560. B. Ph. LAB 19- Consonant Cluster

19-  Consonant Cluster

 

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In linguistics, a consonant cluster (or consonant blend) is a group of consonants which have no intervening vowel. In English, for example, the groups /spl/ and /ts/ are consonant clusters in the word splits.

Some linguists argue that the term can only be properly applied to those consonant clusters that occur within one syllable.

Others contend that the concept is more useful when it includes consonant sequences across syllable boundaries. According to the former definition, the longest consonant clusters in the word extra would be /ks/ and /tr/,^[1] whereas the latter allows /kstr/. The German word Angstschweiß (/aŋstʃvaɪs/; "fear sweat") is another good example, with a cluster of five consonants: /ŋstʃv/.

Phonotactics

Languages' phonotactics differ as to what consonant clusters they permit.

Many languages forbid consonant clusters altogether. Maori and Pirahã, for instance, forbid any two consecutive consonants in a word. Japanese is almost as strict, but allows clusters of consonant plus /j/ as in Tokyo [toːkjoː], the name of Japan's capital city. Across a syllable boundary, it also allows a sequence of a nasal plus another consonant, as in Honshū [honɕuː] (the name of the largest island) and tempura [tempuɽa] (a traditional dish). A great many languages are more restrictive than English in terms of consonant clusters; almost every Malayo-Polynesian language forbids consonant clusters entirely. Tahitian, Samoan and Hawaiian are all of this sort. Standard Arabic forbids initial consonant clusters and more than two consecutive consonants in other positions. So do most other Semitic languages, although Modern Israeli Hebrew permits initial two-consonant clusters (e.g. pkak "cap"; dlaat "pumpkin"), and Moroccan Arabic, under Berber influence, allows strings of several consonants.^[2] Like most Mon–Khmer languages, Khmer permits only initial consonant clusters with up to three consonants in a row per syllable. Finnish has initial consonant clusters natively only on South-Western dialects and on foreign loans, and only clusters of three inside the word are allowed. Most spoken languages and dialects, however, are more permissive. In Burmese, consonant clusters of only up to three consonants (the initial and two medials—two written forms of /-j-/, /-w-/) at the initial onset are allowed in writing and only two (the initial and one medial) are pronounced. These clusters are restricted to certain letters. Some Burmese dialects allow for clusters of up to four consonants (with the addition of the /-l-/ medial, which can combine with the above-mentioned medials.

At the other end of the scale, the Kartvelian languages of Georgia are drastically more permissive of consonant clustering. Clusters in Georgian of four, five or six consonants are not unusual—for instance, /brtʼqʼɛli/ (flat), /mt͡sʼvrtnɛli/ (trainer) and /prt͡skvna/ (peeling)—and if grammatical affixes are used, it allows an eight-consonant cluster: /ɡvbrdɣvnis/ (he's plucking us). Consonants cannot appear as syllable nuclei in Georgian, so this syllable is analysed as CCCCCCCCVC. The neighboring, but unrelated Armenian language also allows for long consonant strings. For example, the classic transliterations k̕rt̕mndzhal and khghchmtank̕ of քրթմնջալ /kʰɾtʰmnd͡ʒɑl/ ("to grumble") and խղճմտանք /xʁt͡ʃmtɑnkʰ/ ("conscience") start with eight consonants, though in the Armenian alphabet and the modern ISO 9985 transliteration words starting with more than six consonants are rare. Many Slavic languages may manifest almost as formidable numbers of consecutive consonants, such as in the Slovak words štvrť /ʃtvr̩tʲ/ ("quarter"), and žblnknutie /ʒbl̩ŋknutje/ ("clunk"; "flop") and the Slovene word skrbstvo /skrbstʋo/ ("welfare"). However, the liquid consonants /r/ and /l/ can form syllable nuclei in West and South Slavic languages and behave phonologically as vowels in this case. An example of a true initial cluster is the Polish word wszczniesz (/fʂt͡ʂɲɛʂ/ ("you will initiate"). In the Serbo-Croatian word opskrbljivanje /ɔpskr̩bʎiʋaɲɛ/ ("victualling") the 〈lj〉 and 〈nj〉 are digraphs representing single consonants: [ʎ] and [ɲ], respectively. Some Salishan languages exhibit long words with no vowels at all, such as the Nuxálk word /xɬpʼχʷɬtʰɬpʰɬːskʷʰt͡sʼ/: he had had in his possession a bunchberry plant. It is extremely difficult to accurately classify which of these consonants may be acting as the syllable nucleus, and these languages challenge classical notions of exactly what constitutes a syllable. The same problem is encountered in the Northern Berber languages.

