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

(3.1) Different phonetics, similar patterning (Sapir 1925)
a. Pattern of C
a E i u
a˘ E˘
h w j l m n
p t k q
b d g G
f s x X
b. Pattern of D
Q e i y
Q˘ e˘
h v Z r m N
pH tH kH qH
B D ƒ “
f S C
Sapir points out that if one were to be guided only by phonetics, one
might suppose that [Z] in Language D should be listed under [S] as its voiced
counterpart, just as [b] is placed under [p] in system C. Similarly, we might
expect that [v] in D should be placed under [f] as its voiced counterpart. Sapir
allows that the ‘natural phonetic arrangement’ of sounds is a useful guide to how
they pattern, but he goes on, ‘[a]nd yet it is most important to emphasize the fact,
strange but indubitable, that a pattern alignment does not need to correspond
exactly to the more obvious phonetic one.’
It is worth inquiring a bit more closely into the significance of Sapir’s
inventory charts. We observe first that he specifies no features or other
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