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

(4.10) Contrastive hierarchy: Standard Literary German consonants
a. [+grave] consonants
+grave
qp
+nasal –nasal
g qp
/m/ –compact +compact
wo ei
+continuant –continuant + continuant –continuant
ty ty g ty
+tense –tense +strident –strident /x/ +tense –tense
g g g ru g g
/f/ /v/ /pf/ +tense –tense /k/ /g/
g g
/p/ /b/
b. [–grave] consonants
–grave
qp
+nasal –nasal
g qp
/n/ –compact +compact
ei g
+continuous –continuous /S/
ty ty
+tense –tense +strident –strident
g g g ty
/s/ /z/ /ts/ +tense –tense
g g
/t/ /d/
In Halle’s chart the segments /b, d/ lack specifications for [strident]. In
the tree in (4.10) they must both be specified [–strident]. A [strident] specification
can be omitted if we reorder the feature [tense] higher than [strident]; but then
/pf, ts/ would have to receive a specification for [tense]. The possible
specifications of /b, p, pf/ for the features [strident] and [tense], assuming the
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