Doe 1
Jane Doe
LING 391
Professor Bateman
20 April 2023
Homework #5
Language Analysis: Palauan (Malayo-Polynesian, spoken on Palau Islands and Guam)
I prose the sounds [d], [ɵ], and [ð] are phonemes in Palau for the following reasons. First, are
minimal pairs. Upon evaluation, we find that [d] and [ð] are complementary distributions. The
[d] and [ð] occur only following consonant sounds, whereas [ɵ] occurs as a dental fricative. The
following sample words illustrate this distribution. I underline the relevant segments in the chart
below:
1. Charting the Distribution (in parenthesis are repeated):
[d]
[ɵ]
[ð]
d. #_i (g, m)
c. o_#
a. ə_ə (i)
q. #_e :
e. u_#
b. #_i (n, o)
f. a_# (h, k)
j. ə_u
p. ə_#
l. #_e :
2. State the generalizations:
[ɵ], and [ð] are both dental or interdental fricatives since sounds are produced by a thin stream of
air friction where the tongue (dental) or between the teeth (interdental). Therefore, the sounds
would be minimal pairs.