There has been a trend to reduce and simplify consonant clusters in East Asian languages, such as Chinese and Vietnamese. Old Chinese was known to contain additional medials such as /r/ and/or /l/, which yielded retroflexion in Middle Chinese and today's Mandarin Chinese. The word 江, read as jiang in Mandarin and kong in Cantonese, was most likely klong or krung^{[citation needed]}. Additionally, initial clusters such as "tk" and "sn" were analysed in recent reconstructions of Old Chinese, and some were developed as palatalised sibilants. Another element of consonant clusters in Old Chinese were analysed in coda and post-coda position. Some "departing tone" syllables have cognates in the "entering tone" syllables, which feature a -p, -t, -k in Middle Chinese and Southern Chinese varieties. The departing tone was analysed to feature a post-coda sibilant, "s". Clusters of -ps, -ts, -ks, were then formed at the end of syllables. These clusters eventually collapsed into "-ts" or "-s", before disappearing altogether, leaving elements of diphthongisation in more modern varieties. Old Vietnamese also had a rich inventory of initial clusters, but these were slowly merged with plain initials during Middle Vietnamese, and some have developed into the palatal nasal.

Loanwords

Consonant clusters occurring in loanwords do not necessarily follow the cluster limits set by the borrowing language's phonotactics. The Ubykh language's root psta, a loan from Adyghe, violates Ubykh's rule of no more than two initial consonants; also, the English words sphere /ˈsfɪər/ and sphinx /ˈsfɪŋks/, Greek loans, violate the restraint (or constraint, see also optimality theory) that two fricatives may not appear adjacently word-initially.

English

In English, the longest possible initial cluster is three consonants, as in split /ˈsplɪt/ and strudel /ˈʃtruːdəl/, all beginning with /s/ or /ʃ/ and ending with /l/ or /r/;

the longest possible final cluster is five consonants, as in angsts /ˈæŋksts/ and in the Yorkshire place-name of Hampsthwaite /hæmpsθweɪt/, though that is rare and four, as in twelfths /ˈtwɛlfθs/, sixths /ˈsɪksθs/, bursts /ˈbɜrsts/ and glimpsed /ˈɡlɪmpst/, is more common. In compound words, longer clusters are possible, as in handspring /ˈhændspriŋ/.

However, it is important to distinguish clusters and digraphs. Clusters are made of two or more consonant sounds, while a digraph is a group of two consonant letters standing for a single sound. For example, in the word ship, the two letters of the digraph 〈sh〉 together represent the single consonant [ʃ]. Conversely, the letter 〈x〉 can produce the consonant clusters /ks/ (annex), /gz/ (exist), /kʃ/ (sexual), or /gʒ/ (some pronunciations of "luxury".). Also note a combination digraph and cluster as seen in length with two digraphs 〈ng〉, 〈th〉 representing a cluster of two consonants: /ŋθ/; lights with a silent digraph 〈gh〉 followed by a cluster 〈t〉, 〈s〉: /ts/; and compound words such as sightscreen /ˈsaɪtskriːn/ or catchphrase /ˈkætʃfreɪz/.

 

 

 

 

Practice Materials for Consonant Clusters

These materials can be used as additional phonetic exercises for practicing typical initial and final consonant clusters in short frequently used words. Be careful not to insert the neutral sound [ə] between the consonant sounds of the clusters. Note on transcription symbols: [θ] as in the word THIN; [ð] as in THIS; [sh] as in SHE; [zh] as in MIRAGE; [ch] as in CHEESE; [j] as in JANE; [ŋ] as in LONG.

