Name __Joshua Hernandez_________ Ziv

ASSIGNMENT #4
Features and Vowel Harmony
Due: 4.5.2021

Hungarian

Below is Hungarian phonetic vowel chart and the scale of vowel markedness
PHONETIC Front Back
V-CHART Unround Round Round x > y means y is more marked than x
High i ü u i > u > ü
Mid ö o o > ö
Low æ ɒ æ > ɒ

a. Provide the phonological vowel chart of Hungarian on the basis of the phonetic chart.
PHONOLOGICAL
ɒ o u ö ü æ i
V-CHART
±high - - + - + - +
±back + + + - - - -
±low + - - - - + -

Consider the nominal paradigm below

Noun to Noun at Noun from Noun
hɒ:z hɒ:znɒk hɒ:znɒ:l hɒ:zto:l ‘house’
vɒ:ros vɒ:rosnɒk vɒ:rosnɒ:l vɒ:rosto:l ‘city’
föld földnæk földnæ:l földtö:l ‘earth
vi:z vi:znæk vi:znæ:l vi:ztö:l ‘water’

b. List the allomorphs of the suffixes

‘to’ [nɒk],[næk]

‘at’ [nɒ:l],[ næ:l]

‘from’ [to:l], [tö:l]

c. Assuming the “under-specification theory”, what is the UR of the suffixes?

‘to’ [nVk] where V is -low ,-high, ±back

‘at’ [nV:l] where V is -low,-high, ±back

‘from’ [tV:l] where V is -low,-high, ±back

Beginning Phonology 2021 Assignment 4 / p.1

Name __Joshua Hernandez_________ Ziv

d. What is/are the harmonic feature/features?

±back for the three cases “to Noun” ,“at Noun”, and “from Noun”

e. Provide a rule that accounts for alternation in the vowel quality of the suffixes.

Rule name: Vowel Harmony

Rule in words: If the stem has a back vowel, the suffix’s vowel will also

be back.

If the stem has a front vowel, the suffix’s vowel will also

be front

Linear rule: V[+back] → [-back]/ V[-back]Ci__

Non-linear rule; assume CiV1CiV2Ci

underspecification

V1[α round] V2[α round]

f. Assuming the “full-specification theory”, what is the UR of the suffixes?

‘to’ [næk]

‘at’ [ næ:l]

‘from’ [to:l]

Beginning Phonology 2021 Assignment 4 / p.2

Name __Joshua Hernandez_________ Ziv

Below is Hungarian phonetic consonant chart

CONSONANTS Bilabial labiodental Dental Palatal Velar
j j
Stops p b t d t d k g
Affricates ͡ ts ͡tʃ d͡ʒ
Fricatives f v s z ʃ ʒ x
Nasals m n ɲ
Liquids rl
Glides j

g. Provide the phonological consonant chart of Hungarian on the basis of the phonetic
chart. (note: the number of rows in the tables does not necessarily match the number of
features required)
CONSONANTS p b m f v t d ͡ts s z n r l tj dj ͡tʃ d͡ʒ ʃ ʒ ɲ j k g x
cons + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - + + +
son - - + - - - - - - - + + + - - - - - - + + - - -
nasal - - + - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - + - - - -
voice - + + - + - + - - + + + + - + - + - + + + - + -
strident - - - - - - - + + + - - - - - + + + + - - - - -
high - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - -
LAB v v v v v
COR v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
DOR v v v v v
cont - - - - - - - + + + + + + - - + + + + + + - - -

h. Write the formal rules, using the phonological feature system, for the following
description of the process. Make sure the features you use in the rules appear in the
charts in (a) and (g). If they don’t, add them and check whether they can replace other
features. Circle the added feature and cross the one you replaced.

1. t & d become n and tj & dj become ɲ after m, n, & ɲ.

Nasal Place assimilation

C[ COR -son -cont] → [+nasal] / ___ C[nasal]

2. t & d become tj & dj respectively before a front high unrounded vowel.

Palatal assimilation

C[+cons COR -high ]→ [+high] / ___ V[+high -back -round]

3. j is inserted between æ & i and between ɒ & i.

Consonant Intrusion
∅ → C[-cons,+sound] / V[+low, αback] __V[+high -round]

Beginning Phonology 2021 Assignment 4 / p.3

Name __Joshua Hernandez_________ Ziv

4. An obstruent becomes voiced before a voiced obstruent

Voice assimilation

C[-son -voice]→ [+voice] / ___C[-son +voice]

Beginning Phonology 2021 Assignment 4 / p.4