and [g] sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, eg kill, get.
(4) The explosion takes place nasally when [k, g] are immediately followed by a nasal consonant, eg banknote, signal, fragment.
(5) The breath passes out laterally when |k, g] are followed by *[IJ, eg club, clever, ugly, eagle.
(6) When [k, g] are followed by another plosive only one explosion is heard, eg blackboard, rugby.
(7) fk] is aspirated in a stressed position followed by a vowel or a diphthong, eg cut, kind.
There is hardly any aspiration when [k] is preceded by (s], eg square.
(8) [g] is fully voiced during its second stage when it occurs
between two vowels, eg cigar.
In word final position the lenis (g] is only partially voiced, eg fog.
Constrictives
If] and [v]
(1) The position of the lips depends on the vowel immediate
ly following [f] or (vj:
(a ) the lips are spiead, eg fee, veal; (b) the lips are rounded, eg fore, vote.
(2) Before front, high or mid-open vowels [f] and [v] are a bit
clearer than before back vowels, eg feast, villa.
(3) [v] is fully voiced only when it occurs between vowels, eg
vivid, cover.
In word final position the lenis [v] is only partially voiced, eg leave, drive.
[Q] and [6)
(1) There are not so many allophones of [â] and [5J. With some speakers, the tongue-tip may protrude through the teeth, others hold it behind the teeth, but the acoustic quality is the same in both cases. The main difficulties in the articulation he in their combination with other fricatives, especially [s] and [z].
(2) When followed by [s] and [z), they are sometimes elided, eg clothes, months.
(3 ) The position of the lips depends on the vowel immediately following [9] or (6]:
(a) the lips are spread, eg thief, these:
(b) the lips are somewhat rounded, eg thought, soothe.
(4) |d) is fully voiced only when it occurs between two
vowels, eg other, brother.
In word final position the lenis [d] is only partially voiced, eg breathe.
[sj and [z]
(1) Dental allophones of [s] and [z] are used before (â) or (É), <>g sixth, has three.
(2) The position of the lips depends upon the vowel or the sonorant immediately following:
(a) the lips are spread, eg see, music;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg saw, soon, sweet, zoo, zone.
(3) Before front, high or mid-open vowels [s] and [z] sound a bit clearer than before back vowels, eg sip, season, zip.
(4) [zj is fully voiced when it occurs between two vowels, eg ilessert, scissors.
In word final position the lenis [z] is only partially voiced, eg does.
Ø and [3]
(1) Apart from the degree of softening or lip-rounding used, no important allophones of (J, 3] occur:
(a) the lips are spread, eg sheep, regime;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg sugar.
(2) [ç] is fully voiced when it occurs between two vowels, eg leisure, decision.
In word final position the lenis (3] is only partially voiced, eg rouge.
lh]
There are as many allophones of [hj as there are vowels which can follow it. [h] occurs only in word initial and medial positions. Though normally voiceless, [h] may have some voicing between vowels, eg behind, ahead.
Sonorants
(1) Labio-dental allophones of [m] are used before [f] or [vj, eg comfort, nymph, I'm very.
(2) When preceded by a voiceless consonant [m] is partly devoiced, eg utmost, smile, topmost.
(3) The position of the lips depends on the vowel immediately following (mj:
(a) the lips are spread; eg me;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg more, moon.
(4) Before front, high or mid-open vowels [m] sounds a bit clearer than before back vowels, eg mistress, mile.
(5) {m] is syllabic when in word final position and immediately preceded by a consonant, eg rhythm, rheumatism, film, enthusiasm.
In] ^
(1) The dental allophone of [n] is used before [9] or [d], eg month, in them. 1
(2) The post-alveolar allophone of [n] is used when it is foH lowed by (r], eg Henry. j
(3) When preceded by a voiceless consonant [nj is partly de-voiced, eg cotton, taken, often, snatch.
(4) The position of the lips depends upon the vowel immediately following [n]: J
(a) the lips are spread, eg sneeze; ■
(b) the lips are rounded, eg snore.
(5) Before front, high, or mid-open vowels [nj sounds a bit
clearer than before back vowels, eg near, net.
(6) [n] is syllabic when in word final position and immediately preceded by a consonant, eg îðåë, cotton, listen.
[1]
The exact resonance of [1J is dependent upon the phonetic context.
(1) Two main variants must be distinguished: the 'clear' [1] occurs before vowels and [j], eg light, million, and the 'dark' ft) is used before consonants and in word final positions, eg filled, help, feel.
(2) The dental allophone is used before [9], eg health.
(3) The post-alveolar [1J is used when followed by [r], eg al-ieady, children.
(4) The position of the lips depends upon the vowel immediately following [1]:
(a) the lips are spread, eg lily, leak;
(b) the lips are rounded, eg lock, loose.
(5) When preceded by a voiceless consonant [1] is partially • Invoiced, eg apple, cattle, uncle, asleep, pamphlet.
(6) [1] is syllabic in word final position immediately preceded by a consonant, eg people, table, little.