Note: The sound combination [ŋg] does not occur at the end of English words. It is given here for comparison with [ŋk], which can be at the end and in the middle of words. (Звуковое сочетание [ŋg] не встречается в конце английских слов. Оно дано здесь для сравнения с [ŋk], которое может быть в конце и в середине слов.)

[ps], [pt]

perhaps – lapse – collapse – ellipse – glimpse – oops;

apt – rapt – leapt – crept – kept – accept – crypt – script – adopt – erupt – attempt – tempt;

[sk], [sp], [st]

risk – flask – mask – task – desk – mosque – dusk – husk;

lisp – crisp – wisp – clasp – grasp – wasp;

least – feast – beast – mist – wrist – best – chest – test – fast – last – past – cost – lost – first – thirst – burst – dust – must – rust – paste – taste – waste – boast – coast – roast – most – post;

Clusters with final [θ]

month – health – wealth – stealth – filth – warmth – strength – length – width – breadth – depth;

seventh – ninth – tenth – fifteenth – sixteenth – thirteenth – sixth – fifth – twelfth – eighth [eitθ] – hundredth – thousandth.

Note: length [leŋθ] or [leŋkθ]; strength [streŋθ] or [streŋkθ].

Final consonant clusters with the ending S/ES

[ps], [ts], [ks]

stops – lamps – helps – writes – tests – texts – links – thanks – sharks;

[bz], [dz], [gz]

rubs – bulbs – needs – holds – worlds – thousands – pigs – legs;

[fs], [θs]

beliefs – laughs – gulfs – cliffs – deaths – myths – births;

[vz], [ðz]

leaves – knives – wolves – valves – saves – clothes – breathes – bathes;

Note: cloths [kloðz] or [kloθs]; clothes [klouðz] or [klouz]; oaths [ouðz]; BrE: baths [ba:ðz] or [ba:θs]; AmE: baths [bæðz] or [bæθs];

[mz], [nz], [ŋz], [lz]

homes – storms – cleans – fans – lungs – rings – girls – thrills.

Final consonant clusters with the ending ED

[pt], [kt], [ft]

hoped – stopped – tipped – linked – locked – marked – sniffed – laughed – coughed;

[st], [sht], [cht]

missed – danced – mixed – washed – rushed – fished – watched – reached – searched;

[bd], [gd]

robbed – stabbed – tubed – begged – lagged – logged – hugged;

[vd], [ðd], [zd]

lived – received – saved – bathed – breathed – clothed – seized – raised – closed;

[zhd], [jd]

rouged – charged – managed – paged;

[md], [nd], [ŋd], [ld]

filmed – armed – planned – rained – hanged – banged – called – hurled – sealed.

Note: See pronunciation charts for the endings S/ES and ED in English Consonant Sounds in the section Phonetics. Rules for adding S/ES and ED are described in Adding the Ending s/es to Nouns and Verbs and Adding the Endings ed, ing to Verbs in the section Writing.

Примечание: Посмотрите таблицы произношения окончаний S/ES и ED в материале English Consonant Sounds в разделе Phonetics. Правила прибавления S/ES и ED описаны в статьях Adding the Ending s/es to Nouns and Verbs и Adding the Endings ed, ing to Verbs в разделе Writing.

