The contrastive hierarchy in phonology 2009 Dresher.pdf - CUNY ...

Hockett’s discussion of consonant systems is also at odds with his stated
theoretical position. He begins his discussion of classification of consonants by
observing (1955: 95), ‘It does not seem feasible to handle them as wholes for
constitutional classification; it seems better to develop some manner of breaking
them up into subsystems.’ The breaking up into subsystems begins with a binary
split, typically dividing the obstruents from the sonorants. To illustrate, he
presents the table of Ossetic (Iranian) shown in (3.36). 19
(3.36) Consonant system of Ossetic (Hockett 1955)
p t c tS k
pH tH cH tSH kH
b d Ô dZ g /
f s S x
v z Z ƒ
m n
w j r l
As to what counts as an obstruent, Hockett writes (1955: 96), ‘We include among
the obstruents not only all stops and affricates and most spirants, but also, in
some cases, a [y]-like, [w]-like, or [l]-like consonant if it fits neatly into the scheme,
and if distributional facts do not militate against such a treatment.’ [italics added]
Though the main split in the consonant system is often obstruent –
sonorant, ‘[i]n a few cases all the consonants, apart from manner consonants (if
any), must be otherwise dichotomized in the first instance, the classification into
19 I have replaced some of Hockett’s symbols with their IPA counterparts in this and the
following chart.
109