English 615: Modern English Linguistics
summer, 2009

Vegetable Languages

Problem One: Rosebush Segment Inventory


p [voiceless bilabial stop]
b [voiced bilabial stop]
m [bilabial nasal]
t [voiceless alveolar stop]
d [voiced alveolar stop]
n [alveolar nasal]
k [voiceless velar stop]
g [voiced velar stop]
N [alveolar nasal]


i [high front tense]
I [high front lax]
e [mid front tense]
u [high back tense]
U [high back lax]
o [mid back tense]

Here are two phonological rules for Rosebush.

Rule 1: .t/ and .s/ are in complementary distribution. they are allophones of the same phoneme. [t] occurs word initial and .s/ occurs Elsewhere.

Rule 2. [dz] occurs word finally and [d] occurs elsewhere.

Talk through of making the rules for problem one NB: the talk-through does not answer the questions below; it only covers the making of the rules.

1. What is unusual about the Rosebush segment inventory?
2.If speakers of this language tried to say the English word 'rosebush', how would they pronounce that given their segment inventory and assuming their maximum syllable is CV?
3. How would your answer above change if the maximum syllable were CVC?

Given the rules above and a maximum syllable of CVC, which of the following words are permissible and which violate the phonological constraints of Rosebush? Where a word is in violation, please correct it.

  1. [steb] stem
  2. [bUd] bud
  3. [dzudud] rich earth
  4. [gopis] leaf killing disease
  5. [zo] bright red
  6. [bINk] big
  7. [todz] toad
  8. [ntIski] light breeze
  9. [zoda] cardinal
  10. [eka] squirrel
  11. [tUkda] goose
  12. [tes] family group of worms

Solution to the first problem

Problem two: [veNuf faikr{p]


p [voiceless bilabial stop]
b [voiced bilabial stop]
pf [voiceless bilabial africate]
f [voiceless labiodental fricative]
v [voiced labiodental fricative]
k [voiceless velar stop]
g [voiced velar stop]
N [velar nasal]
x [voiceless velar fricative]
X [voiced velar fricative]
w [voiced labio-velar glide]
h [voiceless glottal fricative]
? [glottal stop]

i [high front tense]
e [mid front tense]
{ [low front lax]
u [high back tense]
o [mid back tense]
a [low back lax]

Rule 1: [p] and [t] are in complementary distribution. [t] occurs before [i] and [u]. [p] occurs elsewhere.

Rule 2: [W] (voicelless labio-velar glide} occurs after voiceless consonants. [w] occurs elsewhere.

Talk through of making the rules for problem two

Here is a list of veNuf faikw{p words written in phonemic rather than phonetic transcription. Replace the /w/ and /p/ phonemes with their proper allophones.

  1. /fwaiNa/ fly
  2. /speNka/ stem
  3. /w{k/ to close one's mouth suddenly upon food
  4. /po/ light
  5. /bwaka/ bird
  6. /peNa/ gnat
  7. /pobwaka/ cardinal
  8. /bwaNa/ hummingbird
  9. /xwIX/ to turn one's leaves towrd the sun
  10. /pu'agwivopf/ mystery

Solution to the second problem