Other final consonant combinations

Some final consonant combinations which do not have a vowel between the consonants in spelling can be pronounced with or without the neutral sound [ə] between the consonants: pl, bl, tl, dl, cl, gl, fl, thm, sm. Also, the neutral sound may or may not be pronounced in final unstressed suffixes which have a vowel or vowels between such consonants in spelling. Such consonant combinations may or may not be consonant clusters depending on whether the neutral sound is absent or present. Compare these examples:

Некоторые конечные сочетания согласных, которые не имеют гласной между согласными в написании, могут произноситься с нейтральным звуком [ə] или без него между согласными: pl, bl, tl, dl, cl, gl, fl, thm, sm. Также, нейтральный звук может произноситься или не произноситься в конечных неударных суффиксах, в которых есть гласная или гласные между такими согласными в написании. Такие сочетания согласных могут быть или не быть кластерами в зависимости от отсутствия или присутствия нейтрального звука. Сравните эти примеры:

apple ['æpəl] – ['æpl], table ['teibəl] – ['teibl];

little ['litəl] – ['litl], riddle ['ridəl] – ['ridl];

miracle ['mirəkəl] – ['mirəkl], eagle ['i:gəl] – ['i:gl];

rifle ['raifəl] – ['raifl], waffle ['wofəl] – ['wofl];

rhythm ['riðəm] – ['riðm], prism ['prizəm] – ['prizm];

kitten ['kitən] – ['kitn], hidden ['hidən] – ['hidn];

lesson ['lesən] – ['lesn], mention ['menshən] – ['menshn].

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Examples and Observations:

• "The combination /st/ is a consonant cluster (CC) used as onset in the word stop, and as coda in the word post. There are many CC onset combinations permitted in English phonotactics, as in black, bread, trick, twin, flat and throw. . . .
  
  "English can actually have larger onset clusters, as in the words stress and splat, consisting of three initial consonants (CCC). The phonotactics of thee larger onset clusters is not too difficult to describe. The first consonant must always be /s/, followed by one of the voiceless stops (/p/, /t/, /k/) and a liquid or glide (/l/, /r/, /w/). You can check if this description is adequate for the combinations in splash, spring, strong, scream and square."
  (George Yule, The Study of Language, 4th ed. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010)

• "In some instances the consonant cluster may coincide with a cluster which can occur at the end of a word without a suffix; for example the words lapse and laps end with the same consonant cluster and in fact are homophonous, and the same is true of chaste and chased."
  (Charles W. Kreidler, The Pronunciation of English: A Course Book. Blackwell, 2004)

• Consonant Cluster Reduction
  - "Consider the example of word-final consonant cluster reduction as it affects sound sequences such as st, nd, ld, kt, and so forth in various English dialects. The rule of word-final consonant cluster reduction may reduce items such as west, wind, cold, and act to wes', win', col', and ac' respectively. The incidence of reduction is quite variable, but certain linguistic factors systematically favor or inhibit the operation of the reduction process. . . . With respect to the phonological environment that follows the cluster, the likelihood of reduction is increased when the cluster is followed by a word beginning with a consonant. This means that cluster reduction is more frequent in contexts such as west coast or cold cuts than in contexts like west end or cold apple."
  (Walt Wolfram, "Dialect in Society." The Handbook of Sociolinguistics, ed. by Florian Coulmas. Blackwell, 1997)
  
  
  - "Consonant cluster reduction is a process in which the final consonant group or cluster, composed of two consonant sounds, is reduced to a single consonant sound. . . . As a result of the consonant cluster process, the words tes ('test') and des ('desk') rhyme, and are minimally different in that they contrast only in the initial t and d sounds."
  (Lisa J. Green, African American English: A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2002)

19.  CONSONANT CLUSTER

In linguistics, a consonant cluster (or consonant blend) is a group of consonants which have no intervening vowel. In English, for example, the groups /spl/ and /ts/ are consonant clusters in the word splits.

Some linguists argue that the term can only be properly applied to those consonant clusters that occur within one syllable.

Others contend that the concept is more useful when it includes consonant sequences across syllable boundaries. According to the former definition, the longest consonant clusters in the word extra would be /ks/ and /tr/,^[1] whereas the latter allows /kstr/. The German word Angstschweiß (/aŋstʃvaɪs/; "fear sweat") is another good example, with a cluster of five consonants: /ŋstʃv/.

