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In the case of Scots English, what we need is to define a feature that is shared by all of the consonants in the set
that is separate from voicing. One such feature that has been proposed is the feature [continuant]. Sounds that are [+continuant], that is, that they are characterized has having this feature, are produced with continual airflow through the oral cavity. Sounds such as fricatives and some approximants have this feature, but stops and nasals do not. Thus this feature divides speech sounds into two sets that are not part of the classification system learned in the phonetics section.
Now if we look at the set
again, we see that they are all fricatives or approximants. So now we have two ways of defining this set as a natural class. These consonants are all both [+voice] and [+continuant]. Can any of the consonants in the set
be defined by both of these features?
Well, the consonants
are [+continuant], being fricatives, but they are not [+voice]. The consonants
are [+voice], but not [+continuant].
What about
? The consonant
is often discussed as being ambiguous. In some languages,
is [+continuant], and in some languages it is [-continuant]. It would appear that in Scots English, the consonant
is [-continuant].
Therefore, the features [+continuant] and [+voice] do, indeed, define the set
as a unique natural class.
In the lesson What are Rules?, you will learn about how to use phonemes and distinctive features to create phonological rules. In the next lesson, What are Syllables?, you will learn about the concept of the syllable, and the evidence to support this phonological entity.
The next page in this lesson gives a list of distinctive features that have been proposed for human language.