Might seem like a stupid question but I'm rather confused right now! :) Also if anyone has any answers to the following...
Consider these phonetic forms of Hebrew words:
[v] – [b]
bika ‘lamented’
mugbal ‘limited’
ʃavar ‘broke’ (masc.)
ʃavra ‘broke’ (fem.)
ʔikev ‘delayed’
bara ‘created’
[f] – [p]
litef ‘stroked’
sefer ‘book’
sataf ‘washed’
para ‘cow’
ʔmitpaxat ‘handkerchief’
haʔalpim ‘the Alps’
Assume that these words and their phonetic sequences are representative of what may occur in Hebrew. In your answer, consider classes of sounds rather than individual sounds. a) Are [b] and [v] allophones of one phoneme? Are they in complementary distribution? In what phonetic environments do they occur? Can you formulate a phonological rule stating their distribution? b) Does the same rule, or lack of a rule, that describes the distribution of [b] and [v] apply to [p] and [f]? If not, why not?
Here is the rest of the question, if anyone wants to help out!
c) Here is a word with one phone missing. A blank appears in place of the missing sound: hid___ik. Select the correct statement from the list below: 1. [b] but not [v] could occur in the empty slot. 2. [v] but not [b] could occur in the empty slot. 3. Either [b] or [v] could occur in the empty slot. 4. Neither [b] nor [v] could occur in the empty slot. d) Which of the following statements is correct about the incomplete word ___ana? 1. [f] but not [p] could occur in the empty slot. 2. [p] but not [f] could occur in the empty slot. 3. Either [p] or [f] could fill the blank. 4. Neither [p] nor [f] could fill the blank. e) Now consider the following possible words (in phonetic transcription): laval surva labal palar falu razif If these words actually occurred in Hebrew, would they: 1. Force you to revise the conclusions about the distribution of labial stops and fricatives you reached on the basis of the first group of words given above? 2. Support your original conclusions? 3. Neither support nor disprove your original conclusions?