English

In English, the longest possible initial cluster is three consonants, as in split /ˈsplɪt/ and strudel /ˈʃtruːdəl/, all beginning with /s/ or /ʃ/ and ending with /l/ or /r/;

Initial consonant clusters

[pl], [pr], [bl], [br]

plead – please – plink – pleasant – plenty – plan – plastic – platter – plaza – plot – plural – plume – plug – pluck – plum – plump – plus – play – place – plain – plane – plague – plywood – plight – plow – plosive;

preach – priest – pretty – prepare – prefer – print – prison – press – present – pregnant – practice – practical – prank – problem – product – profit – proof – prove – prune – prude – professor – promote – praise – pray – prayer – price – pride – prime – private – prize – pry – proud – prowl – prose – probe – prone – program;

bleed – bleak – blink – bliss – bless – blend – black – blank – blast – block – blond – blue – bloom – blur – blood – blame – blaze – blind – blow – bloat;

breed – breeze – breathe – brief – bring – brick – brim – bread – breast – brand – bracket – bra – broad – broth – brood – broom – brook – brother – brush – brain – break – brace – bright – brow – brown – browser – broil – broken;

[tr], [dr]

tree – treat – trim – trip – trick – trend – tread – track – trap – travel – tram – trauma – true – troop – trust – truck – trunk – tray – trace – train – trail – try – tribe – trout – troll;

dream – drill – drink – drip – draft – drama – draw – drop – droop – drew – drum – drunk – drain – drape – dry – drive – drown – drone – drove;

[kl], [kr], [gl], [gr]

clean – clear – click – cling – clever – cleft – clan – class – clasp – clue – clerk – club – claim – clay – climb – cloud – clown – close – clone;

cream – creed – critical – crib – credit – crest – crack – crash – crawl – cross – crop – crew – cruise – crude – crook – crush – crust – crazy – crane – cry – crime – crisis – crowd – crown – crow;

glee – glib – glimpse – glare – glad – glamor – glance – glue – gloomy – glum – glide – globe – global;

green – Greek – grief – grease – grip – grim – grin – grab – gram – grand – grasp – grew – groom – group – great – grade – grave – grime – grind – ground – grow – grown – growth – gross;

[fl], [fr]

flee – fleece – flick – flint – flip – flesh – flex – flare – flap – flax – floor – flock – floss – flew – flu – flirt – flame – flake – fly – flight – Floyd – flow – flown;

free – freeze – freak – frequent – frisk – frigid – Fred – friend – fresh – Frank – fraction – fragment – fragile – fraud – frog – frost – fruit – frame – fragrant – phrase – freight – fry – fright – frown – froze;

[θr], [shr]

three – thrifty – thrill – thread – threat – threshhold – thrash – throng – throb – through – threw – thrush – thrust – thrice – thrive – throat – throw – thrown – throne,

shriek – shrimp – shrink – shred – shredder – shrewd – shrug – shrine;

[sk], [skr]

ski – skin – skip – skim – scare – scan – scatter – scar – score – scoff – school – scuba – skirt – skunk – skull – sculpture – skate – scale – sky – scout – scoundrel – scope – scold;

scream – screen – screech – scribble – scrimp – script – scrap – scratch – scramble – scrawl – screw – scrooge – scruple – scrutiny – scrub – scrape – scroll;

[sl], [sm], [sn]

sleep – sleet – sleeve – sleazy – sling – slick – slim – slip – slit – slender – sledge – slam – slap – slash – slack – slang – slot – slob – sloppy – sluice – slew – slur – slurp – slum – slug – slave – slay – sleigh – sly – slide – slight – slime – slouch – slow – slope – slogan;

smear – Smith – smell – smash – smack – smart – small – smog – smock – smooth – smooch – smother – smudge – smug – smile – smoke – smolder;

sneeze – sneak – sneer – sniff – snip – snare – snack – snap – snatch – snarl – snore – snort – snorkel – snob – snoop – snug – snake – snail – snipe – sniper – snout – snow;

