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An '''allophone''' in [[phonology]] is one of multiple positional variants of a single [[phoneme]]. Allophones are conditioned by the phonetic environment and may be predictable on the basis of the phonological features of that environment. Unlike phonemes, allophones do not distinguish meaning and most native speakers are not aware of the automatic alternation between allophones. | An '''allophone''' in [[phonology]] is one of multiple positional variants of a single [[phoneme]]. Allophones are conditioned by the phonetic environment and may be predictable on the basis of the phonological features of that environment. Unlike phonemes, allophones do not distinguish meaning and most native speakers are not aware of the automatic alternation between allophones. | ||
In English, the <nowiki>[</nowiki>k<nowiki>]</nowiki> in ''keep'' has a secondary [[palatalization|palatal]] [[articulation]], caused by the high front [[vowel]] <nowiki>[</nowiki>i:<nowiki>]</nowiki> following it, something that is lacking in the <nowiki>[</nowiki>k<nowiki>]</nowiki> of ''cool''. Most linguists also consider the German sounds <nowiki>[</nowiki>x<nowiki>]</nowiki> and <nowiki>[</nowiki>ç<nowiki>]</nowiki> allophones of the same underlying phoneme. | In English, the <nowiki>[</nowiki>k<nowiki>]</nowiki> in ''keep'' has a secondary [[palatalization|palatal]] [[articulation]], caused by the high front [[vowel]] <nowiki>[</nowiki>i:<nowiki>]</nowiki> following it, something that is lacking in the <nowiki>[</nowiki>k<nowiki>]</nowiki> of ''cool''. Most linguists also consider the German sounds <nowiki>[</nowiki>x<nowiki>]</nowiki> and <nowiki>[</nowiki>ç<nowiki>]</nowiki> allophones of the same underlying phoneme. | ||
Revision as of 06:15, 19 November 2011
An allophone in phonology is one of multiple positional variants of a single phoneme. Allophones are conditioned by the phonetic environment and may be predictable on the basis of the phonological features of that environment. Unlike phonemes, allophones do not distinguish meaning and most native speakers are not aware of the automatic alternation between allophones.
In English, the [k] in keep has a secondary palatal articulation, caused by the high front vowel [i:] following it, something that is lacking in the [k] of cool. Most linguists also consider the German sounds [x] and [ç] allophones of the same underlying phoneme.