Routledge Dictionary of Language and Linguistics.pdf

A-Z 789natural methoddirect methodnatural order hypothesisapproachnaturalnatural phonologyModel developed in particular by D.Stampe and W.U.Dressler as a critical alternative togenerative phonology. The basic units of natural phonology are not phonemes ordistinctive features, but rather ‘natural’ phonological processes such as final devoicing,nasalization ( nasal harmony), and labialization. According to the naturalphonological viewpoint, such (potentially universally valid) processes are not part oflanguage acquisition per se, but rather are an integral part of the human capacity forlanguage. The acquisition of a phonological system takes place through suppression andlimitation of cumbersome articulatory and perceptive processes; in this way, finaldevoicing has been eliminated from English in the course of language acquisition.Natural phonological processes are irreversible, thus there is no such thing as‘denasalization’ or ‘final voicing.’ ( also distinctive feature theory, markedness)ReferencesDogil, G. 1981. Elementary accent systems. In W.U. Dressler et al. (eds), Phonologica. Innsbruck.Donegan, P. and D.Stampe. 1979. The study of natural phonology. In D.Dinnsen (ed.), Currentapproaches to phonological theory. Bloomington, IN. 126–73.Dressler, W.U. 1984. Explaining natural phonology. PY 1. 29–53.——1985. Morphonology: the dynamics of derivation. Ann Arbor, MI.Hurch, B. and R.Rhodes (eds) 1995. Natural phono-logy: the state of the art. Berlin.