[sp], [spl], [spr]

speak – speed – spin – spit – spill – spirit – spend – special – speck – spell – spare – span – spam – spark – spa – sport – spot – sponsor – spoon – spool – spook – spur – sponge – Spain – space – spy – spice – spike – spine – spite – spout – spouse – spoil – spoke – spoken;

spleen – split – splint – splinter – splendid – splendor – splash – splotch – splurge – splay – splice;

spree – spring – sprint – sprinkle – spread – sprang – sprawl – spruce – sprung – spray – sprain – sprite – sprout;

[st], [str]

steal – steam – steel – steep – steer – stick – still – stiff – step – stencil – sterile – stare – stair – stand – stamp – stab – statue – staff – star – stark – start – store – stork – storm – stop – stock – story – stew – stool – stoop – student – stir – sterling – stern – study – stuff – stub – stubborn – stun – stunt – stumble – stay – stake – state – stain – style – sty – stout – stone – stove – stow;

street – stream – streak – strict – string – strip – stress – stretch – strength – strand – strangle – strap – stratosphere – straw – strong – struck – structure – struggle – strange – strain – straight – stray – strike – stripe – strive – stride – stroke – stroll;

[sw], [tw], [dw], [kw], [skw], [gw]

sweet – sweep – swim – swift – switch – swing – swindle – Swiss – swivel – swell – swept – sweat – swear – swore – sworn – swarm – swan – swallow – swamp – swab – swap – swung – sway – swine – swollen;

tweed – tweezer – twin – twist – twig – twelve – twenty – twang – twice – twilight – twine;

dwarf – dwell – dwindle – Dwayne – Dwight;

queen – queer – quick – quit – question – quest – quarrel – quart – quarter – quite – quiet – quote – quotation;

squeeze – squeak – squeal – squid – square – squad – squander – squash – squat – squirrel – squirt;

Gwen – Gwendolen – Guatemala.

Final consonant clusters

[ft], [kt]

drift – gift – lift – sift – left – draft – shaft – loft – soft;

act – fact – tact – elect – affect – depict – deduct;

[lt], [ld]

belt – dealt – felt – melt – built – guilt – kilt – tilt – halt – malt – fault – default – vault – bolt – colt – jolt;

old – bold – cold – fold – gold – hold – mold – scold – sold – told – child – mild – wild – field – build – held – bald – world;

[lk], [lp], [lb]

milk – silk – elk – bulk – hulk – sulk;

help – yelp – palp – pulp – bulb;

[lf], [lv]

self – elf – shelf – golf – gulf – wolf – Ralph – Rolph – Rudolph;

solve – involve – valve – delve;

[lch], [lj], [lm], [ls]

belch – bilge – bulge – divulge;

film – helm – realm – else – pulse;

[mp], [mf]

limp – temp – camp – lamp – ramp – stamp – stomp – bump – dump – jump – plump – rump – stump;

lymph – nymph – triumph;

[nt], [nd]

mint – lint – sent – spent – bent – tent – vent – moment – agreement – statement – pant – can't – haunt – want – hunt – paint – saint – pint – point – joint;

wind – send – spend – lend – friend – attend – band – land – hand – sand – bond – fond – pond – fund – find – kind – bind – mind – behind – rind – wind – found – round – sound – pound;

[nch], [nj]

finch – pinch – bench – French – branch – ranch – launch – crunch – hunch – lunch;

change – range – strange – binge – cringe – fringe – tinge – sponge – lunge – lounge;

[ns], [nz]

rinse – since – mince – wince – dense – fence – sense – absence – license – science – chance – dance – fragrance – ounce;

cleanse [klenz] – lens [lenz];

[ŋk]

pink [piŋk] – ink – drink – think – link – mink – sink – shrink – wink – bank – banker – sank – rank – frank – spank – tank – honk – monk – monkey – drunk – junk – punk – skunk – distinct – jinx – wrinkle – uncle – ankle – anchor – anxious – banquet ['bæŋkwit];

[ŋg]

finger ['fiŋgər] – linger – hunger – hungry – anger – angry – longer – longest – stronger – strongest – younger – youngest – congress (n.) – mongrel – single – angle – strangle – tangle – language – lingo – linguist – distinguish;