JP1000 Introductory Lecture 04

PHONOLOGY: SEGMENTAL


   Vowels                                Consonants


i               u                   p        t		k
                                    b        d          g
                           
  e          o                      f(ø)     s    sh	h
                                             z    j           
                           
        a                                    ts   ch             
                                            (dz) (dj)      

                                    m        n		ñ        	     	

                                             r        

                                   (w)      (y)

Syllables:

Basic syllable structure:  (Consonant) + Vowel:  (C)V
                           ka, me, ro, u, bi, ne

Double [or long] vowels:  VV

         [aa]  okaasan, kaaten, sukaato
         [ii]  chiisai, oniisan, biiru, shiitsu
         [uu]  kuuki, chuushi, guuzen
         [ee]  oneesan, teenee, tokee, eega
         [oo]  otooto, imooto, ookii, oozee

    [N.B.] [ee] and [oo] are often written as [ei] and [ou] respectively


Devoiced vowels:   C[V]CV           k[i]ku, s[u]ki, k[i]sha
                   C[V]             mas[u], des[u], kas[u], okash[i], much[i] 

         V  -----> [V]   C ____ C   [V = i or u; C = voiceless consonants]

                        v C ___     [word/sentence final]


Palatalized consonants + Vowel:     CyV / ChV [V = a,u,o]
                                    nya, kyu, pyo, shu, cho


Double consonants [geminates] + Vowel:   -CCV [C = /Q/]
                                    gakki, hassen, toppi, hattatsu

/Q/ -----> [x]/ ______ [x] (x = p,t,s,sh,k)

                  hatsu + san  -----> hassan
                  ichi  + fun  -----> ippun
                  hachi + kai  -----> hakkai


Syllabic nasals:  -C(C)V [C = /N/]

/N/ -----> [m] / _____ [p,b,m]              shinpai, shinbun, senmon    
           [n] / _____ [t,d,s,z,sh,ch,n,r]  hontoo, anzen, ronri
           [ñ] / _____ [k,g]                ginkoo, shingoo
           [N = n']    elsewhere            man'in, tan'i, hon'ya


Nasalized [g]: optional

[g] ----->  [g~] / V or N _____ V  
       
            daigaku, kugatsu, kongetsu, shingoo

Hints & Suggestions

The Japanese [r] is misleading. It is called a flap sound similar to [d] in manner of pronunciation. Use initial [l] as in 'light, lend, long'.

The nasalized [g~] should not be overemphasized particularly by Cantonese speakers. Use [g] instead.

© Norio Ota 2000